Do you struggle with identity?

[kilojoule]

everytime someone post a thread about knowing who we are and I try to respond, I realize I have no idea what the expression "knowing who I am" means.

This really made me think.

This is how I think about identity. ..em....If this was chemistry and I was given this thing to figure out what the thing was, Id try figure out its properties. Id test it to see if it was organic first and what its components were, Id look at solubility, boiling point etc Id lump it in with other stuff to see if it reacted, does it like this other thing or does that repel it. How does it act . Basically Id throw the thing in a load of scenarios and then I could make a bunch of statements about its properties. Then I could say 'oh the test showed its organic so its gonna have shared properties with other organic stuff itll be soluble in acetone.....etc etc

Only instead of trying to figure out what the thing is, Im figuring out what I am. So I have a bunch of properties that I know about. For example Im an atheist so it's fair to say that I relate to other atheists because we have a shared property in that neither of us believe in God. I feel connected to other atheists because of this. Another property is that I am female so I share that property with other women, I can say some stuff to women that I would not say to men(because they wouldn't relate, thats a connection I have with other women)


I think identity has to be connected to self awareness and it has to change as people develop. If I think about it everyone has to have an identity, its impossible not to. But maybe identity can get messed up like with body dysmorphia, maybe theres identity dysmorphia.



But thats just how I think of it and I dont know about stuff.

 

[dottie]

Nerp. Did you read that whole thing?

No, I don't have much time on my hands.

 

[Kiwong]

I'm the only greenie in my immediate family. I established that world view on my own, and it hasn't changed. I was delighted to learn recently that my cousins hold similar views.

 

[jellzzz]

Aftet many years of trying to be exactly the same as others, it is hard to have an identity of your own. I try finding one though.

 

[Solo Dolo]

There should be more options. I'm firm in many of my beliefs but always remain open minded to sound arguments. I'm willing to consider other points of view and reevaluate my own positions.

this............