271 / Solipsism #2

The purest form of "solipsism," is called "metaphysical solipsism." According to Wikipedia (not an infallible guide, of course, but good for a quick orientation to a word or concept) a "metaphysical solipsist maintains that he is the whole of reality and that the external world and other persons are representations of that self having no independent existence."

You can see why solipsism seems kind of unfriendly. It is so definitely "all about me" that other persons aren't even deemed to exist.

I postulated in my comments a few days ago that the proper antidote to solipsism is "politics," which is all about "we." Just flip that letter "m" and the word (and world) turns right.

A commenter on my comment said that just who "we" is (or are) is actually a pretty important controversy in itself. I concur. In fact, I think the greatest and most important political questions are often those which ask that question. Who gets taxed? Who can live in this country? Who gets to vote? Who can get married (to whom)?

It's all about "we," and who we are!