The world is... the natural setting of, and field for, all my

Hear the profound words of Maurice Merleau-Ponty, a thinker who gazed deeply into the mystery of being: “The world is... the natural setting of, and field for, all my thoughts and all my explicit perceptions. Truth does not inhabit only the inner man, or more accurately, there is no inner man, man is in the world, and only in the world does he know himself.” This is a declaration as mighty as the voice of the ancients, reminding us that we do not exist as shadows hidden in caves of solitude, but as living beings bound to the earth, the sky, and the company of others.

For ages, men have sought truth by turning inward, fleeing to mountains, to cloisters, to the silence of the desert. Yet Merleau-Ponty tells us that the well of self-knowledge does not lie in escaping the world, but in embracing it. There is no separate “inner man,” for the self is woven of earth and breath, bound to stone and soil, shaped by voices, faces, and deeds. The world is not an obstacle to the spirit; it is its mirror, its field of action, its school of wisdom.

Consider the story of Diogenes, the Cynic philosopher. He rejected possessions, mocked convention, and declared himself free from society’s snares. Yet even he, who lived in a barrel and scorned the pride of men, still found his identity in the world—in his defiance, in the marketplace where he taught, in the eyes of those he confronted. His very existence was defined not by an inner retreat but by his bold engagement with the living world. Even in rebellion, he was bound to it, shaped by it, known through it.

So too with Gandhi. He did not discover his mission by closing himself away from men, but by walking among them—riding trains, facing prejudice, speaking in villages, hearing the cries of the poor. His truth was not hidden in secret meditation alone, but born in his struggle within the world. It was in the press of injustice and the pain of oppression that he discovered who he was, and only then could he rise to lead his people.

Thus we see the meaning of Merleau-Ponty’s words: the soul is not a separate kingdom, floating above earth and time. It is a flame kindled by the winds of the world. To know yourself, you must act, speak, work, and live amidst others. To search only within is to stare at a flame in still air—it flickers, it glows, but it does not grow. Only when tested by the storms of life does the flame reveal its true light.

The lesson is clear: do not hide from the world in pursuit of purity. Do not imagine that truth can be found by ignoring the dust of daily life. Instead, embrace the field of human existence. Engage with labor, with struggle, with joy, with sorrow. Speak with others, listen with humility, love with courage. For only in this vast, imperfect, radiant world will you come to know yourself as you truly are.

What then shall we do? Step into life with open eyes. Do not shrink from responsibility or retreat into shadows of self-absorption. Practice self-reflection, yes, but test it against your deeds in the world. Build, create, serve, endure, rejoice. When you falter, rise again, for each failure is also a revelation of self. Know that you are not apart from the world—you are of it, and through it, you shall discover who you are.

Therefore, carry this wisdom as a shield and a guide: man is in the world, and in the world he finds his truth. Live not as a ghost hiding from reality, but as a living being who dares to meet life fully. In this way, you shall know yourself—not as an idea, but as a presence, a force, a flame shining amidst the winds of existence.