64 The Triunity of Man [CH. 



that self-abnegation is lacking.) Moreover, he inhabits 

 the sphere of time which others also inhabit, and so his 

 attributes must exist for others whether he likes it or no. 

 The only attribute of such a man would be selfishness. 

 Further he could not become, if his activities were purely 

 centripetal; he would not progress, but would stick at a 

 dead level of imperfection. However, we need not 

 worry our minds about this unpleasant hypothetical 

 being, for he could not exist long. Man is a dependent 

 creature. He has to eat and drink at least; to this 

 extent he has to recognise the existence of something 

 that is not self. And to eat and drink he generally needs 

 to recognise the existence of other people butchers; 

 publicans or water- works officials; landowners and the 

 like; or he will soon find himself in difficulties. Even if 

 he is a savage, he will have to admit the existence of 

 others born and bred in similar briar-patches, because 

 they may take a fancy to his means of subsistence, or 

 even, in a distressingly destructive manner, to him- 

 self. 



For man, then, there is external otherness, which is 

 essential to his becoming. This otherness includes other 

 things and other beings. He makes use of the other 

 things as tools; as far as he can manifesting the rudi- 

 ments of creative activity. In his normal relationship 

 with other beings also he is creative; he creates in some 

 measure their environment as well as his own. Other- 

 ness is thus the basis of his ability to create. If, being 

 comparatively civilised, he starts a general shop, he 

 creates desires and the means of widening activities. 

 Even if he is a primitive savage, every act he performs 

 alters the environment not only of himself but of all 

 his neighbours. The man who first hit on the use of a 

 fish hook was a true creator. 



Then he begets, expanding his own life in the lives of 

 others. He is himself begotten. He is himself influenced 



