#tsuji jun

'Those who usually criticize Stirner accuse him of destroying all idols and then finally establishing the "idol" of the "self." Indeed, one could argue that this is true. However, he clearly distinguishes his concept of the "self" from what Fichte and others call the "transcendent self," or the "greater self" often used by Buddhists, and states that it is the "ephemeral self of flesh and blood" that is constantly changing within each individual. This suggests that it is not a fixed or unchanging entity, and even if one were to elevate it to the status of an "idol," each person can change its content as they see fit, so it is not an unhelpful "idol" at all. Moreover, Stirner is not particularly opposed to humans creating idols of their own accord. What he is warning against is believing that the "idol" is the creator. He is warning against reversing the roles of subject and object.' - Tsuji Jun, "My Own World"

'Nietzsche expounded on the concept of the "Übermensch" (superman). Stirner had no need for the "Übermensch." The "Übermensch," like the "human being" and the "true man," was a useless illusion to Stirner. He was content with "this self, of flesh and blood." (See the Buddhist concept of "instant Buddhahood.") A person is complete as they are from birth, grows as that person, and dies as that person; that is all that matters. There is no need to become a "true human being," an "Übermensch," a "dog," or a "Buddha," nor is there any need to be commanded by others to "become" one.' - Tsuji Jun, "My Own World"

'Perhaps because I was exposed to the hardships of the world from a young age, I was.... a precocious, unpleasant boy. Furthermore, I wasn't naturally healthy, so I was quite gloomy—from the age of twelve or thirteen, the idea that the world wasn't a very pleasant place was constantly ingrained in my mind—and therefore, unlike most boys, I didn't particularly enjoy sports or games—I would just sit there silently, lost in thought. Of course, I didn't particularly like going to school either. Therefore, unlike most boys who fantasize, I never harbored any hopes or ambitions of becoming a hero, a great leader, or a great statesman—in fact, I hardly ever thought clearly about what I wanted to become—so what did I think about? I thought about things that were really unlikely to lead to anything—"What is the world as a whole?", "What is a human being?", "How can a human being live the best life as a human being?", "Does such a thing as God really exist?", "What is the purpose of life?" (etc.)—in other words, to put it in more complex terms, I was engaged in what is called "metaphysical inquiry".... Then, after I started learning English.... I gradually became infatuated with Christianity, and I threw away all the literary books I had previously owned and began reading only religious books—that's how I remained a Christian until I was about nineteen—but as my reason gradually awakened and my intellectual needs grew stronger, I seemed to become dissatisfied with simple religion, and I began to read all sorts of books indiscriminately, even though I didn't understand them...." - Tsuji Jun, "My Own World"