Self-defense

Yes, we all say it, “I swear I don’t actually look like that” after we scroll through pictures we just took of ourselves. Or, we all know the satirical cartoons that pop up on our Instagram feeds depicting how great we look in the mirror but, when photos are taken moments later, we look almost unrecognizable. But don’t worry, it’s not your fault. Blame the most complex organ in your body, the brain. Our perception of ourselves changes based on what we observe in the mirror, how we…

Self-identity is reflected through art, often times in understated ways. There is no right or wrong way to approach art because it is so very personal. It is the ability to express emotion, beauty, and thoughts in a single moment captured by time. As an artist, I am given the opportunity to explore different aspects of who I am, what I love, and what inspires me to be the person I am. An artist’s expression can take many forms, for me this form is music, a passion that has always been a part…

“ Revolution of Self ” What is self? It’s a question that billions have tried to pin point over millions of years and yet to this day there isn't one concrete answer for this question. Writers such as Henry Thoreau and Ralph Emerson are two of the main authors that are looked at for a better definition. Both writers both agree that to truly be yourself you have to stop relying on others for who you are and not being afraid of questioning others. Both writers touch on the fact that…

My personal definition of self-sabotage is an individual who is too hard on themselves or negative about what they can do. An example of this is when a person has a job interview but before even trying has already accepted that they have no chance or won’t get it. They tell themselves that they aren’t qualified enough, which limits their full potential. Their negative attitude sets the mood of the interview and they most likely won’t get the job due to it. Nonjudgmental listening is extremely…

Society categorizes people based on a variety of pre-existing labels. Self-identity is the awareness of oneself and one’s own unique traits. Throughout Middlesex, characters develop their own sense of belonging. The narrator's parents, Eleutherios (Lefty) Stephanides and Desdemona Stephanides are from a Greek Orthodox religion and soon become Americans. Their first son, Chapter Eleven is a hippie. Calliope or simply Cal, the narrator, is a hermaphrodite. Belonging to an extended family with…

In this paper, I will compare the nature of the self as portrayed in the texts of the Katha Upanishad and the Yoga Vasistha. The former is a dialogue between a young boy, Nachiketa, and Yama — the Lord of Death while the latter is a set of spiritual teachings imparted by sage Vasistha to his disciple — Rama. Both of these texts discuss the notion of the self but offer different interpretations and means to achieve it. I will also argue how certain pragmatic concepts. for example, the rejection…

identity would rely on physical matter, it would mean that losing an arm or leg would constitute a new identity. Locke says that by seeing a person without an arm as the same person they were with the arm, is proof that “the substance whereof personal self consisted at one time may be varied at another” (p. 15). Thus, if the physical is not what defines personal identity because of its variance through time is inconsistent with personal identity, it would be mayhap be possible to attribute…

people ask and react to. While our origin and race bring many defining characters to a personality, they are only the start. Self-identity grows further with the actions and responses of those around us, whether positive or negative. The Color of Water: A Black Man’s Tribute to His White Mother by James McBride displays the possible struggles of finding one’s sense of self, as well as coming to terms with it. The essence of who we are derives from a part, or parts, that are fixed, but then is…

identity as the question of what makes us the same person over time. How are we able to identify ourselves outside of our physical bodies? Does one remain the same person even if we have physical resemblances and continuity of memory? In the movie Self/Less (Ben Kingsley, 2015), Damian a rich real estate entrepreneur is at the peak of his success is faced with the rough reality of cancer, that is untreatable and consuming his body. Damian turns to an uncommon approach to saving his mind, by…

Life of Pi Essay “Never forget what you are, for surely the world will not. Make it your strength. Then it can never be your weakness. Armour yourself in it, and it will never be used to hurt you” (Martin). George R.R. Martin examines the idea of developing one 's identity and using it as an advantage for the purpose of defending oneself in life. Knowing oneself, and being in a state of acceptance can only be beneficial no matter the individual. When ‘armour’ is equipped, it helps eliminate any…