The Illusion of Personality

I'm back today with my weekly philosophical musings. Actually, I'm thinking of going light and easy today--not diving into my usual topics about consciousness, AI and spirituality. But let me see, what kind of casual subject could I write about? 

Hey, I could write about my favourite drink. I'm sipping some hot Americano now, but I wouldn't say that's my favourite. I'm more of a tea person and on regular workdays consume copious amounts of Chinese tea. 

Over the past week, I've spent lots of time working from many different cafes. If any of them serve tea in a pot, I would usually go for Earl Grey; else, my go-to drink would be an Americano. I know, my drink choices are pretty dull. Occasionally, I would also go for a lemonade at Miexue. In general, I'm not very fond of sweet stuff, and it's not because of health reasons. I simply do not have a sweet tooth. 

Talking about drink preferences got me thinking: no two people share the same likes and dislikes. Why is that so? Well, of course, each one of us is a unique product of our genes, upbringing, culture and education. We also have individual quirks and foibles that give each one of us a unique personality. You might be able to find someone who shares many of your interests in music, literature and movies, for example, but there would still be some differences in each person's tastes in food and living habits. 

We all have our own individual strengths and weaknesses. That makes each one of us unique. But I've also often wondered: if everyone one day achieves "Enlightenment", technically speaking, are we not supposed to have 'perfect' behaviour? Wouldn't we all be equally patient, kind, understanding and helpful?  If that is so, wouldn't we all be alike then? 

I suppose, if you are still inhabiting a mortal body, you would still be bound by certain physical characteristics that determine your likes and dislikes. Your taste for food and drinks, for instance. That could be dictated by our body's physiology, which could have been shaped by culture and lifestyle. But when a so-called enlightened being dies, and continues in another realm of existence (as most religious traditions would have us believe),  would this being be like any other enlightened being? If they are different, in what way are they different, since they have achieved so-called 'perfection'? Will enlightened beings, freed from their mortal coil, still have preferences? 

And if not, wouldn't they be devoid of any personalities? Do perfected beings still enjoy separate existence as 'souls'? If perfection means having perfect intelligence, wisdom and morality, every soul would be exactly alike, wouldn't they? Then you, when you become 'enlightened', would cease to exist anymore as you, since your soul would be devoid of your idiosyncratic personality. If the enlightened you is no longer you, why do you still bother to cling to this idea of enlightenment and salvation?

What makes you think your soul is unique and deserves to be saved? Are you trying to save your imperfect self so that you can live forever, with all your imperfections? If immortality means losing your personality, would you still want it? 

Or is your consciousness still unique in some sense, independent of your personality? And if the perfect consciousness, without any form, communicates with another (who could be a friend you knew as a mortal), would you still be able to tell it is him or her?

These are very interesting thoughts to ponder, while I'm sipping the last of my Americano, here at O'Briens cafe. We somehow think we could still be uniquely conscious souls, even when we have achieved the perfection of God. That sounds quite strange to me. And maybe that's the whole point of enlightenment: to finally realise that the small personality-driven self that you cling to is nothing but an illusion?