“This case has nothing to do with race,” Rittenhouse told Tucker Carlson. “It never had anything to do with race. It had to do with the right to self-defense.”

If we have the right to self-defense, where is the self that needs defending?

Most of us never question the validity of the self we believe we are. Society, our senses, and experiences shape the belief that we are independent entities, distinct from one another, each possessing a unique essence that must be different from everybody else. Following this assumption, we experience fear of others and thus feel the need to defend ourselves, demanding the right to self-defense. But what if this entire foundation is based on a misconception? What if the "self" we defend doesn't truly exist as we experience and imagine?

What do you see in the photo below?

Most people would answer, "six people." If this were correct, there should be six persons needing defending, right? 

The Illusion of the Separate Self.

We assume that our bodies and minds represent a singular, separate "self," but a closer inspection reveals that both are comprised of parts—each made of ever-smaller parts, down to the atomic and subatomic levels. Neither the body nor the mind is an independent entity capable of generating itself. Instead, they are expressions of the same universal nature that gives rise to all living beings. 

This brings us to the key truth: humans, animals, and everything else are not inherently different entities (selves) with unique, independent essences. Rather, we are all interconnected and fundamentally the same, each a product of the universal nature that flows through us. There is no fixed self that requires defense because no one exists as an isolated being.

Breaking Down the Concept of "Self.

Let's explore this step-by-step:

Everyone agrees that each self must be a single entity full of its own essence and not the essence of something else. So, let's see if each person in the photo is a singular self full of their own essence.

There are only four possible ways that a self could exist: 

1. as the body.

2. as the mind mind.

3. as a combination of the body & mind.

4. as different from the body & mind.

Let's examine point 1: Is the self the body?

When we look closely at the physical form, we discover that there is no such thing as a single, unified body. Instead, there are parts—like the head, torso, arms, and legs—composed of countless smaller parts, like cells, atoms, and ever-smaller particles. No particle is a singular entity either, as everything is made up of an infinite number of ever-smaller parts. So, the body and its parts are not a self, because neither the body nor its parts are singular entities. 

Furthermore, the body and its parts lack an independent nature that could generate them. Nothing in existence comes into being autonomously; everything is a product of everything else. This means that every body is full of everything else's essence, not its own. Each body is a product of previous bodies, which are themselves composed of atoms such as carbon, nitrogen, calcium, and so on.

Let's examine point 2: Is the self the mind??

Upon closer inspection of the mind, we see that it is space-like and made up of space-like parts. Moreover, the mind is a consciousness that perceives, feels, and thinks, creating a perpetual flow of moment-to-moment existence. The present moment is the result of the past moment, which generates the future moment, and so on. No matter how short the moment, each moment is it is made up of an infinite number of ever-shorter moments. Since the mind is space-like, and space is made up of an infinite number of ever-smaller space parts, no moment of the mind is a singular moment, and each moment is a product of previous moments. Therefore, the mind is not a self.

Let's examine point 3: Is the self a combination of the body & mind?

Since every part of the body and mind is made up of an infinite number of ever-smaller parts, nothing is truly singular or self-generated. Every part and moment of consciousness lacks any unique, individual essence that could stand apart from everyone else and the universe itself. Therefore, no combination of the body and mind is the self.

Let's examine point 4: Is the self different from the body & mind?

Obviously not, because no one has ever seen a person (a self) that was separate from the countless physical and non-physical aspects of a person (the body and mind). If we were different from the body and mind, all our experiences of the body and mind would belong to someone else and not us, but that is not how we experience ourselves. Additionally, no one has ever upheld the right to self-defense by referring to anything other than the body and mind, which are labeled as “the person”.

The Role of Labels in Creating the Illusion.

We believe in the existence of multiple selves—whether it’s the six people in a photograph or the perception of ourselves as different from others. This belief is reinforced by labels our minds create, such as "me," "he," "she," "Israeli," "Palestinian," "defender," and "attacker." These labels are mental constructs, not inherent truths. The bodies and minds we label are real, but the division of individuals into separate selves is not. Just as with conflicts like the Israeli-Palestinian or Russian-Ukrainian wars, the perception of distinct groups or entities arises from labels, not from any true difference in essence.

Conclusion.

Most people's senses tell them there are six people in the photo, but that is 100% incorrect. As we discovered above, a person is not a singular entity with an individual essence capable of self-generation. What is not one entity cannot be treated as one, that is illogical and contradictory to facts. Everyone is a product of the same universal nature, composed of the same countless physical and non-physical elements. Therefore, everyone exists without a different essence from the universe itself, making us all identical in essence. 

The facts of existence reveal that all persons exist without a self, proving that our perceptions and beliefs contradict reality. We experience six people in the photo and ourselves as the seventh person because we are unaware of how everything exists. We project labels and believe in their meanings as facts. First, we believe the body and mind possess a self with an essence different from everyone else’s. Second, our mind generates labels—such as "me," "he," or "she"—and projects them onto the body and mind, believing them to be real. 

There is nothing wrong with labeling things for convenience, but to believe that bodies and minds possess unique selves with individual essences different from anyone else’s is incorrect. This unawareness of how everything exists, combined with our use of labels, creates the illusion of six people in the photo and me as the seventh. In reality, we are all selfless and only differ in labels. Labels originate in the mind; they do not come from the side of the physical body. Yet, for some reason, we believe that bodies are the labels, which is false.

To say that we have the right to self-defense is without merit because no one possesses a self. My essence is identical to everyone else’s and to the nature that produced me, just as everyone else’s essence is the same as mine. We are all a part of the same universal essence, without selves. 

To recognize this fact of existence beyond our mind's labels is to see through the deception created by our senses, which is fueled by the mind's inborn ignorance of how we truly exist. This deception has caused unnecessary suffering and death. If everyone understood this deception, there would never be a single shot fired anywhere in the world, because there would be no need for guns. Why have a gun if everyone is you, only differing in the labels our minds create for convenience? There would be no fear, anger, prejudice, racism, hatred, dissatisfaction, or violence. There would never be a person needing to defend themselves. 

The Implications for Self-Defense.

If no one possesses a distinct self, the concept of self-defense becomes baseless. Our fears, hatred, and conflicts all stem from the mistaken belief in separate selves. The reality is that we are all part of the same universal essence, differing only in the labels our minds project onto us. 

Without the illusion of separation, there would be no fear of others, no need for self-defense, and no justification for conflict. Recognizing this truth dissolves the barriers between individuals and opens the door to peace, compassion, and harmony.

Life without this ignorance would be one of perfect harmony and happiness with all living beings. Aren't we ready for this happiness?

Big thanks to Alexandra Sullivan and Raeven Barnes..