Toward a Sustainable Myth of Self: An Existential Response to the Postmodern Condition

Abstract

The self has come under considerable attack in postmodern times. Amidst many deconstructions and reformulations of the self, various myths of self have lost their sustainability. This article reviews various theoretical perspectives on the self along with many postmodern challenges to the self. It is proposed that the self is a socially constructed entity which can be conceptualized from a variety of perspectives; however, not all myths of self are equal. In particular, premodern and modern myths of self are inadequate for postmodern times. Building from an existential-integrative perspective, we propose Schneider's paradoxical self as a promising myth of self for postmodern times.

Spiritual Identity outside Institutional Religion: A Phenomenological Exploration

“…Humanistic and existential perspectives have tended to describe a self that is fluid, complex, and changing, yet stable (Hoffman, Stewart, Warren, & Meek, 2009). The participants in our study appeared to provide a clear embodiment of this complex and fluid yet stable identity.…”

Traces of Self-Reflexivity and Meta-Poetics in Lawrence Durrell’s Cities, Plains, and People: The Transition from Modernism to Postmodernism

“…Consequently, Durrell can be described as an early postmodernist as he starts with deconstructing modernism. Hoffman andKurzenberger ISSN 1110-2721 found that "The early phase of postmodernism deconstructed modernism and the second phase began developing alternative epistemologies and methodologies" (Hoffman & Kurzenberger: 2008, p 83). Descartes looks upon man as a "thinking lobe".…”

Infusing Postmodernism Into Counseling Supervision: Challenges and Recommendations

“…Like existentialism, postmodernism provides important philosophical theories, approaches, models, and techniques for understanding the human condition and how best to accentuate its attributes and confront its shortcomings (Hoffman, Stewart, Warren & Meek, 2009). Both approaches, however, may lack the level of pragmatic application some supervisors want and/or need to serve as independent alternatives to somewhat more established clinical and supervisory practices.…”