I am still interested in the answer to the question. I understand, I think, your concern. But it seems to me what you are saying is that if I had what I wanted I would not be able to distinguish it from insanity. I am not sure you can know this.
To put less lighthearted spin on SAM's answer:Of your idiosyncrasy of belief
That was one option amongst many. Sorry if that was not clear. But I do not think we are safe from insanity if we are in a group. Also if one knows what one wants then perhaps there is a group. I don't think we can't get around the personal to a universal answer and then run back to our feelings and see if we desire it. Let's say we figure out what God wants and then check ourselves out and find we don't want that. Whoops. there are thousands of 'paths' out there and they are often quite different. It seems to me that finding out what one wants is a first step. This may fit with a group and it may not. But we have to live with that, at least until we want something else.
I have encountered hundreds, literally, of different religious groups. Many of them think that the others have it wrong, some think that there are many paths to God or nirvana, etc.
This does not fit my personal experience, though I am not alone in my beliefs, per se, nor do I see everyone with idiosyncratic beliefs as not being able to function. I worked for a while in the field I mentioned in a PM to you. In part this brought me in contact with some very high up people in the business world. Some of these people had the whole car, family incredible income and were considered supreme professionals at the top of their fields. And some of this group were loons, with highly idiosyncratic beliefs.
GOOD! Agreements should be emphasized sometimes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
therefore there is the suggestion that the self is essentially marginal - meaning it is very much influenced by its environment. Whether the self is fortunate or a victim depends essentially on the environment that it is associating with (IOW there are some environments that are compatible for the pursuit of determining one's true self and others that are not)
This is hardly an avoidable stuck place. We can extricate ourselves by being 'objective' and choosing 'the right' direction, bu to me this has always seemed like begging the issue. In any case you probably do choose between desires, every day.
I agree. And so one can cautiously check to see what one wants doing ecological checks to see if one is moving too far outside.
I agree and disagree. Also some people might be quite happy in what I would consider hell. I mean, threat all the time, needing to amass strength anger and conviction to conquer, paranoia. I see some people out there who would choose this in a heartbeat. They may be deluded in some way. I cannot really say. I do know I want them to go away. They don't seem to like the earth very much so perhaps this will happen from mutual consent.
I thinking thinking about an abstract God and what this god might want and then coming back to one's self and seeing how this self fits with God's wants is problematic. Perhaps there is a greater degree of flexibility in this God or in the routes to happiness/end of suffering and that starting from the self and its tastes is better. Perhaps God can meet you in the way in which you would like to be met. And if there is no God, or no God for you, it seems even more likely that happiness will HAVE TO meet you where you are, rather than you contorting yourself to fit what should be happiness.
They are not for me. See my nausea over the idea of 'service'.