Who Am I?
Who am I? What a great question. Who is anyone? How is that defined? Where does one even begin to query? Statistical details? OK. How about these:
Do any of these make me who I am? Do all of them? Are they important in figuring who I am? Do I need to list more? Would the list that finally determines who I am ever end? Can it end? Would it need adjusting by the time it was finished? Will I ever stop asking questions?
I've spent much time during my graduate studies asking this very question. Who am I? The second question is always, of couse, how to determine who I am. I don't get very far each time I ask. My postmodern self construction says simply that I am, and that I consist of every moment of personal experience as well as the experience of those with whom I come into contact. I cannot be essentialized into any one category. I look over at my bookshelf and I see many books from American authors, Chinese American, Japanese American, Korean American, Filipino American, and I wonder when they will be considered American without the qualifier. I see Russian, Chinese, Japanese, German, Sanskrit, French, and Arabic translations. I see the Bible and Mao's little red book. There is no particular order on the shelf. I look around at the decorations in my office and I find artifacts I brought back from Qatar and artifacts I brought back from China. Along with them are artifacts I bought in Chinatown San Francisco or from World Market here in Fresno. In this room, there is a construction of being that has borrowed from other cultures, but it cannot be defined by categorization such as Asian, Oriental, or any other essentialization. How could it? This is but one room in my house and it defies definition. How am I supposed to land on a definition of myself through any of this?
I will keep this brief because I don't have the time right now to spend fleshing out the problematics of postmodern epistemology (nor do I have the ability to completely flesh out such problematization). In turn, I will pick one thing that says something about me, for the moment at least, and let it be known. For that is the only way we can come to terms with ourselves: moment by moment. At this very second, I honestly give this one statement: I want to see The Who at The Savemart Center. This statement does not define me, nor could it possibly even begin to define who I am. But it does at least let you know something about me and who I am.
Thanks for listening.
the common man
I Want to Know Who As Well
My wife and I both entered and wanted to know who won the Who tickets as well.
who then?
if not I, then who won the who tickets?
flux
Flux is a capacitor.
who is
on first? why?
Flux
Why is asked by who. Who is not why, why is foundation to who and adds to the flux. Keeping the who ever changing, in that state of flux.
Diablo
why? who? what?
I wonder if why creates who. But then who creates why? If the who is always in flux due to external influence, then the why may be as well?
no?
tcm
Why?
Why cannot be ignored, however without who there is no why. It is the "I" that begs to ask for its reason for being. Question. That in its self is foundation to who you are. Certainly non-sentient beings do not beg to ask why they exist. This question can only be invoked by the "I".
Not everyone's "I" needs a reason for being. Not everyone's reason for being dwells in the "I". Akin to liberals and conservatives the meter of importance given to the "I" moves from one end to the other on the individual basis. Here again my "I" prefers moderation and accepts no absolutes. My devilish propensity to advocate no extreme and seek the middle.
Trust is put in my "I" to be rational first above all else. Not always the case, for some reason road rage can certainly create a disturbance in the "I" continuum. Every chain has a weak link I suppose. This why I own a 4x4, any median is subject to becoming my play ground:P Limits are another weak link it seems.
Diablo
word of advice
Mr. NoVoid; don't ever pray for stupidity: I've seen prayers answered.
I have enjoyed this string
I am so glad to hear from others who understand that there really are so few threats in the world, -and that it is rarely from another, nor their view, (and that seeking to understand them is such a crucial and lifesaving part of the whole thing... that was gorgeous.)
It's nice to let the logic and passion of philosophy and meanings do a few laps with others who are likeminded.
(Patrick... you brought in Proverbs... brave man... -and what are we to say that the pursuit of knowledge is endless, --and if spoke the tongues of men and angels, -and understood all things, ----yet had not Love, we're worthless and annoying?
(Maybe this is why I have found myself sometimes praying to be stupid and yet kind and full of grace,
-rather than my usual disposition of cunning and clever, -and able to destroy anything and anyone and justify it with reason???)
I thouht i posted on this, from a slightly different angle, (it may have been removed by cyber-gremlins, (hopefully they aren't back,) -or it could be vicodin again...
I never really bothered to ask 'who I was.' Not really.
I just figured it would be apparent, and work it's way to the surface, no matter what.
I do find myself asking 'why I am?'
---and am guided by purpose or calling...
-and then just can't dwell on it for too long.
The 'where, what, how, and when, seem so incidental, and 'who,' almost needs to be relegated to those periphial reasons.
Why? (asked of onesself, and answered kindly,) seems to be of greater significance.
the spiritual
As one continues to search for identity; it is a part of the complete human experience called wisdom. Proverbs calls the search for wisdom the most nobel of tasks. As the search for identity continues the journey leads to the spriritual path. This is like an entire dimension with many roads to follow. The spiritual roads present two directions wherein the individual can choose to go.
With no answer to discover, perhaps a question should be rephrased. Or perhaps it is time for you to have some kids to ask you some questions and generate a spark of curiosity.
Purpose is esential to growth. Creativity in change provides worth.
