On the one hand there's nobody there but you. On the other,
for example, when you're just sitting there thinking about nothing
in particular, there's the distinct impression that there's at
least one other you there: the you you think is doing the thinking,
and the you you think you're thinking about.
This is not such a profound revelation. It's a quite common knowledge.
Inside your head there are at least two completely equal, and only
somewhat fictional selves. And each of your selves is you. Playing
for real.
We all talk about it. We surprise ourselves. Love ourselves. Beat
ourselves up. We fool ourselves, laugh with ourselves. Laugh at
ourselves.
We talk to ourselves. Sing with ourselves.
We remind ourselves. We don't let ourselves forget. We drive ourselves
harder. And we drive ourselves crazy.
We punish ourselves, arouse ourselves, abuse ourselves, delight
ourselves.
We stop ourselves, deny ourselves, reward ourselves, deprive ourselves,
We are proud of our selves, ashamed of ourselves.
And all the time we are just playing that there's somebody else
there. Each of us.
This is what I'm referring to as the Inner Playground, where everything
we can think of can happen, where any of ourselves can be pretended
into being or not.
This is where we find ourselves playing when there is no there
there. Where there's nobody there but us, ourself. |
