Monday, April 7, 2008

April 7-13

It was very interesting to read about your inherited personality traits. This week, I want you to comment on the quotation "know thyself". This quote was stated by the Greek philosopher Socrates (470-399 B.C.). What does it mean to you?

18 comments:

HyunJun . KIM said...

"know thyself" is one of my favorite quotation. When we build a house, we have to know the building materials. If we don't know about it, house become very
dangerous. To know oneself is same
to know the building material.
If we want to make a good life, "know thyself" is very important.

Claire said...

The quotation “know thyself” is one of my motto and has a great effect in my life. It’s very important and useful to me, so I often remind myself. For example, I can show my best side to people and conceal my shortcomings from people because I know my advantages and disadvantages. In additional, I can make good choices if I know what are really good and suitable to me. Sometimes I have lots of plans or dreams. I’ll only choose the possible one to make it come true after I think over and understand my ability. Besides, I can have more and more knowledge and experiences since I know it’s never enough to learn in my mind. In short, I’ll keep knowing myself during my life time.

Bomin said...

"Know thyself" is very important thing to live happily. We try to learn a lot of knowledge, earn much money, make friends,and meet a good spouse during our life because after we get such things we can feel happy. In advance to try these, you need to know yourself; what you want to know and do, whom do you want to be friend with and live together...
Kowing about yourself will help you to find a way to go to happy life.It would be better to know yourself and satisy with your life than just envy other people's life.

dung truong said...

Indeed, the quotation "know thyself" is hard to understand at all. Sometimes, you don't know what you are thinking and what you want. At that time you, don't understand yourself. That can effect your ability in some important decisions in your life. Therefore, i think if you want to succeed in life. You must always "know thyself". That means you know what you want, and what you can do surely and you can control your mind. When you understand yourself so well, you will feel more confident.

Huan said...

In my opinion, if you "know thyself" better, maybe you can get better life. It's very important for you to know what's your strongpoint and weakpoint. If you know that, try your best to conquer your weakness and make things better. During our life, we have to have a modest heart to keeping learning.

min said...

I think ‘know thyself’ is very difficult, although it looks very easy and simple because people don’t know this question’s clear answer and people was worried that they get wrong answer. Also, humans have broad-mindedness to themselves. It cause that they can’t look themselves objective. If someone wants to know oneself, he or she should be strict to oneself. If people solve this problem, they could know what they should do in their whole life, get a chance of change for their disadvantages, and value themselves. For this reason, people want to know themselves including me. I think people should do this process for their happiness in they’re life.

Anonymous said...

Socrates said "Know thyself".Some people have tought,I know myself very well ,also me too before.However now, I don't know myself very well. I can not find who I am. This is so hard from me. Do you watch the movie "I am Sam"? The movie said Sam is Sam, Sam is not other person, I agee it. Yes I am Saul so I can't change other people. Some people have forgoten that I can be another person. We can not find other people to be myself. We have to think about ourself and I am who I am. We have to throw avarice it what I want to other of something. They are who they are. I never am them ,and I think this is important. finally I don't know my birthday ,if my parent didn't say my birthday and I never know my birthday. I want to find who I am and know myself.So every body teach me who I am.

Trang said...

The quote "know thyself" has been a important reminder through my life. It's very necessary to know myself in everything I do. Each person has a different condition that no one can understand clearly me by myself. For example, before I do something, I always consider all abilities I have. I know which one is my best and which one is my shortcoming. Inaddition, by knowing thyself, I might be well aware of what will good and fit with me in my goals. So, I can obtain a best result in my abilities. Futhermore, through concerning about my advantages and disadvantages, I have changes to improve it step by step effectively. That's so useful in growing up. In sum, because of great effects of "know thyself" in my life, I have kept it forever as a essential quote.

Michael said...

