The Ego Trick (baggini, Julian) / quote 252 of 254
Being Nobody: losing the self in ecstasy
We also sometimes live life under the third scenario, as Nobodies. ‘Human beings have stalked this planet for 100,000 years, [and] we have from time to time indulged in wine, women and song; or, drugs and sex and rock and roll, the modern equivalent. There are moments in most of our lives when we want to “let ourselves go”, “blow our minds”. The very word “ecstasy” in Greek means to stand outside of yourself. These are moments when we abrogate our sense of self, when we are no longer self-conscious, we’re just conscious.’ This is what psychologists call depersonalisation. Dancing is one of Greenfield’s favourite examples. ‘The whole point of dancing is that you let yourself go. You’re having a sensational time, that is to say you’re putting a premium once again on the senses, as you would as a small child, you’re back in the booming, buzzing confusion.’ What’s interesting about the feeling of being Nobody is that it can be wonderful and dreadful. For instance, most people who take marijuana report depersonalisation effects, sometimes quite strongly, and find them pleasant.