I'm guessing as you stand in the mirror getting ready for the day, or lay in bed trying to fall asleep, you've had experienced an existential crisis. While you lay staring at the ceiling, you ponder your existence and ask yourself life-changing questions instead of falling asleep. Am I a good person? What is my purpose in life? Who am I, really? Did I finish my homework from last night?
Even though most people can't necessarily answer what their life's purpose is, they probably have some idea of who they are. All of us have at least some idea of what our identity is.
This leads us to question where our identities come from. A major part of us is from our parents, and what they raised us to believe. Another part is from the media, and what we come to define as acceptable. An identity begins developing from the moment someone is born. Newborn baby boys are labelled a “ladies man” if they so much as giggle or smile at a female. If they have a certain colored hair or eyes, they are going to be just like their mom. As all of us grow up, we begin to associate more aspects of life with ourselves. People eventually develop
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They absorb the values of the people they're surrounded by.
People pick up the values and expectations of society, and follow them as best as possible.
Everything that you encounter can influence your identity. Once a label is stamped on us, it becomes a role to play for the rest of our lives. In a Psychology Today article titled “Basics of Identity,” Shahram Heshmat writes, “Each position has its own meanings and expectations internalized as identity.” He goes on to explain that people create identities by “matching one’s talents and potential with available social roles.” This means that we create personas for ourselves based on what is socially acceptable. This plays into the concept of stereotypes and categorizing ourselves.
Every person you have ever seen has made an impact on how you view