Usually we all want to understand the other people, and think oneself infallible about the most understand other person. Did you have to think the oneself? Did you have to understand the oneself? Understanding a person is very difficult, but understanding the oneself more difficult. "Know Thyself", it has decided your life and existence. Your all choices are guide from "Know thyself". It can make your life better or let you arrive the most low in the life. "Know Thyself" is a mystical knowledge and I still is seeking until now.

Betty said...

I think "know thyself" that is you know what do you want. Sometimes that is difficult because we are confused our position. For example, when I was child, I saw some people knew play paino, but I did not know. I want to learn. Actually, I did not really want to learn play paino. I just like them. Therefore, I think every leaning or living stage, we always learn what do we want.

ohyoung said...

The saying “know thyself” of Socrates means a lot to me. When I heard the saying for the first time, it became the belief of my life. It is really difficult to know who I am, but it is really important in my life.
For example, when I see someone’s fault, I guess about me because to understand myself is to understand other people as well. I think that thinking on myself first of all and showing a right action is better than giving other people an advice. Also, I believe that knowing me is very useful that helps us to find what you really want, and you can realize your dream when you find your dream.

Hydes said...

The human kind is social animal. People have to understand each other then survive. However, we have to know ourself first. How can we know other people before we don't understand ourself? Although sometimes we have some misunderstnad to ourself, but if we know about it more, we will be successful more easily.

KEM said...

To me, “Know thyself” has two main meaning. First, this quotation advises me to know exactly what my aims are. People were born, grow up and live their own lives with their own purposes. However, there are many people live with a concern because they don’t know their goals. For instance, some of my friends study or work with the major which was appointed by their parents. As the result of that, they always feel worry about their future because they don’t indulge themselves in this major. What a lucky girl I’m! I have a dream which also is my goal, and I’m trying my best to make my dream come true. On the other hand, in my opinion “know thyself” means know my abilities on doing something. Knowing about what to do is important in our life, but sometime you can’t do what you want to do. At that time, you should consider that if you should pursue your goal patiently or chose another goal. Some people spent their whole life to do the impossible things. Therefore, they have nothing in present and in the rest of their life. I think stiffness is not as good as flexibility on doing something. When I know my ability, I will work flexibly. Maybe I can’t make my dream come true, but I can do many things that will make me happy. I always do whatever can make me feel happy because I know I just want to have a happy life.

EMMA said...

"Know thyself"is very important to human's life. People said Human has a no limited ability. But commonly, people have a limit ability. If people know his ability, and he can make plan more easily. If he make a plan, but he doesn't know his ability, and he make a too difficult plan to do for him, he will frustrete. I know, because I did. After that I gained the exprience, I always think about my ability. It is very helpful to decrease to fail.

Stella said...

Since I don't like philosophy, I didn't think it seriously even though it is well known quotation. Anyway, I tried to figure out what does it mean to me. When I first hear this quotation, I feel guilty because I'm not wear about myself very much. Usually, people are too strict about others' mistakes while they are too generous about their mistakes. I feel this quotation says to me 'before pointing out other's mistakes, think about your wrong behavior.'

Jerry said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jerry said...

"Know thyself". It sounds like complex, otherwise, I think this is basis for a live a life. This quotation is really important to us. Even though, we can't realize it. Many people judge someone before they know them. Believe or not, maybe they are good because we don't even know about them. Whatsoever, it is really bad behavior to judge someone. We can be that kind of victim. I learned a lot during i worked. That was "You are being here because of your surrounding people. They are not being here caused by you, so you have to respect your surroundings as possible as you can." After that, I try to think one more time before judge someone. Therefore, "Know thyself" means a lot to me.

chris said...

When I heard this quotation "know thyself," I thought two meanings that one is humbleness or modesty, and another one is to thoroughly know about abilities of oneself. I frequently tell my friends its first meaning in situation which they behave arrogantly, but another meaning is too hard to understand it in philosophical thinking. To know thyself was difficult for even Socrates who stated this quotation. He didn't know his ego until he died. He just knew the fact that he didn't know about it, and he thought it was more important. To me, it is more important to do my best and trust myself what I can do anything I want but no haughtiness.