The Exploration of Identity – Philosophy of Connection
We often treat identity like a fixed monument, something we find once and then protect. However, in a connected world, identity is more like a living ecosystem. In today’s exploration, discover that in a connected world, identity isn’t a statue; it’s a living ecosystem…
1. The Philosophical View: The Narrative Self
The French philosopher Paul Ricoeur introduced the concept of ipseity, or narrative identity. He argued that human beings do not have a static ‘core’ that remains unchanged. Instead, we understand ourselves through the ‘detour’ of the stories we tell and the stories told about us. Mr. Ricoeur suggested that identity is a creative act of synthesis; taking the scattered events of our lives and weaving them into a coherent plot. In this view, we are not just the protagonists of our lives, but also the authors who must constantly interpret our actions in relation to others.
2. The Cognitive View: The Constructing Brain
Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett, a neuroscientist, challenges the idea that we have innate personality traits. Her research into how the brain constructs reality suggests that our sense of self is a ‘sophisticated prediction engine’. The brain uses past experiences and cultural context to guess how we should feel or act in the present moment. This means that who we are is often a habitual prediction based on where we have been, rather than an unchangeable truth. If our environment and connections remain the same, our brain continues to predict the same self.
3. The Sociological View: Liquid Identity
The late sociologist Zygmunt Bauman famously described our current era as Liquid Modernity. In previous generations, identity was ‘solid’; defined by a lifelong career, a fixed social class, or a permanent geographical home. Today, those structures have melted. Mr. Bauman reasoning was that in a liquid world, the burden of building a self falls entirely on the individual. This creates a state of constant flux where we must be flexible enough to change, yet stable enough not to dissolve. Identity in this age is not about arriving at a destination, but about managing the flow.
4. The Psychological View: The System of Parts
Dr. Richard Schwartz, creator of the Internal Family Systems (IFS) model, suggests that the human psyche is not a single entity but a ‘system of parts’. We have protectors who guard our vulnerabilities, achievers who seek external validation, and creators who seek expression. Mr. Schwartz’s breakthrough was the discovery of the “Core Self”; a seat of consciousness characterized by curiosity and compassion that exists beneath these parts. Identity, therefore, is not about being one thing, but about how well our Core Self leads the various members of our internal system.
The Philosophy of Connection:
Choice of Identity
In my philosophy, identity can be chosen. While Mr. Ricoeur shows us our story is evolving, and Bauman warns us the world is liquid, I believe our identity is created based on the values we choose consciously.
When we are aware that we are not a fixed point and realize we can create our own stories, we enable ourselves to become who we want to be. If your brain is a prediction engine, then our freedom to choose is the tool you use to interrupt old habits. By choosing new neighborhoods, whether digital or physical, you provide your brain with new data to create a different version of yourself.
Identity is not only found in what you do, but also in how you choose to connect. It is about aligning your own beliefs, values and daily choices; when your unique self acts as an aware creator to your internal connections, you stop being a victim of the external ones.
Choosing to be present with soulful energy, empathic, and by choice, will help you figure out which life, soul, and core connections to Connect keep, deepen and maintain. When you find this clarity for yourself, it will also be easier to choose which to disConnect from.
Reflections
- The Same Old Story Check: If our brains are prediction engines based on our past, it’s easy to get stuck in the same old habits. Think about one way you reacted today; was it just an automatic version of your old self? What is one small thing you could change in your daily environment to help your brain ‘predict’ a more intentional version of you tomorrow?
- Finding Your Ground: In a world that feels liquid and constantly changing, it’s easy to feel like you’re drifting. Looking back at your choices this week, which ones felt like they were forced by the ‘rush’ of the world, and which ones felt like they were anchored in what you truly value?
- Creating Your Unique Connections: We all have different parts of ourselves; the one that wants to achieve, the one that wants to hide, or the one that wants to create. If the true you (the aware, conscious creator inside) were to sit down with your loudest part today, what kind of reassurance or direction would you give it?
Deepen the Conversation
This article is part of a series of Explorations about the art of being human. If you are looking for a space where depth is valued over speed and where these philosophies are put into practice, I invite you to learn more about the Global Plaza.
The Plaza is a virtual neighborhood currently in development, designed for those who wish to live with more intentionality and connection.
View the Global Plaza Info Page & Join the Interest List: More Info
Patty Wolters
Master Life Coach
Further Reading & Inspiration:
Paul Ricoeur: www.ricoeursociety.org
Lisa Feldman Barrett: www.isafeldmanbarrett.com
Zygmunt Bauman: Wikipedia
Richard Schwartz: IFS Institute
2 Responses
In your words I hear a lot of the same values as are used in Human Design and/or Gene Keys. No man is an island – ‘who’ you are depends most of the time on who you are with, and how the cosmos is influencing your unique energy daily. Identity as a living ecosystem: I like that idea!
Glad you like it. Big hug on its way up north again. XxX