Identity

[Locutus]

Why? You dont believe genetics factors into our personality and behaviours?

Nope. Not even a tiny bit.

In neurologically 'normal' individuals of course. Brain injury etc is a different matter.

 

[Rick Otto]

that's because there is no line. we are the product of every little thing which has happened to us or near us since late in our gestation. no two people can ever have identical experiences, ergo we're all different.

Well,... I do notice a bit of plasticity to reality... and I do relate to being different... but beyond the identity of the external others, we process, sort and identify (more or less) parts of ourselves that exist some in harmony, some in contradiction, to the others. It can reach crisis depending on our individual abilities to adapt. Good role models are few and far between,it seems.

My 9th grade geometry teacher used to like to pose brain teasers to us and one day he asked what would be the reflection if you placed two mirrors face to face. I thought, "And eyes are the mirror of the soul".
So how are we to see "eye to eye with ourselves?" LOL

 

[Locutus]

Well,... I do notice a bit of plasticity to reality... and I do relate to being different... but beyond the identity of the external others, we process, sort and identify (more or less) parts of ourselves that exist some in harmony, some in contradiction, to the others. It can reach crisis depending on our individual abilities to adapt. Good role models are few and far between,it seems.

My 9th grade geometry teacher used to like to pose brain teasers to us and one day he asked what would be the reflection if you placed two mirrors face to face. I thought, "And eyes are the mirror of the soul".
So how are we to see "eye to eye with ourselves?" LOL

I suggest you don't try. Direct your energies outward.

 

[SloriB]

"Not at all. At least, not more aware than in the sense of 'conscious'. The newborn has far less awareness than an adult, but absorbs experiences at an incredible pace and rate. They're sponges."

Maybe you misunderstood my definition of awareness? I meant awareness as in recognition of sensory or cognitive information, gathered by an observer who has noticed the data.

You can't learn without recognition, or the word I used, awareness. That's like saying if there's a truck backing out of the drive five doors down, a newborn will know this, even if they don't see it, hear it, or smell the Diesel. You have to have some sort of sensory or cognitive recognition to know something has happened. See it, hear it, feel it, etc. Let's say the parents are arguing. A newborn baby may not think consciously, "oh, my father is yelling at my mother again," but he will hear the noise and respond to it. If he didn't hear/see/notice it, such as if he was at grandmother's house at the time, then it wouldn't affect him. It's like saying, you won't get scared of a spider unless you've seen it before or know one is present. You have to KNOW something or NOTICE something to react or learn from it.

If we could just know things, then I'd know what you had for breakfast this morning Or, I would know what my dog did while I was asleep. Unless she left me a clue that gave me sensory or cognitive information, I have no idea. I wasn't conscious at the time to know. I can guess from previous experiences where I was awake that she probably stole my blankets or snored loudly, but I can't tell you about last night specifically because I wasn't conscious. Admittedly, we have different levels of consciousness, and sometimes I will semi-wake to think, "Geez, my legs are sore. She's sitting on them again," but that is sensory recognition. If I hadn't woken up, and my legs didn't get sore, I wouldn't know.

 

[Rick Otto]

I suggest you don't try. Direct your energies outward.

To late, already have on both counts, but thanks just the same.
Would you like some advice from me?

 

[Locutus]

To late, already have on both counts, but thanks just the same.
Would you like some advice from me?

It's modestly useful information for those given to self-absorption. Not saying you are or were

Sure, always happy to receive unsolicited advice, now solicited.

 

[Locutus]

"Not at all. At least, not more aware than in the sense of 'conscious'. The newborn has far less awareness than an adult, but absorbs experiences at an incredible pace and rate. They're sponges."

Maybe you misunderstood my definition of awareness? I meant awareness as in recognition of sensory or cognitive information, gathered by an observer who has noticed the data.

You can't learn without recognition, or the word I used, awareness. That's like saying if there's a truck backing out of the drive five doors down, a newborn will know this, even if they don't see it, hear it, or smell the Diesel. You have to have some sort of sensory or cognitive recognition to know something has happened. See it, hear it, feel it, etc. Let's say the parents are arguing. A newborn baby may not think consciously, "oh, my father is yelling at my mother again," but he will hear the noise and respond to it. If he didn't hear/see/notice it, such as if he was at grandmother's house at the time, then it wouldn't affect him. It's like saying, you won't get scared of a spider unless you've seen it before or know one is present. You have to KNOW something or NOTICE something to react or learn from it.

