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What is an Identity?



Where does your identity lie? What defines you as a person? Are you who you think you are? Are you the same person you were five years ago? How do you determine what someone else's identity is?


Identity is an important aspect of our lives. My previous post discussed the importance of understanding who you are and what makes you fulfilled. Humans are blessed to be conscious beings that are capable of reason. No other species on earth is as gifted as humans intellectually.


We define other species based on physical traits. Mammals, insects, reptiles, and every other class of animals are defined physically. Humans are also defined by physical traits, as we are animals. However, civilization has led to individuals being defined by their character more than physical traits.


The Ship of Theseus


I am going to briefly outline a thought experiment which relates to identity. I will provide a link to an in-depth explanation of the thought experiment if you are curious to learn more about it. I am not going to attempt at providing a solution to the experiment but there are many articles that attempt to do just that. This is a metaphysical problem in nature, but I believe it can provide practical insight to our lives.


Imagine a wooden ship is built and named 'Theseus.' This a beloved ship that has been on many voyages. Eventually, the ship is used where noticeable wear has taken place. One plank in particular is causing a leak. In order to preserve the ship, a new plank is put in its place.


Is this still the same ship of Theseus?


Further imagine that many more planks are replaced. Eventually, most planks have been replaced. Finally, imagine every board has been replaced.


Is this still the same ship of Theseus?


At what point do you determine that it is a new ship? Is it somewhere between one plank and the entire ship? If so, can you explain why it is not arbitrary?


Is it the same ship? Is it the idea of the ship that enables it to remain the same ship of Theseus? Can it really be deemed the same ship if every part has been replaced?


Many interpretations go further by asking what if the wooden planks are replaced with steel. Would this change your opinion on the ship's identity? What if the the parts that had been replaced were preserved, and built into a second ship. Which is the real ship of Theseus?


Understanding Identity


Consider your opinion on where the ship's identity lies. Why do you think that's the case?


For myself, this thought experiment brings forth ideas of how I see my own identity. It is easy to state that I am not the same person I was ten years ago, as 12-year-old Rob was just a boy who loved playing games and testing the limits on his teachers and colleagues. If you know me personally, you probably consider this to still be true. In any case, the ten-year difference provided wisdom that changed my methods, as well as how I respect the people around me.


What about 18-year-old Rob? What about 21-year-old Rob? Am I the same person I was just a year ago?


I consider myself to be a completely different person than the person I was two years ago. My worldview, my relationships, the way I view my relationships, are completely different than they were back then.


My physical appearance has changed — but I still have the same organs and limbs as before. Physically, I am still the same Rob.


Well, what is the ship?


Think back to how I established an individual is defined and perceived. It is through their character more than their physical appearance. I am referring to how an open-minded person with no prejudice judges others. This is done through assessing their character.


I cannot suggest that my body is the ship, and the individual parts are my consciousness. That oversimplifies the comparison of myself to the ship.


However, what if my collective consciousness is the ship, and the individual parts are my character traits. This creates a more difficult problem.


“In the social jungle of human existence, there is no feeling of being alive without a sense of identity.”-Erik Erikson

Consider yourself in this position. Do you think you are the same person you were a few years ago? Do you think there are any planks causing a leak that you would like to fix? Most importantly, do you understand what each individual plank is and how you are composed?


If you do feel like a different person than the one you were x number of years ago, think about how others may have perceived you. Does this perception matter to you? Personally, I do not put too much stock into how others view me. Most likely, you do not currently care about how other people would have perceived you when you were a different person years ago. However, if these perceptions of you are outdated, would you still want to be thought of in the same manner?


Put yourself into the position of the one's with an outdated impression of others. I am sure your last impression of colleagues from high school are remembered well. Someone you have positive or negative feelings towards still hold a place in your memory.


Relate your identity with others


While these outdated perceptions of you may not be relevant to your life, it represents how you judge others based on their past.


Imagine you found someone you are interested in dating, and in their previous relationship from four years ago they cheated on their partner. Does this change your perception of them?


Imagine you meet someone who three years ago was stunt driving, got into an accident, and one of their passengers died. Does this change your perception of them?


Imagine in both examples the individuals are remorseful of their actions and they grew as a person due to the consequences. While these examples may be considered drastic, they relate to how that person operates in this world.


So, how do you react?


I can honestly say I do not know how I would react in situations like these. It is hard to imagine how you would deal with it until you are in the situation.


But I do believe people can change.


Obviously, one must show how they have changed for me to believe them. I also behave like this when determining if I like this person or want to spend time with them.


From my own experience, I would hate to still be perceived as the person I was a few years ago. I do not believe it is fair for people to judge me based on my character of when I was a teenager. To avoid being a hypocrite, I must afford others the same respect.


Everyone has a history. Everyone has made mistakes. Judging people solely on their past dehumanizes them. Discounting one's ability to change undermines an innate aspect of human experience. While respect is earned, everyone deserves the decency of assuming they might be able to change.


It is entirely possible that people behave the same way they did in the past. It is possible that they have not learned from their mistakes. This is also a part of life. Some people do not change. However, if you want others to not judge you based on who you were in the past, you must apply the same principle to others.


Set for sail.


Everyone is a ship. Some need repairing; others are fortified. Whether your ship needs fixing is for you to decide. You may have seen a leaking ship many years ago, but that same ship may be restored and successfully voyaging. It does not matter how you choose to configure your ship, but you are responsible for ensuring it does not sink.


It does not matter what a ship once was, but what that ship currently is. If you focus on what a ship used to be, you may miss out on the adventure it has to offer.


You will always be the same ship. Your ship will develop over time, and others' will too. If your ship has been damaged and docked for a while, do not be hung up on others' view of it.


Understand it, repair it, and set for sail.


— Rob

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