Personal identity has long been a topic of philosophical discussion and is clearly taking on an increasingly important role in the social sphere. I’m curious how you guys live and understand identity. I’ve thrown in a disparate list of food for thought intuitions that may or may not be useful.

The minimal set of properties that differentiate me from others.
An essence, a form, or a soul.
How I see myself in relation to others. Identity is largely internal but is impacted by how others receive me.
How others see me. Identity is largely external. What I ‘am’ to others.
The set of actions I take in the world. The impact I make. The things I create.
It’s whatever is thinking “me” or “I” at any given moment and there’s no persistent identity over time to unite those instances. It’s fleeting.

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[–] chemical_cutthroat 12 points 1 year ago (3 children)

I believe that identity is wholly a social and natural construct. It is a function of ego. There is no true self-identity. To understand your identity, you have to remove every aspect of society and nature. You are constantly pushed and pulled by what or who is around you. Are you by friends? You identify by how your friends expect you to act. Are you at work? You identify by how your coworkers, boss, or customers expect you to act. When you are alone, you identify by the things you surround yourself with, be it video games, books, or your sour dough starter. Even in nature we let our ego be adjusted by the trees, a river, clouds, or sunshine.

Put yourself into a sensory deprivation tank for a few days and you'll start to get a clear view of your real self, which is conveniently about the time it drives you insane.

[–] Thwompthwomp 2 points 1 year ago

I think this is very true. Your identity changes depending on who you’re around, and that’s fine. There’s a lot to about building identity, and it’s all about social acceptance within a group as foundational.

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