Does anyone really change?

I know people who have completely given up smoking. I consider that a difficult, major behavioral change.

I’ve changed a lot over the years. I do think some people can change, definitely not everyone.

I am changing/have changed. I don’t know that I’ve experienced it in other people though you can chalk that up to my lack of interaction with the same people for long periods of time

Change? Rubbish.

McCain/Palin ‘08

I used to be a vindictive, jealous and negative asshole. I had an epiphany of sorts, and when I saw what I would become if I continued to be that way, I began to change my behavior. I didn’t change for anyone else, I changed for myself. I still have a holdover from those negative days, though, a dour look on my face. People sometimes ask me what I am pissed about and I answer, “Nothing, this is my normal look.”

Mom was right, if you make that face long enough, it will end up staying that way.

As ass backwards as this may sound to you, drugs have changed me for the better. Ever since i started smoking weed and taking psychedelics ive been a much happier and easy going person. Ive learned to respect all forms life and really appreciate all of natures beauty. Before i could care less about nature or animals. Ive become a more compassionate, more creative, and much more open minded person.

ohhhh the horrors of drug use!!!

People do, but it’s usually after a long period of time… not an overnight conversion. As you live and gain experiences and relationships, you learn.

Yes people change, but there are traces of their old self left over, so nobody completely changes.

We dont change. We adjust, we become better or worse.
But we are who we are. After age 4 we are pretty much set.

We learn, that is not change. It is an enhansment.

I might have liked the color red, now I like the color blue. The color red will always be a part of me. I just added blue to the collection.

@ChazMaz i dont really follow. Are you saying everything you liked when you were younger you like today? Just adding to the collection?

@ChazMaz that’s not true. I used to love grape Kool-Aid, now I can’t even stand to smell the stuff. In fact, I find all Kool-Aid to be disgusting.

@evelyns_pet_zebra Well, therein lies your issue. There is no such thing as “grape” Kool-Aid.

There is only purple drink.

The fact you no longer like something does not change the core of who you are.
Is this a superficial question? Or is it about the person?

Your “change” is just overcoming dispositions in yourself. They are still there, you just have a better handle on them.

What I am saying is. Usually by the time you are 4ish. Your strengths and insecurities are pretty much set in. They will guide you the rest of your life.

As change is the only constant, you can bet your sweet bippy people change.

@ChazMaz oh… well then you just provided a very poor analogy for what you were getting at. I still must say i disagree. Ive seen it happen in my own life. My entire demeanor has changed. And i mean is that not what this question is asking about? Not what makes you feel insecure or confident, but how one behaves.

@Grisaille i want some purple drank…..

How one behaves? Our confidence and our insecurities are what drive us all. Those are the core motives of our behavior. Weather you want to see it or not. That is psychology 101.
I know where you are coming. I have “changed” I am in no way the same person I was in High school. My demeanor has changed too.
But then again I am still the same. I am just freed up and more mature to expand my horizons. For better or worse.
I am better equipped to give a “different impression” as to who I really am. And, that also makes me who I am.

As far as who we are by the age of 4. That is textbook information.

I feel, it is just that we need to learn to accept who we are. I am the most important person in the world. To me. For all my faults and all the good that I do.
We don’t change, we just get better. :-)

@uberbatman drank > juice

forevar

Nah, I think people have a core personality that doesn’t really change.
You can change big and small things. And succeed in holding them.

People want to develop, learn, progress… they change in that way, but that’s more like adding to what you already have instead of turning it around.

I think I am changing constantly, such as physical aging, emotional maturity and the like.

Changing my personality traits is a different story. I have changed much over the years, changes that I made to myself for myself so that I could lead a happier, more fulfilling life. To try to do this for someone else or at the urging of someone else made me resistant, defiant and resentful.

So I personally think you can change, it is usually a hell of a job and is usually only successful if you are doing it for yourself.

Hey you guys gotta see this. A stopmotion movie showing someone’s life.
And the song is very applicable to this topic.

http://www.vimeo.com/5520752
http://olympus.eu/penstory/

@Inofaith thanks for the link, catchy tune and neat video. The fact that it is an ad for my favorite brand of camera is neat, too.

@Zen after spending the last twenty minutes perusing YouTube, (yeah, a new record; usually I spend hours there) and watching a few videos completely unrelated to what I was searching for, which is typical, I must agree with your premise. My core personality trait for certain attractions remain, despite the many years that have passed since I was a hormone-infused teen. I retract my former response as irrelevant and erroneous. now back to youtube for more time wasting.

People can change, if they want. Maturity and experience over the years play a big role. But it’s not for everyone as some people remain immature all their life despite of life-changing experiences.