the cultivated subject

[Karla]

With the main idea of the cultivated subject being about 'the care of oneself' (‘epimeleia heautou’ in Greek), the weekly reading and other texts about the subject appear to be more focused on the physical aspect of using the mind to take care of the body. For example, Smart 2002:108, states how 'the concept of ‘techniques of the self’ refers to the means by which individuals can affect their own bodies, souls, thoughts and conduct so as to form and transform.' So is it only looking after ourselves in a physical way or can we extend this to using our minds to take care of ourselves in a mental way as well, for example challenging your mind with a university degree or other mental stimulation, allow the mind to further develop and explore. What do other people think about this?

[Chesca]

I believe that what is meant by cultivating the self is to do with the physical aspect but also to with the mind, so I would yes you can extend this to using our minds as well. In terms of using the mind or a university degree as the cultivation of self, I say yes that you can. As long as what ever it is your doing helps to better yourself e.g. reading or mental stimulation and gives you more knowledge or helps to upgrading yourself. Anything that causes you to improve, better or upgrade the self is the looking after the self whether it is physical or mental.

[sianperkins89]

I think that the cultivated subject involves the physical and mental aspects of caring for oneself equally. I thought that the Californian cult of the self wanted to exclude     impurities and distractions from the life and the mind through ideas such as meditation, which is a physical act which ultimately has positive mental affects, as some would believe. Also the Christian notion of abstinence which would be a physical restraint, which ultimately has more of a mental affect, making the person a 'better' person who stays away from impurities. Although the notion of the self in the Christian ideal is not encouraged so much as the Greek or modern Californian. Though, I think that including ideas such as gaining an education would indeed be beneficial when explaining the cultivated subject as the self is about more than the physical self and the physical self would not amount to a real subject without a mental self to accompany it.

[katievolone]

I agree, I believe that anything we do do better ourselves is a form of cultivation. So going to university and bettering our education expands the mind and increases our knowledge, but at the same time going to the gym for example is a physical form of bettering ourselves. Anything to stimulate yourself is surely a form of self preservation?

[Alexpecko]

I also agree, cultivation of self is about bettering ourselves whether that be by attending university, going to the gym or by abstaining from sex. i feel that much of the emphasis is on the individual, and that there is no set of 'rules' which you must abide by, it is up to you to every individual

[Tiffany]

Main idea of the cultivated subject being about 'the care of oneself" is a "practical" work dealing with everyday life, not a work of moral reflection or prescruption.
From may point of view, the cultivated subject is an art of existence. It also took the form of an attitudem a mode of beavior; it became instilled in ways of living. It thus came to constitue a social practice, giving rise to relationships between individuals.
for instance, go to university to get a higher education is an extension of ourselvs.

[supernoodle275]

I believe it to be extremely important to look after ones' self by use of the mind. For our own well- being it is important to exercise the mind, making it think, dealing with everyday scenarios using logic and reason to make the right decisions in order to achieve the best outcome.

[sweetgirl]

Now in 2010 it is very important to look after one self by the use of our minds especially living in a competitive world. anything that extends our knowledge nowadays is beneficial for anything we do in our lives. I believe that help like is , now if you see that that someone is lost for work we have places like 'job centre' 'careers advice centre' which guides you from a step to step procedures for entering into jobs , and 'connections' which helps to advice people and now taking Universities for instance also have an 'upgrade' where people go to seek help now all these institutions are made for a better outcome, again it depends on the individual whether to take up those offers or not.Now going back to 'epimeleia heautou' which means to take care of oneself I agree with this concept of bettering ourselves in our mind.

[smiles]

i would agree, by arguing that the whole exercise of governing your own body or 'caring for the self' is the mental aspect of what contributes towards looking after and working on your body.

As Foucault argues, 'it is no longer a reconstruction of complex external lines of power but of internal programs  for ethical transformations' (Gutting 2005 pg105).

He looks towards the ancient Greeks with admiration for being able to govern their own rules without religion as a life forming structure. The reason why this apply's to western society is due to the decrease in Christianity and religion. What the cultivated subject is keen on is, taking pride of our body like it is a work of art and managing it without needing the external rules of guidance.

Ultimately the effects are represented in the portray of your self, which is visually represented to society.   

[jbird]

I believe that the care of oneself is both physical and mental. After all, who we are is what is inside our body, as well as the physical shell within which we exist.Those of us who are conscious that we are a machine which needs maintaining try to better ourselves by going to the gym, or eating healthily. However the other side to this may be going to a psychiatrist if we have unresolved mental issues, orif we find ourselves troubled. Talking about problems is also a way of making ourselves feel better.
without the mental aspect, would we even think to look after our physical selves?

[jessbeat]

I believe the body is an extension of the mind, so if we take care of our minds through gaining new knowledge and challenging it we will have a better knowledge of how to take care of the body.

[mgh_88]

I agree with this and believe that in most circumstances a University degree helps to challenge ones mind. However I see the human interaction we encounter when persuing a University course as being just as beneficial. Social relationships is one of the many human needs and through intellectual debate and general socialising this is achieved in a working atmoshphere. I think another process of mentally taking care of ones self is through mediatation, people use it for many reasons, for instance to be at peace with oneself or for resisting the negative temptations which come along with modern day living.

[Blair]

I also agree with the comments made, but i also think that cultivating oneself can have wider implications for the social world. By cultivating oneself one is using 'technologies of the self', which are tools used to reach a state of perfection or happiness, often these are used for practices of freedom in order to transform within power relations. This process consists of two steps; an individual must problematize one’s identity through self-examination and through scrutinizing the codes that govern the production of their identity. Stage two; after problematization the individual can engage in ethical practices of freedom and develop practices of transformation (Thorpe, 2008, p.209). For example, Foucault may have promblematized homophobia and scrutinized dominant ideologies of the heterosexual norm  and by being openly gay he liberated himself within power relations and so to speak transformed himself despite dominant ideologies operating around him.   

[07016311]

I agree with many of the comments made; it it important to cultivate or to look after oneself and I think Blair makes a good point that you first have to problematize something in order to fix it. Surely this can result in further problems as a consequence of problematizing something, and then the realization that there was a problem in the first place can be very alarming to some people who pride themselves of being free from impurities. I do believe that by cultivating the mind you also cultivate the body and vice versa, for example, if you lie down to relax your body, you're mind also starts to relax, and like many of you have said, going to the gym, it may be bettering your body but it betters your mind in the process by, perhaps being proud of what you accomplished in the gym that day. I think it is important to remember that although most try to cultivate themselves, nobody is perfect and everybody will experience some kind of distress at some point or another due to a lack of cultivation.

[sweetgirl]

 'The concept of ‘techniques of the self’ refers to the means by which individuals can affect their own bodies, I believe that when I follow my religion and what it tells me to do I am in a sense cultivating myself to become better. I tend to do things that my religion tells em to do and stay away from the evil.