Wednesday, September 26, 2007

So... Who are you?



Identity...


So i started my PhD program, and for those of you wondering what that means is we read a shitload of needlessly over-complex research articles and talk about them in class. The cool part is that i get to read cutting edge psychology articles.


What this means to you is that you get the up-to-date proven psychological theories fresh off the presses.


For instance, i'm expecting an article to be published soon that links culture types to how they form identity -- collectivist cultures like Asian cultures will form their identity via the people around them. Individualist cultures like North Americans are less sensitive to the people around them.


Personally i think that's a load of crap. I think that EVERYONE is constantly figuring out how they should behave by how the people around them react, it's just human nature, and North Americans are better at fooling themselves into thinking it was their own idea.


But most importantly, i think the people who are leaders in this world are less likely to be as worried about what the people around them think about who they are. Leaders don't form their identity by what other people tell them about themselves.


How do you form your identity? Are you yourself, or are you simply the sum of what everyone tells you you are?


I choose to take charge of myself, to define myself, and to be who I want to be. No one has anymore control over you than you give them.


Stuff to think about...

cheers,

JDanger


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