Who are we?
Obviously this question will vary according to the individual. I was just wondering if most people knew. Also if there was a consensus.
Are we our thoughts or actions, a mix? Are we a series of events or a collage of epiphanies. Are we defined by our struggles or day to day life, our successes? Our dreams past future present or goals?
What are you defined by? Do you hold yourself to rigorous standards? Quashing the unruliness out. Granting yourself little leeway or do you take a more laissez faire approach?
Mostly are you guilt ridden, obsessed with imperfections. Or are you kinder, embracing them as uniquely you.
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17 Answers
We are the generation our parents warned us about.
I think that this is the question that neither science nor religion can answer… and I kind of think its better if they don’t. What makes us different from animals is that we ponder the meaning of existence whereas they simply exist. According to Judeo-Christian religion, that is because we ate the forbidden fruit of knowledge. According to science… well, that’s the missing link, isn’t it? I was raised protestant, but am an agnostic, because I have not found any theories that seem to have the answers. I am trying to come to terms with accepting the unknowable.
@hearkat Just because we don’t currently know something does not mean it is unknowable. The truth is one thing we definitely don’t know, and that may be unknowable, is what is and isn’t going to be known in the future.
@ETpro – Yes, I meant unknowable to me, not humankind; since it is highly unlikely that we’ll figure any of this out before I expire. Heck, I might experience the death of human civilization at the rate we’re going… I haven’t imagined that possible since the early ‘80s.
@ETpro Eloquent and concise as usual.
@hearkat Do we really want to know? What would knowing accomplish, what would we ponder about next? Aren’t theories and ideals so much more beautiful and allow for maximum potential?
I too have had to accept unknowableness. I think I am pretty ok with it. Maybe animals are better off.
@talljasperman Yet so much more and less.
Our legs are missing cuz we’re so damn tough…we ain’t got no bedtime cuz we’re too darn old…we have swords and muskets, and other bad stuff…
BEASTLY PIRATES ARE WE!!
We are young. Heartache to heartache we stand.
no promises, no demands
We are evolved biological creatures whose primary function is to reproduce.
Concepts of love, destiny, purpose, religion, individuality, morality, and so on are just things our more highly developed mammal brains came up with to keep us busy until we die and become worm food.
Oh, and we are funky as hell.
Mmmm, get down now!
@rosehips: I feel similarly, which is why I said that I kind of think it’s better that science and religion don’t find the answer. It does seem that with every new thing we learn, new questions arise… the wondering will never stop.
“No one can really know about other human beings. The best he can do is to suppose that they are like himself.” John Steinbeck
Buddhism posits that there is no unique me – as I understand it, or am trying to. We are merely a constantly changing mix of cause and effect; the things that happen to us.
I don’t really believe that but it is interesting to grapple with other conceptions. By the way, I am thinking of writing a book: Buddhism for Narcissists. Do you think it will sell?
@janbb With that title, you’re off to a good start.
I am a mixture of all of that, having been each of those for at least some portion of my life. Who knows what I’ll be tomorrow? Whatever happens today is sure to have some influence. ;)
More than 70% of who we are is determined by our genes and our very early childhood. The rest still gives us plenty of choices, but we should acknowledge the limitations.
“Everybody can become an astronaut” was one of the silliest ideas ever invented.
@bkcunningham – Exactly. I’m glad that people have started to question the silly promises of the self-esteem movement.
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