If we could just know things, then I'd know what you had for breakfast this morning Or, I would know what my dog did while I was asleep. Unless she left me a clue that gave me sensory or cognitive information, I have no idea. I wasn't conscious at the time to know. I can guess from previous experiences where I was awake that she probably stole my blankets or snored loudly, but I can't tell you about last night specifically because I wasn't conscious. Admittedly, we have different levels of consciousness, and sometimes I will semi-wake to think, "Geez, my legs are sore. She's sitting on them again," but that is sensory recognition. If I hadn't woken up, and my legs didn't get sore, I wouldn't know.

it all adds to the sum of us. the sensory stuff and the 'cognitive recognition'. we are shaped more by the things we don't believe we've cognitively recognised than we imagine, though. you see the trick there?

 

[Rick Otto]

It's modestly useful information for those given to self-absorption. Not saying you are or were

Sure, always happy to receive unsolicited advice, now solicited.

Lol, nothing to offer, just wondering if you were as willing to receive as you were to give.

 

[Locutus]

Lol, nothing to offer, just wondering if you were as willing to receive as you were to give.

I love advice. Probably vanity, but then, what isn't

 

[SloriB]

Hmmmm. I understand your meaning. Yes, I do recognise that inadvertent education is as precious as "requested" education. However, there still has to be some sensory or cognitive recognition in order for the lesson to be learnt.

 

[Locutus]

Hmmmm. I understand your meaning. Yes, I do recognise that inadvertent education is as precious as "requested" education. However, there still has to be some sensory or cognitive recognition in order for the lesson to be learnt.

information/experience is just a flow - it's not a lesson. what we later do with the experience/information is the learning.

 

[Rick Otto]

I love advice. Probably vanity, but then, what isn't

Christ crucified isn't.
But I digress...
Have you heard the idea that reality is undifferentiated consciousness trying to understand itself? It sounds kind of Hindu in a way, but explains the existence of being an individual self.
I like mind puzzles.

 

[Rick Otto]

Hmmmm. I understand your meaning. Yes, I do recognise that inadvertent education is as precious as "requested" education. However, there still has to be some sensory or cognitive recognition in order for the lesson to be learnt.

I love what the opening verses of psalm 19 have to say about message and meaning;

1] The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
[2] Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.
[3] There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.

 

[Locutus]

Christ crucified isn't.
But I digress...
Have you heard the idea that reality is undifferentiated consciousness trying to understand itself? It sounds kind of Hindu in a way, but explains the existence of being an individual self.
I like mind puzzles.

Perhaps the desire for immortality is. And perhaps the indulgence of the idea that worship is worthy, thus exempting the seeker after immortality from the crime of vanity, is yet another vanity.

Hindu thought does my head in

 

[Rick Otto]

Perhaps the desire for immortality is. And perhaps the indulgence of the idea that worship is worthy, thus exempting the seeker after immortality from the crime of vanity, is yet another vanity.

Hindu thought does my head in

Brilliant! I love that. A little depressing aftertaste, but a bold clarity.
I found the Bagavad Ghita an easier read than my trigonometry book.

 

[Resha Caner]

Culture, family, faith, and all sorts of input like that have definitely shaped who I am.

Has one had a larger influence than another?

 

[Resha Caner]

Is this what you were asking? I could probably give a lot more examples for each section, but was trying to keep it brief. Yeah, right! lol

Yes! Excellent! I appreciate you taking the time to reply in such detail. I don't want to invade your privacy, so I don't need more examples. These will suffice for a few follow-up questions:
* Do any of these stand out as more important to you? Are any of them "non-negotiable" - such as your father's health?
* Has there ever been a conflict between 2 f these? For example, where you had to sacrifice something in your professional life for the sake of your family?
* What types of things do you think help you preserve these areas? Professional organizations, family holidays, community clubs, cultural rituals?

 

[KitKatMatt]

Has one had a larger influence than another?

I have no way to really quantify it. They all had pretty big influences.

 

[Resha Caner]

Trying to determine how much of each contributes to our identity, would need to include, wild speculation.

Maybe so, yet if conflict occurs between two of them, it must be addressed somehow.

 

[Resha Caner]

You can't simply sum someone up into a single word to describe them. Yes, I am a loner, but that doesn't encompass who I am as a person. It's a aspect of my personality, nothing more. I'm hesitant to share too much online because I don't know people and therefore don't trust them.

OK.