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Understanding the Fundamentals of Human Nature

Find your higher sense of purpose

Aidan McCarthy
4 min readOct 27, 2023
Photo by Jairo Alzate on Unsplash

This article is inspired by two books in particular:

The Laws of Human Nature — Robert Greene

Surrounded by Idiots — Thomas Erikson

Human nature is complex, nebulous and an intricate aspect of your existence, governed by a set of fundamental principles. Among these principles, one stands out - the concept of self-opinion. Regardless of its accuracy, self-opinion profoundly influences how you perceive your character and worthiness. This article explores the three qualities nearly universal in your self-opinion: autonomy, intelligence, and inherent goodness.

The Power of Self-Opinion

"I am autonomous, acting of my own free will."

This belief in personal autonomy is a cornerstone of self-opinion. It suggests that you see yourself as the captain of your destiny, making choices and decisions independently. Whether this perception aligns with reality or not, it shapes how you navigate your life.

"I am intelligent in my own way."

You haves a unique form of intelligence. It could be academic, emotional, or practical. Your self-opinion often reinforces the idea that you possess intelligence in some…

Aidan McCarthy
Aidan McCarthy

Written by Aidan McCarthy

I'm a technologist passionate about technology, philosophy, and mental wellbeing.

Responses (2)

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By understanding and embracing these qualities, you can navigate the complexities of human nature and find the higher sense of purpose you seek.

Your insight about self-opinion resonates with me as I’d suffered from low self-esteem as a kid. I’m much more confident nowadays but it’s definitely been a work in progress.

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Finding a higher sense of purpose is a lifelong endeavor. It provides direction and clarity of purpose, reinforcing our self-opinion and guiding our actions.