Why are other's opinions so powerful over how one views themself?

Answer 1

Hi, No One,
I think, "insecurity"..
They need : other opinions, to believe in themselves..
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So, they can move on, knowing it is "right", what they are doing..
Many people are coping with low self-esteem ... so, it is normal that they need someones approval..
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In general : other peoples opinions matter, but they have to make there "own" decisions...!
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Thanks, for the question!;)

My regards!

Answer 2

"Gosh I'm noone special, but, I've always thought of how important other people's opinions matters to me. Even as a small child, I liked to adorn myself with presentable clothes and be properly washed before going under the public eye. I've always wanted to be thought of as aspiring towards perfection (although none can achieve it).
I believe, in this present day and time, I'm not as concerned about what others think of me as much. I'm really not sure why. Maybe age has done it for me. The older I get, the more unconcerned I seem to be towards impressions, mine or others. I sincerely want to be regarded as a thoughtful, conscientious person concerned with others as much as myself.
I try my best to live in a manner that proves my concerns towards making a continual contribution to my Community, State, Country and Mankind in general."

Answer 3

We're social beings, so we obviously have a reaction towards society's principles and general views on what is appropriate and what is not. And that reaction may be either embracing society's values and acting according to its rules or rejecting them and acting by one's own rules and principles, mostly against what society teaches as being right. The third option, ignorance, is hard to achieve on a large scale, it only influences how much we are on one side of the issue or the other.

There's also another thing: when (let's say 100) people tell you that you're (insert trait here), you tend to believe them, because they are so many and you think that the majority is right. The thing is most of the times the minority is right, because few are those who can fully understand a concept. This is why there are so many fields and each with its own specialists, because they are the only ones that should be able to put a label on a person, in the limits of their qualification. Though labels are bad.

Hope I was helpful and not too incoherent. It's just the way I view things.

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EDIT:
"Symbolic Interactionists assume that identity arises from our own interpretations of our social intercourse with others and that we come to know who we are by seeing what others make of us (Cochrane 1983)" from http://www.lifemyths.com/existential-philosophy.htm

Answer 4

You want to know how others see you as it is the only way to tell if they trust you, and under what conditions, so that you can determine if you are capable of gaining that trust, and by what means. Without knowing how you or your actions are to be perceived by others, you cannot deal effectively with other people, and since people and situations change, you are constantly reassessing and reevaluating your and others opinions in these areas.

I notice some idiot gave me a negative rating for this, but I've been around long enough not to be unduly affected by heckling from the peanut gallery - and this site has more nuts than its fair share.

Answer 5

well i think that this depends on the person, as they may not care about how others think about them. but in certain respects people do care unconsciously as they have to make a certain impression of themselves to their families, freinds and in their workplace. it's important because people want to feel and be acceoted by others whether it is their friends, families or work collegues or society, everybody needs somebody even if it is just one person, otherwise they would feel rejected even if they don't admit it. however certain things about a person need not change as it's not deviant behaviour and if people dont accept them for who they are then it's their problem, but it depends on the person's self-esteem, self-respect and morale and confidence as well. I hope this answers your question.

Answer 6

Well when it is all said and done we would like others to see us in the same light as we see ourselves ( or at least as we would like to thing we are ), when this does not match we have a conflict
and maybe modifications to make ....depends on whom is looking at who, and why

Answer 7

its because of peer id.
just like peer pressure peer id is just as strong

Answer 8

Because most people's minds are weak.

Answer 9

Lol, who cares?