"I am not who I think I am. I am who I think you think I am." What does this mean?

Question

This was in an answer I received a while ago.

Answer 1

Wow, it means you are crazier than I am. And that is quite a feat...oh, God, not the voices again!...

Answer 2

The statement is self-contradictory, of course. However it shows a degree of sophistication and a somewhat disconnect from a developed ego.

They are allowing you, an outsider, to be part of their equation of meaning and being. Notice, it is not who you think they are, though; it is whom THEY think you think they are. Chameleon-like but still understanding that they are in charge of their own identity.

Personally? I would not trust them. Much too convoluted in approach to life. Smart but may be borderline personality disorder.

You asked.

Answer 3

We are a multitude of false selves owing to our external. It is easy to get them confused with our intended self.

A series of causes which become effects turning into more causes and so on and so on.

Reactive creatures never really acting as our intended selves.

We must learn to act and no longer react!

Answer 4

It's based off of people's own perceptions on what they think other people think of them.

People will behave in a way they believe other people see them. Nervous people act that way because they "think" that people will react a certain way toward them.

Whether that's true or not is another story.

A prime example is Stage Fright. People think that when they get up on stage and make a mistake, everyone is going to be laughing at that mistake and saying:

- "What a loser"
- "That person is so stupid"
- "He's so pathetic"

That's not what (normal, sensible) poeple in an audience are thinking. Usually they're embarrassed for you if you make a big deal out of it and will laugh out of discomfort. The actual number of hecklers that are mean and spiteful are very small assuming you're in front of regular people.

The way that people perceive themselves is how they feel others see them or how they think they should see them. That's why you'll see some Celebrities take a larger than life attitude.

People who wear tattoos, have spiked hair, black lipstick, and dress alternative project a particular image that affects people's perceptions of them that can range from awe or intimidation. That's usually how those people think they're perceived and behave accordingly.

For example, if you were go to my Profile, I have a listing of my Resume with all my skills that show where my qualifications come from and my Best Answer Percentage is much higher than most people around Level 2 and 3.

That's how "I" perceive that you would perceive me thinking that lends credibility to my ability to give you sound advice. That's how I think you should perceive me.

Whether that's something you'll actually do or not is another story, but that's my perspective on things.

I can give you another great example. I happen to work in the Psychic Field. I've done 9,000 hours worth of research in 2 years. I observe Psychic Phenomenon every day. I have an average of 7 Psychic Predictions.

Because I eat, breathe, and sleep Psychic Phenomenon. I know that this stuff works.

However, what about you?

Do you actually believe what I said, or do you think I just have an overactive imaginatoin?

With the first part of the quote, if we went by how you would be treating me based off of whom I thought I was, you'd be asking for my autograph and picking my brain for all kinds of questions on the Secrets to the Universe.

However, most likely you, just like everyone else who hasn't seen me actually perform any Psychic Feats in front of you, either won't be impressed or be filled with Skepticism because that's based off of the second part of the quote because "I am who you think I am."

For example, I have Psychic Military Training that would roughly translate to what you'd call a "Battle Mage." I've been in combat. You can actually physically harm or injure people with Psychic Abilities with proper application. Not just empty threats either, but providing the Scientific Explanation on how it works.

I know who I am, but for people who don't know this, they're unimpressed with me as a person or even can be rude or condescending to me. If they were going by the first part of the quote of where I am who I think I am, they'd be more careful with what they say and do around me.

However, because people don't know I have Psychic Combat Training and could cause serious or even lethal damage and how far-reaching my abilities are, people fall into the latter part of that quote saying, "Oh, you have Psychic Abilities? Yeah, uh-huh. Surrrrre you do."

Quality Insurance Inspectors, Undercover Cops, and Mystery Shoppers all take advantage of the latter portion of that quote. It's all about what other people think or see in you.

For example if someone wanted to go around calling themselves Queen of Idaho, that's their choice. That would be the first part of the quote. However, people looking at that person wondering who that silly person is walking around claiming to be royalty of a State in our Union that doesn't have a Monarchy would think that person is nuts. That would be the 2nd Part of the quote.

I'm not a Bible Thumper, but If you want to get Biblical, that's the Crucifixion where the Jews making fun of and jeering at Jesus Christ as "King of the Jews" were fulfilling the 2nd Part of the quote. They didn't see him as a Messiah. When they dressed him up in robes and put a thorny crown on his head mocking the Title, that was the perception of the Jews.

Pontius Pilate asked, "Are you the King of the Jews"
Jesus Christ says something catty like, "I am who you say I am"

That's a variation of the latter half of that quote.

That's why from a Psychological Perspective, it's all about how you carry yourself that will affect the perceptions of those around you and what conclusions they'll draw from what they see in you.

Answer 5

The person speaking is trying to be who they think people want them to be and not who they really are.

Answer 6

it means your trying to be who you think I want you to be when its not the same person I think I want you to be

Answer 7

it's a self contradictory statement, an individual knows himself better than other definitely so it's a wrong statement....

Answer 8

it means that u never know who u are. other people always know

Answer 9

It means you are confused. Get a valium and sleep it out.

Answer 10

it just means that the person speaking is hiding from his/her true self and is pretending to be some he/she is not.