I have been infatuated with the ‘double self’ since my adolescence. The concept intrigues me in its dominance over the mental and physical psyches. When I was younger, I would drastically alter my appearance through changing aspects of my physical being. I was never comfortable embodying or projecting a profile for an extended period of time, simply because I was self conscious, curios, and eager to morph/embody other, more peculiar identities. The aspect of control and the persistent trials of self exploration triggered within me a source of inner happiness where I have begun to accept myself, faults and all. But I wonder if we will ever know who we really are… after all, humans will always be on the journey of self exploration, the challenge lies in how we relish this journey.
Psychoanalyst Erik Erikson’s describes identity as – “a subjective sense as well as an observable quality of personal sameness and continuity, paired with some belief in the sameness and continuity of some shared world images. As a quality of unself-conscious living, this can be gloriously obvious in a young person who has found himself as he has found his communality. In him we see emerge a unique unification of what is irreversibly given – that is, body type and temperament, giftedness and vulnerability infantile models and acquired ideals – with the open choices divided in available roles, occupational possibilities, values offered, mentors met, friendships made, and first sexual encounters.”
Past summer I found an interesting article on researcher James Marcia who expanded upon Erikson’s theory of identity, stating that the balance between identity and confusion lies in making a commitment to a secular identity. Marcia developed an interview method to measure identity as well as four different identity statuses. This method looks at three different areas of functioning: occupational role, beliefs, values and sexuality:
– Identity achievement occurs when an individual has gone through an exploration of different identities and made a commitment to one.
– Moratorium is the status of a person who is actively involved in exploring different identities, but has not made a commitment.
– Foreclosure status is when a person has made a commitment without attempting identity exploration.
– Identity diffusion occurs when there is neither an identity crises or commitment.
Ultimately, I believe the concept of identity correlates with the desire to escape. Going back to our love of movies, obsession with celebrities, and even material riches such as clothing, makeup, perfume/scents, hairdye/haircuts all allow us the control to modify and alter, diverging us into a fantasy unlike us, granting us the momentary satisfaction of escaping ourself.
Psychoanalyst Erik Erikson’s describes identity as – “a subjective sense as well as an observable quality of personal sameness and continuity, paired with some belief in the sameness and continuity of some shared world images. As a quality of unself-conscious living, this can be gloriously obvious in a young person who has found himself as he has found his communality. In him we see emerge a unique unification of what is irreversibly given – that is, body type and temperament, giftedness and vulnerability infantile models and acquired ideals – with the open choices divided in available roles, occupational possibilities, values offered, mentors met, friendships made, and first sexual encounters.”
Past summer I found an interesting article on researcher James Marcia who expanded upon Erikson’s theory of identity, stating that the balance between identity and confusion lies in making a commitment to a secular identity. Marcia developed an interview method to measure identity as well as four different identity statuses. This method looks at three different areas of functioning: occupational role, beliefs, values and sexuality:
– Identity achievement occurs when an individual has gone through an exploration of different identities and made a commitment to one.
– Moratorium is the status of a person who is actively involved in exploring different identities, but has not made a commitment.
– Foreclosure status is when a person has made a commitment without attempting identity exploration.
– Identity diffusion occurs when there is neither an identity crises or commitment.
Ultimately, I believe the concept of identity correlates with the desire to escape. Going back to our love of movies, obsession with celebrities, and even material riches such as clothing, makeup, perfume/scents, hairdye/haircuts all allow us the control to modify and alter, diverging us into a fantasy unlike us, granting us the momentary satisfaction of escaping ourself.
hilitehead 
elaborate?