"Symbols, Conditioning, and the Question of Human Unity” examines how symbols—such as religion, nation, and ideology—shape human identity and perception. While symbols function as necessary tools for communication and social organization, the paper argues that psychological identification with them leads to conditioning, fragmentation, and division. The study explores how the mind internalizes symbols, turning them into extensions of the self, thereby distorting direct perception of reality. It proposes that true human unity cannot be constructed through shared symbols or beliefs but arises through awareness free from identification. Drawing from phenomenological and non-dual perspectives, the paper emphasizes direct perception as the foundation for understanding and transformation.
Mayank Singh (Thu,) studied this question.