Philosophers such as Susanne Langer and Alfred Korzybski have taught us that we are contantly constructing and recreating ourselves. We use words, images and symbols to make ourselves, to form society, to create patterns of living. These pictures are forged into systems that give meaning to our lives. The cross, the star of david, the hammer and sickle, the American flag are powerful symbols that organize and transform our experience into something beyond simple, fragmented events. Consciousness creates meaning.
Persons form and transform themselves.
Consider the Pueblo and the Plains Indians. In Patterns of Culture, noted anthropologist Ruth Benedict discovered that the Pueblo Indians valued moderation, dignity, kindnes, orderliness, mildness, and social ceremony. They described themselves as 'the peaceful people' who stress inner tranquility, interconnectedness with others, devotion to the group rather than individual accomplishment, and minute regulation of every sphere of life by sets of rules. The Plains Indians, in contrast, favored excess, intensity, conflict, heroism, breaking routine, violence and individuality. Opposite sets of symbols dominated the minds and the social life of these tribes.