Solipsism is a philosophical concept where one’s mind is the only one that exists or can be known to exist. Only the self is real and reality only exists in one’s own thoughts. That is, we can never know someone else’s state of mind and their personal experiences can only be had through analogy. The individual creates the world they live in through their own mind and is, in a sense, a pigment of the imagination. It is a perfect contrast to materialism, where one is attached to the physical.
Sounds like an opening to the Twilight Zone….
Assuming that solipsism is true, everything I touch, feel, and taste is strictly a pigment of my imagination. If I am imagining this, then why do I imagine working all day and not image living like a king? However, I do believe that solipsism reinforces the idea that I live in a world that I can create and form into what I want it to be. Reality is what I make it through my attitude and actions. There are no preset milestones, no yellow brick roads to follow in life, and only myself to make decisions for, despite being a part of a globalized economy. My mind is a tool for interpreting the world; past, present and future.
If you are interested in reading more about solipsism, check out these links:
Solipsism at Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solipsism
The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy: http://www.iep.utm.edu/s/solipsis.htm
