Where Does Your Own Identify Come From?

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Where does your own identity come from?

A famously known philosophical dilemma asks questions about the self-identity of a person and in this process, contrasts with other questions like,

“What am I?”

“When and how did I begin?” CITATION Cra19 \l 1033 (Titus)

“After I die, what will happen to me?”

The topic of self-identity is mainly discussed by philosophers under the domain of ‘self.’ At the very beginning of conception, the process of self-identity starts. This process entails that there is no hard and fast rule of whether the personal identity will change as the time passes or not. In the life of an individual, many different factors can be signified for bringing a change in the personal identity. It can be a physical change, for instance, a terrible accident which can render you crippled and dependent on others for minor tasks. Or it can be an environmental change and that environment can be associated with any element, political, socio-cultural, or economic. A psychological change can also alter the personal identity of an individual. For example, a veteran officer coming back from a war can suffer from the symptoms of Post-traumatic stress disorder, in which case his personal identity from a brave and courageous soldier will change into a man who has to face his past experiences on a daily basis and who is largely haunted by the things he has to encounter in the days gone by. The progression of life itself can also change the views of various segments of society on many different issues. The identity is significantly involved with these issues and is also shaped and reshaped by the daily activities. This can be comprehended from the fact that even when a person is involved in some activity, the exposure to different elements associated with that activity can also chiefly impact the current or prior identity of a person. In the body of an individual, their mind is the most important part which plays a pivotal role in the establishment of an identity as time passes. The importance of identity is self-evident and there are many philosophical arenas that have debated on this topic. This brings us to the prompt of this paper: Where does your own identity come from?

John Locke explained his theory of self-identity in a higher power and as opposed to scientific claims, Locke relied on religious beliefs and faith. Locke also asserted that humans are able to understand various phenomena by applying the universal theories and beliefs. It is also maintained that personal identity is a very complex phenomenon and not everyone can agree to a set definition. Many philosophers also advocate that the idea of a person resembles to that of a highly rational and intelligent being who exudes consciousness and particularly self-consciousness in a social setting. Whenever we think of an intelligent being who uses his grey matter to comprehend the everyday phenomena, a human beings comes to our imaginations.

A personal identity can also consist of a set of certain properties or characteristics that make that person as to what he or she is. These properties define who a person is and distinguish an individual from others. In many cases, the personal identity chiefly differs from the national or ethnic identity and when people tend to muddle up these two, it often results in an inevitable identity crisis.

Personal identity comes from the way I define myself or from a set of properties that I have attributed to my personality. This can change with time as I may see myself as a different person right now then what I was a decade or five years ago. Sometimes, a person can also perceive these properties differently and may not relate to his sense of self-identity. These instances can prove to be dangerous for an individual and may lead to adverse effects regarding self-awareness.

This leads to the interrogation of another prompt: Who am I? Or what does it mean to be me as opposed to ‘non-me’? What have I got that other people don’t have? My self-identity can also come from the characterization of persistence. This entails that I persisted from one point in time to another even though circumstances and other elements tried to stop me. These questions also arise because most of us hope to survive and remain in the pages of history even after we die. This is the exact motivation which leads us to maintain the sense of personal identity in ourselves. We go to great lengths so that our personal identity can be preserved and sustained.

Self-identity are the foundational blocks which drive an individual towards his or her destiny. When someone is unable to find even a shred of his identity, it can lead to despair and frustration. Identity is more often caught rather than being taught. Many people also struggle with their daily circumstances because they are unable to accept their identity and the fate which results as a direct outcome of it.

My self-identity comes from my past experiences, my dreams, my passions and goals that I have set for myself in the foreseeable future. The sense of self-identity which I am able to maintain is also because my surroundings do not go rapid changes on a regular basis and the people with whom I interact on a regular basis provide conducive and comfortable living conditions from me. These factors enable me to remain harmonious with my sense of self-identity.

Works Cited

BIBLIOGRAPHY The Philosophy of Identity. Perf. Craig Titus. 2019. YouTube.