A Philosophical Question that Can Set You Free
I don’t identify as a philosopher nor I read any heavy complicated philosophical literature. Though I find myself traveling to philosophy land quite often. I’ve always been curious about humans, the nature of reality, and the beliefs that structure our lives.
I find people fascinating, but I never quite understand what makes people different, yet similar at the same time.
Our human emotions are universal, yet the way we feel them vary from one another. We may share many beliefs, yet we each have a unique perspective of the world. This is the magic of being human. We can connect with each other on intimate levels, yet be different enough to remain separate beings with separate feelings.
The idea that we are unique individuals despite our shared collective realities inspires me to contemplate this question: Do people determine who they are at an individual level, or is it that a complicated set of circumstances beyond anyone’s control, determines who people are?
I like to observe people, and then observe myself. The contrasts I continue to find between what I think defines “me” and “others” trigger this philosophical question. Although I find it fascinating that we are individually unique, I don’t quite understand how this process unfolds. How did I become me? How did others become who they…
