95 Quotes About Self-identity

None of us exists in an isolation tank. We stand in blood and brains and in familial relationships with our brethren. We exist within the backdrop of experiences provided by our families, teachers, friends, church, social events, newspapers, books, television, film, art, music, science, and self-exploration. The pattern of our personality hat is comprised of the many fine hairs shed by our gargantuan society.

What remains of you after all the noise and labels are stripped away?

Americans with their fixation on individualism might be the nation that flaunts the sharpest sense of self of any people. Ask any American who they are and they will undoubtedly give you a quick synopsis of their personal identity markers including a description of their age, education, occupation, physical skills, mental abilities, values, hobbies, and causes that they support or oppose.

Identity and self-concept flower from common seeds. Conception of self-image stems largely upon what we value and how we wish the world to perceive us. Identity undoubtedly includes what we do, where we are from, and how successful we are. A decided majority of Americans identify themselves by their accomplishments, not by their failures.

We tend to see ourselves through other people’s eyes. We respond to how other people actually treat us as well as to an imaginary audience of people who we presume are judging us. Even living in total isolation of other people, I would construct a sense of personal identity based upon how I thought other people would evaluate me if ‘they could only see me now.

Our remembered experiences and our present day hopes and desires form the spine of each person’s storybook. Knowledge of life and death are traceable facts that shape the contours of each person’s storyboard. Other truths gleaned from living brilliantly fill the pages of each person’s ongoing anthology.

Personal identity is our wellspring of existence.

I only look like everyone else because I’ve never really taken the time to understand either of us.

One of the most perplexing contradictions is ‘who we are’ verses ‘who we’ve become’. And if we don’t reclaim the former, there will be very little that is authentic about the latter.