Less Acting More Observing
from Prison Proxy by Texas Inmate

I recently wrote about now my feelings for an old flame would destroy the link between my acting self and my observing self (The Observer 11-23-10). As a student of philosophy, I've developed my observing self, but with its always observing from the location of a nearby orbit, it is by nature separated from my acting self (the man in the mirror).

I also recently wrote about how the holiday cards given to prisoners every year are nothing but a play by the system to get them to do its propagandizing (Happy Holidays 12-17-10). So, during Christmas we get some cards to send out and a relatively decent meal, and the next day we get a disciplinary case for possessing a rubber band to keep a bag of coffee closed. M-e-r-r-y Christmas!
Well, I sent a new flame a Christmas card, and I later heard about how it was almost cold, so void was it of any intimacy. Now, I had no idea, and all of my cards have been like this for many years. Of course, when I say that I had no idea, I mean that my acting self had no idea and was acting on a vague emotion. Yet, my observing self had been thinking about this idea for many years. This was an instance of a gap and not a link between the two selves.

The essence of the principled person is one who is perennially strengthening the link between his acting and observing selves. This is the means by which he can act out the principles discovered by the observing self. But when an experience destroys the link between the acting and observing selves, even momentarily, this is how principles such as rationality and integrity fly out the window. There is neither philosophy nor the observer self when a man is on his motorcycle doing 170mph on the freeway, or, as in the first case above, doing 170mph into a foolish courtship.
(Author's note: integrity is distinct from honesty in that honesty denotes being honest with others, whereas integrity denotes being honest with oneself, and acting on it).

- http://prisonproxy.blogspot.com/2011/01/less-acting-more-observing.html