KNOWING OUR SELVES

In Mitchell Stephens’ “To Thine Own Selves Be True” (Aug. 23), the clear assumption behind (psychology professor) Kenneth Gergen’s position is: “Since I cannot find who I really am because I have been so busy being what everybody else thought I should be, which is probably what the large majority of other people are also doing, let’s forget the whole effort of finding who we really are.”

I am one person, and I know who I really am. The effort I made with the assistance of a psychiatrist and a therapist to find out was enormous, but it was worth the effort--beyond what words can possibly convey.

KRISTINE L. OLSEN

South Pasadena