Book: The problem of man

Personality is permanence in change. The subject of change remains one and the same person. For the individual is destructive, if it freezes, stops in its development, not increasing, not enriched, does not create new life. And as damaging to her, if change it is cheating if it ceases to be itself, if the human countenance can no longer be read.

To be a person, to be free is not the ease, and difficulty, a burden that man must bear. From person often require non-identity, rejection of freedom and for that promise him relief of his life. He is required to abide by the determination of society and nature. With this is connected the tragedy of life.

Personality is a pain. The heroic struggle for the realization of personality is painful. You can avoid the pain, abandoning of the personality. And too often it does.

Personality is not nature and it is not applicable to any categories relating to the nature. Personality can't be defined as a substance. Understanding of the person as a substance is, the naturalization of personality. Personality Karenina in the spiritual world, it does not belong to the natural hierarchy and cannot be contained in it.