Preview

Self Identity And Intangible Objects

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
482 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Self Identity And Intangible Objects
What it means to own something Who people are is not characterized by what things they physically own, but by the intangible thing. Someone that is rich and has fancy objects does not show their true inside self. I am defined by the intangible things such as my beliefs and my knowledge. However, I do not completely agree with Plato when he states, “That owning tangible object is detrimental to a person's character.” I feel that people should cherish the tangible objects that mean a great deal to them, but don’t let any worthless item define them. So both tangible (to an extent) and intangible things develop one's true sense of self. First of all, people can develop their true self identity without any tangible objects at all. The poor have very little to call theirs, but they have many intangible things they do own. Without all of the distractions that can be bought, the poor have lots of time to find their morals and true identity. Also, relationships are often a huge helper when trying to develop a self identity. Poor couples without a bunch of tangible objects are often very joyous because they have each other and have a true sense of self. So no matter what circumstances someone is in in their life, even without any tangible items, they can find their sense of self. …show more content…
For example, I am always an honest person. Knowing that will never lie and always be honest makes me feel that I own it. In addition, I play the trumpet and love doing it. Being a musician is something that I own and it has become a part of my life, just like how honesty has. Being proficient in a skill is completely ownership due to no one ever taking away the thoughts in anyone's brain. Having skills and beliefs always helps to develop a sense of

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Now in days, television shows and movies depict the poor as people with no ambition, no dignity, people who cannot be happy with themselves while living in poverty. These negative stereotypes often fill people with a stigma of being or becoming poor. Many of us in this generation, who grew up in poverty or with blue-collar workers as parents, have dealt…

    • 588 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    In reality though, the rich are the most materialistic of all. They posses the most, strive to consistently attain more and more, and are never fully satisfied with what they have. The poor and middle-class are the exact opposite. These people know what it is like to endure hardships as well as to make sacrifices and therefore take considerably less pride in materialistic objects. Materialism is an inward battle as well as an outwards. A materialistic person values extrinsic factors (ie. image, status, prestige, beauty, and popularity) more than intrinsic factors like being a good person and behaving authentically. This personality trait is most commonly seen in the rich, not the middle-class as Eighner claimed in the closing sentiments of his narrative on dumpster…

    • 979 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    By being able to identify my own values and beliefs is an important aspect of my continual personal growth. I use them to guide my actions and behaviours throughout my life as well as helping form attitudes towards different things. Some are rally core to me and they define who I am, whilst others change in importance dependant on my needs at any given time.…

    • 778 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    First impressions stick with a person for a long time and appearances do matter. When it comes to living in America, everyone wants to live the American Dream. Everyone wants a big house, luxurious cars and a white picket fence around your property. In Christine Page’s paper A History of Conspicuous Consumption, she talks about conspicuous consumption and how it refers to the ostentatious display of wealth for the purpose of acquiring or maintaining status or prestige. The thought process is you have to show how worthy and successful you are by buying expensive things. If you are rich buy a new 2016 BMW M6 class or a new Rolex to show off your success as well as your status with the elites. The thought process, “Look at all my stuff, I am successful!”…

    • 277 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Is it socially acceptable behaviour for people to dedicate their lives to an object? Sure, one might say. People have passions and hobbies; these “objects” are worked hard for and should be enjoyed. Although most would say that this type of behaviour is not how normal people should live and that life’s fruition lies in the hands of social interaction; we can only truly enjoy life in the company of other humans, not objects. Where is the line drawn? Is it possible to cling on to a possession so much that it starts to detrimentally affect the person involved? W.D. Valgardson’s short story The Novice demonstrates that this is certainly a possibility. The protagonist undergoes a similar situation; he gets caught up in idealism (glamorizing his boat – his prized possession (named Sally Anne) – to nearly abnormal proportions) which skews his perception of “truth”. The reason he acts this way is due to his lonely, one dimensional, and peculiar lifestyle. Readers of Valgardson’s short story should learn that people are prone to romanticizing their material possessions, and that such behavior is caused by isolation and the refusal to live in accordance to societal norms, which is likely to result consequences such as irrational thoughts and the inability to face the truth.…

    • 1554 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    “What does it mean to own something?” is the question being asked of many of us. The literal meaning is to have ownership of something or to have some that belongs to you. The next question we should ask ourselves is does that mean we technically own ourselves? In other words, do we have ownership to ourselves, and how can we own ourselves?. We own our own identity if that makes sense. We claim what we say is our identity. Whether it’s being a part of a certain ethnicity, cultural backgrounds, or religions. Part of our identity is where we come from, our heritage. It’s who we are.…

