Ethnographic Analysis Of A Mirror

Identity is a group of characteristics, data or information that belongs exactly to one person or a group of people and that make it possible to establish differences between them. The consciousness that people have about themselves is part of their identity as well as what makes them unique. According to psychologists, identity is a consistent definition of one’s self as a unique individual, in terms of role, attitudes, beliefs and aspirations. Identity tries to define who people are, what they are, where they go or what they want to be or to do. Identity could depend on self-knowledge, self-esteem, or the ability of individuals to achieve their goals. Through self-analysis people can define who they are and who the people around them

“Man in the Mirror”, performed by Michael Jackson, and written by Siedah Garrett and Glen Ballard, is a song that was released in 1987 and was met with critical acclaim. “Man in the Mirror” (MITM) is a song with a bold social message, which confronts the injustices of the world before and during the year of release. In the song Jackson reflects on himself, and compares his privileged life to those that are less fortunate, and how ignorance to this problem does not help.

The world has become modern and global. Identification of the self is a complicated, though, an important problem of every individual. Self- identity is based on inner values and reflections on culture, politics and social interactions. The main point is that people label themselves to any particular group in the society (Worchel etc., 1998). According to Ferguson: “Identity commonly refers to which it makes, or is thought to make

Presently, there is no conclusive definition of personal identity, but in this paper, I will focus on two notions that are frequently discussed – numerical and narrative identity. Numerical identity is the continuity of self over time, while narrative refers to the memories, experiences, etc. that answer “Who Am I?” (Lipsman and Glannon 2013). Another way of thinking about identity is in terms of core values that if changed, will also change that person’s identity (Witt, Kuhn and Timmermann 2013), I will include this view as part of narrative identity.

Human life is characterized by the desire to find out its real identity and purpose. Thus, all individuals yearn to find out their purpose in the social group in which they exist. In addition, they hope to create a unique identity by which they can be identified and distinguished from other members of the social order. According to sociologists, there is no prevailing social theory that accurately provides the answer to the two social quests. Paul Froese, in his book On Purpose, aims to take me the reader on a journey to self-discovery. In Identity Troubles, Anthony Elliot addresses the identity issue whereas Christian Smith caps it all with his publication To Flourish or Destruct. When putting together these readings, I develop a different perspective towards themselves as it happened to me.

The sole purpose of this book is to transform the way the reader views his or her life. That means that the reader should understand that he was created to be unique and not anyone else and how to live a life in such way. With that information, the following chapters break down how to live a life in the flow of the spirit. Ortberg certainly exceeded the expectations for this book and brings about such revelation as a result. After reading, a person’s mind will be more transformed in how they view who they are and how important they are in God’s plan. Ortberg succeeds in helping his reader understand how to take the revelation of whom he is and apply it to how he lives his life. That results in a better relationship with the Lord as well as

Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning is a very popular script and has great renown in the world of psychology. It has been said that the book should be a mandatory reading for all up and coming psychology students and professors alike. The book supplies valuable insight into logotherapy as well as Freud’s theory of psychoanalysis and is inspirational to all those who read it. It has been said that the riveting tale will “make a difference in your life”. The book and Frankl’s ideas debate that people are not driven by desires but by the meaning that they discover and place on their own lives and the task of fulfilling that meaning. In Man’s Search for Meaning Frankl outlines three phases or versions of meaning that all people must go through. The following report will summarize the story of Viktor Frankl as well as analyze the three main points of the book.

“For the meaning of life differs from hour to hour. What matters, therefore, is not the meaning of life in general but rather the specific meaning of a person’s life at a given moment…the meaning of life always changes, but…it never ceases to be” (108,111). Victor Frankl, through his own struggle inside concentration camps, explains the belief that mankind is driven by the incessant search of meaning to their lives, even through the direst of circumstances. This search, as written by Dr. Frankl in Mans Search for Meaning, is defined as logotherapy. This form of psychotherapy focuses on the meaning of human existence, the fulfillment of one’s own future, and provides a will to live and

Further dwelling on Viktor Frankl's book, Man’s Search For Meaning, it is realized that man is the real agent of giving a meaning to life. Man achieves the understanding of the meaning of life by experience and the attitude towards suffering because of social existence: “Everyone’s task is as unique as his specific opportunity to implement it” (Frankl 69). People can also

Frankl wrote “Man’s Search for Meaning”, a book that explains life in the prison camps, but also describing the human state of mind when put under such stress and pressure. He then helped create logotherapy. The word logotherapy derives from the Greek word ‘Logos’ which translates to ‘meaning’. His theory of human psychology was that, “Man’s primary motivational force is his search for meaning.” Through Dr. Frankl’s autobiography, “Man’s Search for Meaning”

Through the book Frankl goes deep into his idea of logotherapy. Logotherapy is based on the idea that “striving to find a meaning in one’s life is the primary motivational force in man” (99). Some may ask, “what exactly is the meaning of life?” According to Frankl, the meaning changes from person to person and is described as one’s “own specific vocation or mission in life to carry out a concrete assignment which demands fulfillment” (109). In other words, everyone has their own purpose that cannot be completed by anyone else because each is unique to the individual.

Frankl had to test his theory when he was granted a visa to leave Austria and avoid imprisonment during World War II. However, knowing that his aging parents would most likely be imprisoned he felt that he could not in good conscious leave them to Nazi rule and torture. The meaning for him was what his life would stand for if he were to desert his parents for his own safety. Upon entrance into Auschwitz his life’s work was confiscated and he wondered what his purpose would be without having the manuscript that outline his theory of Logotherapy. During his time in the concentration camps he was able to motivate his fellow prisoners while keeping his purpose of life in focus by having silent conversations with his pregnant wife he knew that their love was true in more than just a physical state but also that of a spiritual love that could not be denied no matter what the circumstances. Frankl and friends would imagine what they would order at the café after their liberation from the camps. If a man lost the will to live and could not find the thoughts of the good things that awaited them after liberation they were doomed by their own thoughts as much as the brutality handed out by the capos and Nazi soldiers.

Humans spend their entire lives trying to answer questions related to their presence on earth such as, “Who am I?” and, “What is the purpose of my existence?” We turn to the resources around us to find these answers, and often find enlightenment in the pages of the Bible. The teachings of Jesus in the New Testament, specifically, provide relatable messages of identity that can still be understood today. Within the New Testament is the Gospel of John, which gives us directions to truly knowing ourselves through the words of Jesus. By recognizing that we are extensions of God, just like branches of a vine, we are able to know our self-worth and how God intends for us to live these precious lives He gives us. In John 15, Jesus shows us that

In general we differentiate between two “kinds” of identity. On the one hand there is the so called social identity, which stresses self-interpretation as a member of a certain social group and on the other hand there is the personal identity, which puts it´s emphasis on individuality and distinctiveness. This distinction is widely known as “patchwork-identity”. Both identities are only a subgroup of many different subjectively interpreted identities that everyone of us has innate.

One’s identity is who or what a person is and how they are perceived by themselves and others. Your identity defines who you are and where you fit in. It is a self-representation of your interests, relationship, social activity and much more. Some believe our sense of identity and belonging is shaped by various factors, including our experiences, relationships, and our environments. Conversely, others believe that personality is shaped by nature, and that one is defined by their biological characteristics and hereditary traits passed down from previous generations. Nevertheless a combination of both nature and nurture shapes us throughout life. For a majority of the population their journey to find their identity and belonging can often