The Tragic Paradox of Self-Awareness

Author Robert Patano of Pursuit of Wonder explained, through descriptive animation, what he considers the ultimate paradox of self-awareness, noting how the tragic ability to comprehend existence creates a sense of invincibility that is mired down by limitation.

The problems caused by our self-awareness begin here with the contrast between what we are compelled toward and what we are capable. Although we are granted the ability to comprehend some of ourselves in reality, and although we can conquer so much of the world, ultimately we do not seem to possess the ability to truly control, understand, or conquer ourselves.

This consciousness of self allows a person not only to make decisions but also to be aware of the suffering these decisions may cause.

The universe feels no pain. We feel the pain for it. The war is thus with ourselves. We have been and will always be the victims of our own tactics. Over time, though we have increasingly prospered in areas like safety, security, health, and longevity, we have arguably declined in areas like our sense of meaning, purpose, connection, and clarity.

Patano argues that trying to solve this paradox is less beneficial than embracing it to understand oneself.

We can know why it means so much to draw close to another being. We can know what it means to love and we can choose to love it all. This is the terrible paradox of self-awareness. Our awareness causes our suffering, but our suffering can be made worthwhile through our awareness. The task is not to resolve this paradox, however, but to utilize and embrace it.