This article talks about what really defines someone as a person. Often, we let other people's opinions shape what we define to be ourselves, but most of those things are superficial. The things that people use to describe who we are are usually things that result from our personality. So, what is it that really characterizes our personality if it not these things?
The article goes on to talk about how it is difficult to really understand who we are because it is hard to be honest to ourselves. This is probably a result of fear; fear that what we might find won't be something we want to be. Though if one really takes time to look deep down and sort through the feelings we feel whenever we experience things, we can discover who we are.
We cannot control a lot of things that happen in our lives, so what we do in response to these things is what really defines us. How we handle the situations life throws us into; that is what defines who we are. There was a saying I read once. It was something along the lines of "You can judge a true man's character by what he does when no one is looking."
The following quotes are also similar to the one I just mentioned. I think that it is very true. What you do when no one is looking defines who we truly are more than when someone is looking. When you have to perform for someone, you want to be perceived in a certain light, to perform better than you are, or worse in other cases.
J .C. Watts:
Everyone tries to define this thing called Character. It's not hard. Character is doing what's right when nobody's looking.
Thomas B. Macaulay:
The measure of a man's real character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.
http://ezinearticles.com/?Ask-Yourself-This-Simple-Question---What-Defines-You?&id=1448411
I enjoyed your blog. I do like the quotes you used. I do understand that doing things unseen is what defines you. But I see people doing such things unseen and still wanting recognition and applause. You know what I mean? Saying that, do you think that can still cause a person to be superficial? Then again, you are talking about defining a person, so I guess those actions still do their job by defining one's self.
ReplyDeleteYour blog reminded me of this quote: "A generous man forgets what he gives, and remembers what he receives." (:
I agree, there are definitely people who do things when people aren't looking, wanting praise for their "good deed" even though the intention isn't really there. I think this is more of a literal sense of the quote though. What the quote is trying to say, I think, is that the act of when no one is looking is really when you know you can get nothing out of the situation.
ReplyDeleteThat is a cute quote too :) I love quotes..hehe.