Think for Yourself

Are you pulled to think like everybody else? Pulled to fit in? Watch out. Bob Kegan talks about levels of adult development. Socialized self is when our identity is based on the group around us. Self Authored is when we think for ourselves. You can, however take it too far. This sheep has awoken to the Self authored level and recognizes itself as separate from the group. She now has a sense of self that is independent of the group, while still acknowledging the necessity of the group’s rules, and will compare them to her own in order to make a decision. Is the haunted look in her eyes indicative of the knowledge that almost all of us are over our heads? Kegan’s work if brilliant, and I highly recommend learning more about it. Beyond Self Authored is Self Transforming: knowing that even our most passionate opinions may not be true for others, or even true at all. Now that we know the limitations of post-modernism, is there another level that this sheep must aspire to?