Who Are You? And how do you know?

[Martyr]

I'm reading over the "What do you think of me" thread, and I come to Evol saying all, "I dont need someone to get to know me," and I suddenly ask, "Oh yeah?"
See, I don't know if that's true.
Recently, I'm thinking that my opinions about myself are either biased or nonexistant, since I can't really perceive myself, only my thoughts, and so I generally rely on other people to describe exactly who and what I am. Because, let's face it, if I think I'm one way, but other people experience me being something different, then my effect on the world is different than what I think it is, or, in other words, I'd simply be wrong.

So, The Question:

Do you think that you can accurately identify yourself without knowing the [honest] opinions of others?

I don't think it can be done.

[Shaun]

Yes, I can identify myself to a certain extent. Nonetheless, I'd like to hear what others think.

[BarelySeeAtAll]

i hate telling people who i am, so i say my names Lady of the sheep, unless i trust them, then i shall tell them

[Resha]

Yeah, coz I know more about myself than they do! Although I don't like passing judgement on myself much...too much thinking involved.

[Christmas]

Honest people had extinct. :(

[Quindiana Jones]

People who think they know me are wrong. I know more about me than anyone else, and even then I still don't know everything. You can never truly know what kind of person you are, you just gotta hope for the best.

[Bunny]

I'm still trying to figure out who I am. I highly doubt anyone is going to be able to figure it out before I do. Although one person seems to understand me on the same level. Which is odd.

[Alastair|UK]

no cause some people fear me and some are just retards the rest are Evil like certain people

[Anaisa]

Most people are deluded, an don't even understand themselves, let alone anyone else. I don't need to hear anyone elses opinion of what they think I'm like, to know what I'm like. All they can tell me is how they perceive me, not how I actually am. I have no delusions about myself, an judge myself by the same standards I judge others. So I have no trouble understanding what I'm like.

[Owen Macwere]

Yes, I know me more than anyone else, but I never been told the opposite of what I think of myself. Still, opinions of others matter to me.

[Ethanol Dreams]

no cause some people fear me and some are just retards the rest are Evil like certain people


Was that aimed at me? ...Silly question, 'course it was. :(


I like what other people say about me (most people anyway) but that's mostly because I don't think too highly of myself. :p

[~*~Celes~*~]

I'm only 16, so I'm still discovering who I am and what I'm all about :) However, as far as the current me goes, I could define myself with a few words, sure.

[Miriel]

There's a lot about this in psychology. About the mirror reflection we get from others and how we are percieved to other's helps to shape our own ideas about who we are.

I think in understanding who you are, you need to at least in part look at how other people see you. If you think you're this funny/witty person and virtually everyone around you thinks otherwise... well you might be a little deluded in that aspect. But I find that a lot of times, people tell me, "oh you're so _____" when I honestly don't believe that's a characteristic of mine. So then I have to wonder if I'm deluded or if these other people just don't have a clue who I really am. I'm more inclined to believe the latter.

So basically, understanding how other people see you has some significance. But not a whole lot, I don't think.

[Gullick]

So basically, understanding how other people see you has some significance. But not a whole lot, I don't think.

depends how honest they are i guess, the only people you would really ask are your mates and they would give you a biased answer...simply cause they are your mates.
The only real way i try to find out who i am is looking how people react to me. For Example: if they come over and talk to me a lot, then that means im likable, if they leave me in a corner or try to end a convo quickly with me, that means im not.
You can try to think about yourself all day i reckon, but you'll never really get a full, truthful answer unless the person you ask is completly unbiased (which you can never be sure of anyways).
So my advice, dont judge yourself, you may end up trying to be someone your not.

-Gull-

[McLovin']

Along the pebbles that make up life I will find a rock that will lead me to salvation.

To answer the question: Yes but I like a little in return.

[Evastio]

I think you are what you think you are and not what other people think you are. Other people don't know the intentions behind your actions and what experiences made you become who you are. Also you're the person that knows the most about yourself so you're the one that can make the most accurate description of yourself.

[The Summoner of Leviathan]

Yeah, I have a good idea about who I am, though I think we can always learn more and more about ourselves as we are exposed to different situations. I try to look at myself without bias, so I do criticize myself often times. Most of my judgement upon myself stays to myself though, unless I feel comfortable around someone, then I will be frank about what I think about myself, given the right context. I can be too critical of myself at times though, but maybe that is me being a little bias. I am sure at some points I am bias, or people do not see a trait of mine. I kinda like to suppress the bad parts of myself for one reason or another.

[Jessweeee♪]

The hardest person to know is yourself.

[Chemical]

I feel strongly about multiple truths.

Yes. You can identify yourself without the opinion of others. You are who you see yourself as and really the outside opinions of others will only shape the way you see yourself if you let them.

However, you must be aware that the -you- you see is not that only -you- that exists. There is the -you- your mother see's, th - you- your friend see's and every other -you- defined by the subjective opinion formed in every single person's head that exists.

Ultimately. "I" will always be self-defined... but "you" or person is a multiplicity of entities that exist autonomously from eachother in the minds of others.

[Jessweeee♪]

I feel strongly about multiple truths.

Yes. You can identify yourself without the opinion of others. You are who you see yourself as and really the outside opinions of others will only shape the way you see yourself if you let them.

However, you must be aware that the -you- you see is not that only -you- that exists. There is the -you- your mother see's, th - you- your friend see's and every other -you- defined by the subjective opinion formed in every single person's head that exists.

Ultimately. "I" will always be self-defined... but "you" or person is a multiplicity of entities that exist autonomously from eachother in the minds of others.

Well put.

[Yamaneko]

Without other people we would just be animals that could utilize tools. There would be no culture and our existence would be based solely on self-preservation. Because there are other people everything about us is a response to their presence. Even when we are alone, we do the things we do in order to see people again.