The Created Self - Robert J. Weber

In today's culture the self is considered largely a work in progress, and as we constantly reinvent ourselves, the challenge becomes one of
coordinating change with the integrity and unity of the self. Using the insights of William James
and evolutionary psychology as a springboard,
Robert Weber explores the nature and meaning of
our shifting selves. He proposes an ecology of
the self based on three distinct but
interdependent spheres: the body, the persona,
and the spirit. Our bodily selves can be
cosmetically nipped and tucked, and through new
reproductive technologies extended in ways
previously undreamed of. Our personas,
comprising both our self-image and the image we
present to others, are constantly assuming
multiple roles in the course of our daily lives. And finally the modern changing self finds
spiritual fulfillment in myriad traditional and
nontraditional cultures, both sacred and
secular, as we craft beliefs to suit our
individual and communal needs.

Robert Weber is a psychologist living in Albuquerque.