Self-axis

Self-consciousness, self-awareness, whatever you wanna call it, is advocated & even championed as a path towards being a more fulfilled individual, someone who seeks out those experiences in life that count among the most enriching & rewarding, someone who "knows what they want" & pursues it with fervent dedication. Such awareness is often synonymous with authenticity, another rung on the ladder of individual expression & understanding. It also affords one a better grip on the ethical repercussions of their actions, how they can achieve a better relationship not only towards themselves but also towards others, thus becoming a more responsible citizen or lover, mother or daughter. Self-consciousness or self-awareness also inhibits the individual. When one is more aware of what one does, one often is given over to doubting oneself, questioning motives & actions & thereby resisting spontaneous expression, intuitive responses & creative choices. Artists who question their choices too often tend to drain their creations of life force, immediacy & effectiveness & yet an artist who fails to question their choices can create sloppy remnants of ego-maniacal episodes. I am by no means claiming that a balance between the two is the type of harmony that each individual should strive after. I am the last person to have faith in a balance between any two seemingly opposed elements. I often like my world-views crooked & ungainly, my concepts asymmetrical & my art discordant.