Week 10 blog

In this week’s reading, The Ethics Of Authenticity by Charles Taylor, this quote really stuck out to me.

“we define this always in dialogue with, sometimes in struggle against, the identities our significant others want to recognize in us. And even when we outgrow some of the ratter — our parents, for instance — and they disappear from our lives, the conversation with them continues within us as long as we live.” (pg.54)

Taylor thoughtfully considers how our identities are influenced by the expectations and views of those closest to us — people he refers to as “significant others” — in this quotation. It implies that relationships and interactions with other people have a greater impact on our sense of self than just our own self-definition. For me, this idea is really accurate. My parents and other family members’ dedication and sacrifices have shaped a large part of who I am today. My character has been profoundly impacted by seeing their tenacity and commitment to achieving a better future for me. Even while I am aware that their challenges are not mine, their experiences have given me an important perspective on the reasons behind the decisions they chose. With this knowledge, I am now able to create my own route, incorporating some of their greatest traits with my own distinct viewpoint. I essentially carry a part of them within me, not as a hindrance but rather as a source of inspiration and direction for my own path.