Self-consciousness for the Sapiens is knowing that one truly knows, which means that one has been able to look through the isolating veils of the ideological masks of reality in order to see the true human, collective condition. Real self-consciousness is to be able to see the meaningfulness of saying “I am a human being”.
Consciousness comes from a need for consciousness. The system is only questioned by the individual when the system ceases to satisfy the individual’s needs. From the dissatisfaction comes the need for knowing. It is impossible to imagine the existence of consciousness in a Garden of Eden in which everything is satisfied and nothing seems to be lacking. The Fall was a discovery, or perhaps merely a suspicion, of lack. If we are to define Homo sapiens according to our consciousness, then our species needs lack in order to define itself. Our reason for being is to discover, uncover, rediscover and preserve reality – but never to make it unmovable. Preservation implies a consciousness of past rather than a stagnation in what is, which is a prolongation. Preservation is not prolongation but discovery. Consciousness must move backward as well as forward. Discovery can also be rediscovery.
When we see truth as that which is uncovered then we see that truth is something that we can only stand before, it is not something which can be born or borne. There can be no bearers of truth; no possessors or creators of it. Truth is that which is contemplated but never owned. In this way truth is seen as a kind of public spectacle. We can say “come and look what I have uncovered”, but we mustn’t sell tickets for the spectacle or try to sell it, or claim any ownership of it.