IMAGES OF MAN

The following are the main "images" of the human which are found in our cultural landscape.  It is likely that we currently hold a particular image which may be the "lens" through which we have lived our life or which may "define" or at least strongly influence our memoir.  Others may not share our viewpoint and this may be a source of stress or conflict.

Man as machine (or technology) – a mechanical view. My physical capacities or limitations made me what I am today.

Man as genome – my chromosomes made me what I am today. (Reductionistic science.)

Man as pharmacological (chemical) – bad bio-chemicals made me what I am today.

Man as behavioristic psychological being – my upbringing (nurturing or lack of it) made me what I am today. B.F. Skinner psychological model.

Man as a cultural entity – my ethnicity, my religion made me what I am today. My privileged upbringing made me what I am today. My lack of privilege made me what I am today. My family made me what I am today. My religious upbringing made me who I am.

Man as economic component – my job defines who I am., the amount of financial resources I / my family has defines who I am.

Man as a free spiritual agent (being).

Somebody else's "power" defines who I am.

My "damage" defines who I am.  I am limited because "something happened to me."

Man as a being which develops through pre-defined stages over time. The Developmental model.

Man as an ego, as a “ self”, as a being “in control”, this is my body, “me”.