Best Of
Re: The idea one has of oneself
Some of it seems functional. Like are you a parent? If so its right that you change your child's diapers and put food on their plate. If not, I'm not sure it would make sense to start feeding someone else's kid at the airport. Should the Dutch government tax US citizens to help pay for healthcare in India?
But then some of it is self limiting. Like a fixed mindset, that you're such and such a person vs a growth mindset that says you can change and grow. On the other hand some sort of balance is needed as much of our personality is genetically determined. People come out semi baked as introverts/extroverts, conscientious/carefree, etc. These are shiftable, an introvert can learn extroverted skills and a highly conscientious person can learn to let go, but if you're gay and have the belief that you have the ability to be attracted to the opposite sex, you'll only create misery.
person
The idea one has of oneself
I recently saw the ego defined as ‘any concept one has about oneself’. While this is a convenient shorthand to keep about oneself for the sake of communicating with others - things such as ‘I am a nice person’ or even ‘I am Dutch’ - it strikes me that these things are almost all shams, fictions.
The thing is, a human being is not so easily encapsulated. The old man who is nice to cats may have been a guard at a Nazi death camp. A timid man may be capable of unexpected heroism when the opportunity arises. And nationalities are no more than a socially sanctioned imprint, we are all citizens of the world.
So why do we limit ourselves? Why do we put ourselves in these boxes, which turn out to be self fulfilling prophecies only? It seems the ego is an illusion, a surface conceit and once you dig a little deeper it is our actions that define us.
Jeroen
Re: What documentary are you watching?
The documentary the BBC refused to air ... Gaza: Doctor under attack
WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES SHOWING THE REALITY IN GAZA FOR THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE.
The BBC commissioned the documentary: The film, made by Basement Films, was intended to highlight the experiences of medics in Gaza.
Impartiality concerns: The BBC stated that broadcasting the material "risked creating a perception of partiality that would not meet the high standards that the public rightly expect of the BBC".
Previous incident and pause: Production of Doctors Under Attack was paused in April 2025 following a controversy surrounding another documentary, Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone, where the narrator was the child of a Hamas minister. The BBC initially said it would wait for the findings of a review into the earlier film before proceeding with Doctors Under Attack.
Transfer of ownership: The BBC ultimately transferred ownership of the film material to >Basement Films.
Broadcast by Channel 4: Channel 4 acquired the documentary and broadcast it, with their Head of News and Current Affairs stating it offered "powerful evidence" about the experiences of doctors in Gaza.
Context and related information:
Allegations in the film: The documentary features firsthand accounts of alleged Israeli military attacks on hospitals and healthcare workers in Gaza, which some argue would constitute war crimes. The film also includes allegations of abuse and torture of Palestinian detainees, and accusations of complicity against Israeli medics.
Criticism of the BBC's decision: The BBC's decision has been criticized by various parties, including the documentary filmmakers, who felt the decision was politically motivated and hindered important journalism. Some BBC journalists also signed a letter calling the decision a "political decision" that didn't reflect the film's quality.
Channel 4's perspective: Channel 4 defended its decision to air the documentary, emphasizing the importance of telling stories people need to know, even if they are uncomfortable. They also stated they conducted rigorous editorial checks.
Shoshin1