Fortunately I can still remember my own name, although I realise that might change because I can't say the same about other people's names! But there is so much more to identity.
I am a woman, a pensioner, a widow, British with a dash of German, white, heterosexual, reasonably intelligent & well informed, (although that might change along with failing memory).
I like lots of things - music, art, reading, friends, meeting people, travelling, dogs, the countryside...
I'm interested in lots of things - politics, justice, fairness, equal opportunity, Buddhism, ethics, different cultures...
I don't like - self absorbed people, (people who don't ask about me & listen, as well as talk about themselves = Drains), prejudice, racism, fundamentalist religion, bores, ....
I think I am - kind, thoughtful, generous, a good friend, outgoing....(I might also be deluded).
I know I can be - short tempered if stressed, too honest, intolerant of fools, organising, controlling, too conscientious, sometimes judgemental / too black & white...
The thing is we humans are highly complex beings. We have intellect & emotion. We have physical characteristics & traits of character, some of which are learned & some inherited. We are the product of our genes, our upbringing & our experience. We change over the years we live our lives. So how do we define ourselves & how well do we know ourselves?
Maybe we all need to ask ourselves "who am I" & think about the answer. I'm beginning to think that the whole point of life is to give ourselves time to reflect on this. Until we do we will be rats in a maze. We each have the software & the hardware - we just don't use them to their full capability.
http://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-personal-identity-definition-philosophy-development.html
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