On Knowing Thyself

Every once in a while I get on line and read the NY Times book review. About 20% of the time I find something of interest that makes me want to go out and get a book. This time it was Inner Workings, a collection of literary essays by JM Coetzee. I've only had time to piece-meal it through even one essay with all the planning and teaching and cycling I've been doing. But the first essays on Italo Svevo, the Triestian author of last century, sparked a new dialogue in my head. I've always believed in the Delphic "Know theyself" epithet Nosce te ipsum. I've got it up on my heading for Apollo's sake! Yet here comes Svevo/Coetzee to challange me:

But what good does it do to know yourself if, taking your lead from Schopenhauer, you believe that character is founded on a substratum of will, and doubt that the will wants to change? (p. 10)

Discuss...