    • 647 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    It is easy to see oneself as the same person we were ten, twenty, or fifty years ago. We can define identity through our physical presence, life experiences, memories, and mental awareness of self. One can testify our persistence as a person through our existence as a person. But what makes us the same person? In this paper, I will argue for the “simple” view of the persistence of identity – that it is impossible to determine what single thing that makes us the same person over time. I will support my claim with the refutation of the main complex view claims of the body, brain and psychological continuity criterion.…

    • 1036 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Imagine if you had a new car. You feel excited, ecstatic even. Perhaps you might even think more highly of yourself. Do you feel like you improved your public image by owning a fancy entity? People feel like they gain control when they possess materialistic items like this, however, too much power can corrupt a person. Ownership plays a significant role in shaping your character, and your sense of self, letting others know what type of person you are.…

    • 669 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Band Ownership Essay

    • 779 Words
    • 4 Pages

    How have you demonstrated “ownership” in some aspect of your life? Ownership in this case means you took responsibility for identifying some problem or constraint, worked with others to develop solutions, and then contributed to the implementation of those solutions.…

    • 779 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Great Gatsby Ownership

    • 914 Words
    • 4 Pages

    For centuries, historians have discussed the relationship between ownership of tangible items and sense of self. Aristotle claims that ownership of tangible goods helps to develop moral character. However, even though the relationship, as outlined by Aristotle, allows people to establish their moral character, it teeters on the fine line between self-confidence and self-deprecation. For some people the ownership of objects allows them to accentuate their personality, express their interests, and become more in touch with their emotions. When individuals represent their nature accurately through these means they gradually start to gain self-confidence. These objects…

    • 914 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    While some individuals fall into society’s influential traps, many stay true to themselves even when outside forces try to persuade them otherwise. Identity is a mysterious, constantly changing idea, and each individual has their own. It is important that other individuals avoid influencing others, as this will allow for greater self identification among individuals, as opposed to mass conformity to society's views. An individual's actions dictate how their identity is lived out. The values an individual has form the base of a strong identity, and their beliefs give them the motivation to act when their identity and way of life is…

    • 102 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Personal Identity has been a fascinating topic for philosophers all over the world. When you talk about personal Identity it makes you think to yourself “What is personal Identity?” Personal Identity can be a lot of things, to each person the meaning can be different. Personal Identity can be how you want the public to perceive you. Personal Identity can also mean upholding a certain standard/ attitude to maintain the status quo of who you are. This very question has left philosophers with many ideas on personal identity and the plus and minuses to it. Personal Identity is the concept you develop about yourself that expands over a course of your life. There are certain aspects of your life that involves personal identity that you have no control…

    • 1501 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Defining My Identity

    • 565 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The three favorite objects that are symbolic of defining my identity are a bible, Kente cloth, and my college acceptance letter to Holy Cross. These three objects are very important to and have played a part in making me the motivated, open-minded, and independent young adult I am today. The first being a bible was given to me a church brother. At the time I was building my faith in God, it was a gift without the notion of how meaningful the bible would help me to seek God more and find favor in the eyes of others. The book of Ruth has shaped my identity to the fullest to live with purpose and be willing to sacrifice a lot for others. As a matter fact I have been able to build confidence in myself not being moved by materialistic aspects, but…

    • 565 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Having a materialistic value orientation (MVO) describes an individuals desire for material objects, financial success, and a desirable status. We’re constantly receiving messages supporting the importance of money and possessions, in the form of values within society and family life, as well as in the media. But are we aware of the consequences that this can have on behaviour? And is it detrimental to our health and relations with others in our shared environment? This essay will discuss the findings of research linking an MVO with subjective well-being, and the implications that it can have on our behaviour and attitudes in our daily lives.…

    • 1430 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Does one not really sit down and question oneself? What is it that I hold precious? It is a difficult question to answer because one takes so many things for granted and yet even if one of them was removed we would miss it terribly. Many people cannot do without money or the comforts which money can buy; but I think in the long run these are the things one may manage without. There are other things which are indispensableand which are precious in life. Health is the foremost amongst them. One cannot enjoy anything without health. One thing is more important than health and that is positive outlook. A positive outlook is the basis of all that makes a good life. It makes a person warm and understanding, outgoing and likeable. It helps one to win friends.…

    • 501 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays