The highest aim and the meaning even of human life is to strive to do your best for the wellbeing of your neighbour, which is only possible by renoun… - George Gurdjieff

Q. In considering likes and dislikes, how can one separate what is real and what is false personality?

A. Start by realizing that it is all false personality, and then try to find out
what is not. You cannot do the second before the first. First you must understand that all is false personality, and when you become convinced
of that, you may find what is 'yourself'. Go on observing. Work begins
from the moment one realizes that one is not. When it enters into every-
thing, when it becomes a realization, then it is productive work. But when one thinks of oneself as 'I' (the whole), then it is not productive work.
You must understand that false personality is a very elusive thing. It is one, it does not consist of different personalities; but at the same time it contains contradictory and incompatible features, features that cannot manifest themselves at the same time. So it does not mean that you can see the whole of your false personality at one moment. Sometimes you can see more of it, at other times certain features of it manifest themselves separately. Also it must be remembered that false personality is often rather attractive or amusing, particularly for other people who live in their false personalities. So when you begin to lose your false personality, when you begin to struggle with it, people will not like you. They will tell you that you have become dull.

One of the best means for arousing the wish to work on yourself is to realize that you may die at any moment. But first you must learn how to keep it in mind.

Before going further, I consider it necessary to explain exactly the expression ‘a remarkable man’, since like all expressions for definite notions it is always understood among contemporary people in a relative, that is a purely subjective, sense. For example, a man who does tricks is for many people a remarkable man, but even for them he ceases to be remarkable as soon as they learn the secret of his tricks. As a definition of who may be considered and called remarkable, I will simply say, for the present, to cut a long story short, to what men I personally apply this expression. From my point of view, he can be called a remarkable man who stands out from those around him by the resourcefulness of his mind, and who knows how to be restrained in the manifestations which proceed from his nature, at the same time conducting himself justly and tolerantly towards the weaknesses of others.