Open mind
The way you present assessing views from oposing eyes is well put. Clear indicator of not just an open mind but one that is objective and not stuck on itself. Again your "I" is well spoken.
The more deeply one understands a subject the more the subject becomes who they are. This is why people take comments on their beliefs as attacks on their character.
Excellent post commoner. It takes a strong mind to set aside the difference and assess how to go about understanding. Not many have this ability. When a person can do this, it is easy not to become irritated at attacks on character and merely move on undisturbed.
Diablo
Nothing new under the sun
Never read any Pirsig. Have read the Phaedrus. Not the whole Phaedrus. Put me to sleep each time I tried. But in commentaries I've read, the general abstraction that Plato was putting forth was a method of dialectics, a way to decide if what someone says is believable or should be followed. An attempt to look at all sides of an argument, test them out, construct outcomes, construct a holistic understanding.
If Pirsig took a long time to say what he meant, and it had something to do with the Phaedrus dialogue, good chance he was testing out his own coming to terms with whatever subject it was with which he was coming to terms. His own dialectic approach to something. I don't see that what I've said resembles any of the Phaedrus, but perhaps I am attempting to come to terms with something as well. I won't apologize for it even if it smells like a pile of your favorite substance (or something less favorable).
One thing for certain is that whenever you come upon something with which you disagree, or you don't like it, or whatever negative response you have, it is usually a point at which you can either enter into dialogue and make an attempt to understand the other point of view or you can turn away and close off all dialogue whatsoever. Understanding, of course, can never be complete between two disparate sides of a binary opposition. However, with some work, one can get closer. The question still remains as to why you would want to enter into the dialogue when it is much easier to dismiss the point as something unworthy of your time. For me, the answer is simply to get at both sides and make an informed judgement (or postpone any judgement at all). I believe a; you believe b. I can still believe a while seeing why you might believe b. It is a simple act of recognition of the other and legitimizing that other's point of view (it is not necessary to believe what the other believes for this to take place) which can truly change the world we live in today.
Nothing I've said up to this point is new. I have not meant for any of this to be attributed to me. It is simply a discussion of who I am, how I could possibly become who I am, and how I am always becoming who I am. My thoughts have their beginnings in other minds: Foucault, Bakhtin, Althusser, Lyotard, just to name a few. At some point, though, we must use the knowledge brought to us by others in our actions. What good is the knowledge of others if we do not use it.
the common man
try to see the forest through the gumps
it's circular logic, tis true
as dogs chasing tails
and Daltry screaming
'..who the @&#$! are You?
giv'm the tickets, Lao Tsu
(It's gettin' dang near Pete's Windmill time, ahyhoo.)
koo koo ah-chu?
(gesundheit.)
er
--Bless you...
hardly good
Why does this reek of the Phaedrus b.s. runaround I loathed so much in the Pirsig book?
That guy took forever to get to the point and it's looking like this is the same rutted road.
not bad
damn... this guy's good.
are you . . .
edluv, jpatrick, and gepetto poteet,
Nope, nope, and definitely not.
the common man
Anything left to discover in this world?
jpatrick,
I don't believe there is an answer to discover. I don't want there to be an answer. I want to always be changing, "growing up" as you describe it. I am who I am because of the many exchanges I've experienced with others. You are as well. If I come to a point where I cannot continue growing, I am either dead or incapacitated by some other means. As long as we are able, we are changing, becoming who we are. (get ready for key postmodern terminology--it will be in italics) We are always already undergoing change. We are always already becoming ourselves. We are not static beings with any single simple definition. At what single moment could we possibly have become ourselves? At what point could we stop? Even if we could, why would we want to?
the common man
The Devil's Triangle
Thanks for the welcome, Legal Alien, my devilish friend. I accept your peace and return it joyfully.
When it comes to philosophy, I believe that I have a soul. I'm not too interested in where that soul sits. That's a completely unanswerable question. Instead, I prefer to ponder a different philosophical/psychological angle, the makeup of my soul/personhood and how that makeup can/can't be described.
Thanks for the prompt here about the "I." It gave me the chance to think about it. I haven't put much time into that, and probably won't. But at least I have been brought to that moment of reflection. Yet again, I am changed, renewed. I am no longer the same person I was yesterday. Hopefully, I haven't killed the "I" that you thought sounded cool.
Speaking of self-construction of identity . . . don't forget that I am purposefully leaving out bits and pieces of who I am, both good and bad (judgements that are made by either of us). The beauty/distress of constructing my "I" online is that all interaction is via language. I can say anything. For all you know, I am not 34, male, and married. You either trust my construction of the real through the language I use or you don't. At that point, my "real" becomes your own construction. But this is all another subject for another time.
the common man
are you..
God?
i've seen your billboards!!!
hi God!!
are you..
Fred?
are you...
tony?
growing up
It's taken 34 years to ask the question, expect a year or so to discover the answer.
Excellent question
For a second I thought you were going to get into the philosophy thing. Where does the "I" dwell and so on. Does "I" really exist? Is "I" your soul or your mind?
Anyhow, welcome commoner. Your "I" sounds like a cool guy.
Peace,
Diablo
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