1. The self is the unity of what we necessarily are and what we choose to be The nobility of the human condition consists in despair/anxiety: (1) having to acknowledge that we are put into a situation (by God) where we have to make real, un-guaranteed choices; and (2) having to make the choices whereby we become selves The Self as Chosen: Søren Kierkegaard (1813-55)

2. Human beings are naturally inclined to work and be sociable. What distinguishes us as human is our freely chosen, creative labor Capitalism alienates us from the products of our labor and thus alienates us from ourselves and one another By controlling property, the ruling class controls thought. Only communal ownership of property can counteract social alienation The Self as Worker: Karl Marx (1818-85)

3. l Nobility consists in the exercise of will. The pessimistic all-too-human reliance on God, religion, and morality is a crutch for the weak l The true self (the overman) transcends the “last man,” the person who takes no risks and seeks equality, complacence, and happiness The Self as Will to Power: Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900)