African (xhosa) proverb- you are only a person through other people. Do you agree? If you were the last person left would you somehow cease to be a person? What would change?
2007-12-04 11:28:06 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
A huge part of what we are as people depends on our interctions with other people. We define ourselves as children, parents, grandparents, siblings, lovers, friends, workmates and so on. For most people a large part of our existence is relating to other people in a variety of contexts.
If you take away those other people (and some people do their best to be completely isolated) the xhosa obviously believe that your definition as a person is minimised. We don't have to agree with this, but acknowledge that it is part of their culture - that other people make us who we are. An English equivalent is "No man is an island".
2007-12-04 14:27:09 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Do you somewhat think of that's achieveable to % out the 1st proverb? Then i assume you may additionally ask somebody to tell you what replace into the 1st observe in an African language! West African proverb: "we don't ask the mountain's help to crack a walnut" (Wole Soyinka) The proverb ability you need to no longer seek for super strategies to small issues, in line with possibility purely like the English expression "do no longer make a mountain out of an anthill." Chinua Achebe, from Nigeria, as quickly as wrote that proverbs are the palm oil with which words are eaten. This proverb is stimulated by using foodstuff. that's uncomplicated for individuals to roast cocoyam and then consume it with crimson palm oil. that's a very scrumptious meal, to no longer communicate of the supple sense of palm oil in the mouth. In Africa, Sub-Shaharan African, a minimum of, palm oil would not have purely foodstuff fee. that's used in fertility rituals to boot as in some rites of passage. So palm oil is extremely indispensible in those communities. African languages are very rich in proverbs and a individual's eloquence is marked by using their skill to weave proverbs and imagery while addressing a public amassing.
2016-10-19 04:38:56 · answer #2 · answered by limson 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It depend on how you define a person. To me a person is a conscientious creature who possesses not only advance social organization and immense intellectual capabilities but a creature that is aware of it's own existence and can question it. So according to my definition, no if you were the last person on earth you would not cease to be a person. The changes that i believe that the last person would go through is extreme depression.
2007-12-04 11:39:02 · answer #3 · answered by lipodemia 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In the culture of the tribe everyone contributes to society. If you do not contribute you are not "a person". We have a saying. "If you don't work, you don't eat". We are not to be consciously lazy in our obligations to man. Everyone contributes to society. It's best to contribute for the good of society rather than to be lazy and do nothing.
Even if you are left alone. You have to take care of yourself. That simple truth is the basis for all social interaction. In fact if you contribute or "help yourself" or "pull ones own bootstraps", you are helping society as a whole.
If I were a dreamer until now. I better kick my backside in gear and start contributing.
2007-12-04 13:09:14 · answer #4 · answered by Uncle Remus 54 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't like the idea of living through someone. For instance, "I'm who I am because I have kids." "my husband made me who I am." Like I'm not really Vicious-vegan I'm so and so's mom, so and so's wife.
But, then again, you can be great and have done a million different things, seen all that there is to see but if you don't have anyone to tell it too, it might not matter so much to you.
Basically your story isn't special until it's told.
2007-12-04 12:35:47 · answer #5 · answered by Reflected Life 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I wouldn't cease to be a person as that reality is biologically defined, but insofar as our identities are relative to our interactivity with others, when others cease to exist, life as I knew it ceases to exist. It would then be re-definable based on whatever parameters are left as this new existence unfolds. That would amount to a slow, aimless wandering unto death. We are communal animals, and we need each other to truly thrive.
2007-12-04 11:47:41 · answer #6 · answered by Captain S 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I disagree, you can live a great life of solitude. Even if that was true, it doesn't mean that you would cease as a person, it's just that your actions would be worthless because it doesn't affect other people. Humans naturally seek out other people, but they are also amazingly adaptable.
2007-12-04 11:36:18 · answer #7 · answered by Thinker 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I agree,
Look what happens when someone lives alone.
They stop making an effort and slip into their own habits.
If i were the last person i wouldn't see the point in living
2007-12-04 11:41:22 · answer #8 · answered by Anti theist 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is no-one in the Universe (which does not exist)so it is impossible for there to be only one person. There is no person now, and there never was.
2007-12-04 21:43:39 · answer #9 · answered by los 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Other people do not make you a person. You are a person because of your being if you can understand that.
2007-12-04 11:49:26 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