I am...

Remember that post from a while ago about choosing how to define ourselves. Well most of that stemmed from Women's Studies because that happened to be the topic of the day. Well as usual another one of my classes gave me some ideas as to the answer. Or at least... MY answer.

I am... 

still very powerful. Still a definition. Still very solid and very unchanging. So... how do we define ourselves?

The answer:

We don't.

Today in my personality class the lecture was on existentialism. Yeah my brain wants to explode after just typing the word. Existentialism is basically the belief that we exist. That we are. Or that I am...

They don't believe in reifying. Reifying is the act of making something real that wasn't before, and honestly I agree wholeheartedly. In language in general we've created terms to define something that before didn't exist. Such as the unconscious, schizophrenia, and other similar things.

While making these definitions  who is the one determining what is real? What if we are just making up terms for things that don't actually exist. Hence the reason existentialists (which don't actually exist because that would be considered reifying haha) don't like reifying. 

So that leaves us definitionless. I am what? 

The answer is you are. That's all you need to know. You are a being; you exist. You may be whatever you think you are, but first and foremost, you are. Simple right?

Not really. In existentialism, if you are then the first thing you have to deal with is the fact that at some time, you are not. One of the four ultimate concerns is death. My class spent A LOT of time with this. I didn't agree with everything, but I did think it was really interesting. The theory was basically that we need to recognize that we are going to die and not treat it as if it's going to happen far from now. 

So the point in believing that is that if you are living and doing things that you weren't necessarily going to do if you die, then that's "messed up". haha. Or at least that's how my teacher explained it.

This is where I kind of agreed and kind of disagreed. I think sometimes we do things that we wouldn't do if we were going to die just in case we don't die. Wow... that sounds weird. Here's an example...

I am going to study for my finals (well some of them). Now if I knew I was going to die before finals then I wouldn't bother. I know I wouldn't bother. But here's my logic:

If I knew I was going to die in two years I would still be going to college even though I knew I would never use the degree. Because I'm in it for the learning... but maybe not for the grade. However, to continue learning, I have to pass to continue on. Therefore, just in case I don't die... haha... I'm going to study for my final. 

Anyway... just in case you were wondering... and for my own facts the other ultimate concerns are freedom, meaning, and isolation... all of which fascinate me to tears. So the next time you see me, don't bring up psychology, unless you are prepared to get an earful of existentialism. :D

I'm resisting the urge to talk about the other three. Ughhhhh.... :D