In the psychological literature dealing with the growth and development of personality, the first position seems to be almost the height of personality development. A person who managed to go beyond social patterns, who understood his interests and learned to protect them, is presented as an unconditional role model. This, however, is not entirely true. In the first position, with all its unconditional merits, there are obvious disadvantages, and sometimes even direct dangers.
Pros and cons of the first position
A person in the first position of perception is “here and now”, sees what he sees, his perception is not clouded by the suggestions of others. For him, his desires are natural and his virtues are joyful, and he not only lives and exists, but thinks. This is a personal position and this is the birth of I. This is inner freedom, courage, a manifestation of the mind, a manifestation of personality, an opportunity for development and the basis for the formation of a leadership position. Selectivity: a person can choose what to pay attention to. Compared to the zero position, where the person is in template blindness and fears, this is a big step forward.
Cons and dangers of the first position
A person who does not critically use the first position of perception, does not know its weaknesses and does not supplement it with other positions, may have the following problematic features and characteristics:
- Subjectivism — the perception of a person in the first position is subjective, arbitrary to the point of arbitrariness, not supplemented by the views of other people, devoid of volume. “I see what I want. I rate as I please.»
- Partiality, exposure to situational emotions or personal preferences. «But that’s how I like it!»
- Subject-object relation. In the first position, a person knows what he wants, but does not always take into account that there are people nearby with their own views and desires. For him, the present is only his Self, his desires and searches. His position is subjective, and his attitude to others can be objective, as to inanimate, non-human beings.
- Selfishness is an unreasonable preference for one’s own interests over the interests of others. An attitude when a person thinks only (or mainly) about himself, but does not think about others (or thinks last). When everything connected with him seems more important or interesting to him.
- Closure in the I-approach, lack of vision, how other people perceive something. Hence the business and personal inefficiency.
Until a person has developed other positions of perception, for him other people, a look from the outside, a look from the future and caring for others are empty abstractions.