Similar to if you meet the Buddha in a dream, you must kill the "true self" - this idea of being able to discover some authentic self through refinement of oneself through culture or embellishment of the self through cultural expression and soul searching is quite demonic.

It exists in service to the ego: I am a special person and when I express myself through art I am self-actualizing; all of my eccentricities and peculiarities are pedals on the rose of my soul...

You are just a person - no better or no worse than any other. The idea that you need to build up your personhood is absurd.