Why postmodernism?

I chose postmodernism as the pre-arching paradigm that encapsulates my thoughts on the human condition. After much thought and research on what ideas I most related with, I found that postmodern thought was the most applicable.

Postmodernism is an "umbrella" term used to describe not only a conceptual system after the modern era, but a mode of thought that questions whether there are any universal truths, particularly in the social sciences, in which psychology reigns supreme.

I identify the modern era as being a time period when people were largely thought to be controlled by external or internal forces, the former being their childhood or environment, the latter being their biological makeup.  I think that when looking through the lense of a postmodernist perspective knowledge is seen as constructed and contingent on the cultural meaning that is applied to words.  This means that descriptions of phenonema, such as describing someone as "mad" or "bad" is culturally specific and may be interpreted differently in a different context.  This paradigm is powerful for me as it is subversive, meaning it challenges dominant paradigms, but it also promotes freedom from constraint.

I also find it fascinating how language can be construed so differently, depending on the individual's background and the meaning attributed to the words in the culture the individual is embedded in.

Social construction of reality

One of the most profound insights that I have developed when reading Dorothy Rowe’s book Beyond Fear is the idea that we construct our realities and these constructions are developed (and continue to be reconstructed) when we are children.

This insight has been profound for me because when I realised that how I saw the world was constructed, or as I understood the word, created, and therefore could be “uncreated,” or re-constructed, I felt empowered to change my life.  Rather than being fixed, or a product of my genes or circumstances, I could actively reshape how I saw the world, thus empowering me as an autonomous individual.  As I reflect now about this revelation, I now understand that I needed to develop this insight, any other construction of reality was perceived as too confining and determinist.  What I didn’t realise then but do now is that my extraverted nature and desire to be free from social constraints was another reason that the social construction of reality appealed to me.

As my knowledge of post-structuralism and Personal Construct Theory developed I believed that if others understood how their realities have been constructed, and how their constructions are based on their interpretation of their social, historical, cultural, political and economic circumstances, and how they interpreted what happened to them, that they would be just as awed and interested as I was. How wrong I was.

It was not that individuals did not want to understand or were not interested, it was just that they had their own constructions of the world and a “post-structuralist” way (as I began to interpret it), of seeing the world was not appealing or conflicted with their pre-existing conceptual paradigm.  Some individuals believe that their reality is preordained or influenced by some outside force, such as deity or even astrology.  As I engaged on many philosophical debates with family and friends, I gradually learned that for some of us earthly beings, there is not the overarching need to be autonomous. Some people want to think that fate plays a role in which direction they take, and influence how they think and feel.

I am not arguing that individuals who believe in outside forces, such as deities or astrology, are not autonomous.  They do act independently and understand that they play a pivotal role in which direction they take or how they feel.  The difference is that some people believe that they cannot change their interpretations.  This is the pivotal difference.  If you believe you can change the way you see the world, it means that you have the ability to change your life, not anything else, whether it is fate, the stars, or a deity.

Thus, after many years of operating within this framework I believe that the social and personal construction of reality is the accurate paradigm for me.  However, the emphasis is for me, as I know that it will never be the way everyone, or even many people, see the world, nevertheless I am grateful for the opportunity.

Where is Dorothy Rowe?

For the past two years I have been trying to find out what has happened to Dorothy Rowe. She has not made any entries on her website - the last being around mid-2011.

Rowe was born in 1930, which means that she is 84 years old.  I know she was coping with a chest condition that caused her immense trouble in the mornings, where she has said that she has to spend a considerable amount of time coughing to clear her chest.  I can imagine this chest condition may have caused a vulnerability to further issues with her chest and may have even lead to more serious issues.  However, I am only speculating on what I think may have happened.

If there is anyone that knows anything about how Dorothy Rowe is doing please comment below or contact me directly using the Google+ link.

Welcome to a blog inspired by the wisdom and insight of Dorothy Rowe

Hello there!

If you have stumbled across this blog on Dorothy Rowe then I am guessing that you think she as wonderful as I do or you have an interest in Rowe's psychological insights or her theories on human behaviour, such as her work that is grounded in Personal Construct Psychology and other construct-based frameworks.

On this blog I will be posting regularly on all things Dorothy Rowe, from her viewpoints of what causes human suffering to how we should live.  However, I will also write about issues and events that provide the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding on the human condition.  What is important for me to emphasise is that although Rowe's ideas inform my interpretation, my posts do not represent her viewpoint, and this blog is in no way affiliated with her.

I attribute where I am today to Dorothy Rowe's wisdom and insight, and this blog provides me the opportunity to share what I have learnt with others in the world.

Please join me on this journey by sharing your ideas and commenting on posts.