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Identity Quote by Jacques Derrida

“How can another see into me, into my most secret self, without my being able to see in there myself? And without my being able to see him in me. And if my secret self, that which can be revealed only to the other, to the wholly other, to God if you wish, is a secret that I will never reflect on…” quote by Jacques Derrida
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““How can another see into me, into my most secret self, without my being able to see in there myself? And without my being able to see him in me. And if my secret self, that which can be revealed only to the other, to the wholly other, to God if you wish, is a secret that I will never reflect on, that I will never know or experience or possess as my own, then what sense is there in saying that it is my secret, or in saying more generally that a secret belongs, that it is proper to or belongs to some one, or to some other who remains someone. It's perhaps there that we find the secret of secrecy. Namely, that it is not a matter of knowing and that it is there for no one. A secret doesn't belong, it can never be said to be at home or in its place. The question of the self: who am I not in the sense of who am I but rather who is this I that can say who? What is the- I and what becomes of responsibility once the identity of the I trembles in secret?””

Jacques Derrida

About This Quote

The passage explores how the self cannot fully know its own secret, questioning ownership of secrecy and identity.

In simple terms: We cannot fully know our deepest self.

Key Takeaway

Embrace the mystery of self‑knowledge.

Themes

philosophy self secrecy identity

Mood

introspective enigmatic

Type

philosophical literary

When to use this quote

  • therapy
  • creative writing
  • spiritual practice

Key Concepts

existentialism post‑structuralism self‑reflection

Questions to Reflect On

  • What parts of yourself are truly hidden?
  • How does secrecy shape responsibility?
A Different Perspective

Secrets may remain unknowable.

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