Am I who I choose to be?

Answer 1

One of the "unknowable" things about ourselves is...
Is there a "who" at all?
Everyone I know seems to think there is some tangible, solid, unquestionable "central controller" inside their head that has always been there.
I don't remember being aware of being "two-years-old"
But I do have a very real memory of being "three-years-old," and bragging about that fact to someone so they knew I was not a "baby" anymore.
This implies that at that time, I considered "being a baby" as someone who wasn't aware of how old they were.
And if I was not aware of my own "age," I could not possibly be aware of my own existence, since "existence" implies having a sense of how long you've been in existence.
In other words, I was born in 1964, but was not aware of "myself" until 1967. That is the year I consider myself to have "become" a person, because until then all the way to "now, 2007" I have always had a sense of "being aware of myself."
From the moment of my conception through the age of two, I have no memory of existing, and therefore "I" as I think of "myself" did not actually exist as a "personality" until about the age of three.
My parents and other older siblings and other "aware of themselves" people assure me that I had a definite and unique "personality" that talked and walked spoke full sentient sentences that proved to them that "I" was definitely a "person" with a definite "existence," and I believe them because they would have no reason to lie about that, and the fact they filmed that part of my life that I have no memory of, but can see on film.
But based on my own memories of existence, the person they thought I "was" was really just an
"actor" pretending to be a "person" who did not yet exist, but "built-in" genetics enabled me to fool them into thinking I was a cute personality long enough to survive to the point where I really "became" a real person, because otherwise they would not have protected me if they thought I was just some mindless infant with no "mind" at all, and so why protect something that doesn't even exist and is unaware of existence in general, let alone that existence is something important and worthy of protection?
And even since that age of three to now (43) I still cannot tell you where "I' am inside my brain!
Since I am constantly changing to a constantly changing environment, and am never experiencing the same moment for more than a micro-second of that moment, which is forever changing and each moment is uniquely different from every other moment simply because it is a "later" moment, how can we say we are EVER any ONE thing or PERSON?
How can we even conjecture that human experience is a static "noun" when all the evidence points to the fact that we are a "constantly changing VERB" that cannot be defined as a "thing" or "person?"
The question you should be asking is...
Am I a "who" at all, and is there even such a thing as "me?"
I believe the fundamental "personality" or "central controller" idea we all believe in and live as if it were true, may be a completely erroneous assumption!
Maybe that's the underlying problem with all human behavior.
We live as if we are "nouns," when really we are "verbs."
Humans are actions, not static objects.
It that's true, then actions really do speak louder than words...
And if that's true...
The highest form of human thought would be to only do "good" actions...
Because to any thinking "verb," "bad" actions would be idiotic and pointless if you have a choice between the two!
So the answer to your queston is...yes, you are who you "act" to be...how you choose to "act" is up to you, you crazy VERB, you!

Answer 2

There are many things influence who you are.

When and where you were born influences who you are. Your genetics and environment play an important role in making you, you. Most people born in India have very different ideas about religion, marriage, and culture than people born in US.

However, even identical twins that grow up together make different choices about their future. I am a determinist, which means that all of your choices are predictable, so I believe that all of your choices were the cause of some effect in the past. I also believe that those choices were made by you and they impact your future and who you are. I would even say that your choices are the ONLY think that makes you who you truly are.

Answer 3

Is the universe who it chooses to be? Is a star who it chooses to be? Is a planet who it chooses to be? Is a Tree/Bird/Fish who it chooses to be? And how can they all be who they choose to be while living together...

Answer 4

You may be on the path to be who you choose but it is ever changing. Sounds like a plan.

Answer 5

As long as you choose to be and remain true to yourself. Dont get caught up in society and all that crap. Live your life how you want to live it and be the best you can be doing so.

Answer 6

I believe that you can be who you choose to be if you are strong enough but it isn't easy.

Answer 7

Yes.
But to realize it, we need a real knowledge.

Answer 8

possibly. But if you are not inherently so, then others will pick up on that and realize that you are wearing masks.

Answer 9

Only if you reject everything you have been taught, and reanalyze your beliefs.

Answer 10

no you are who you can afford to be