Persona is one of the most important aspect which makes/help the people to develop their own individuality/character from their childhood in simple terms..and also often preferred as a metric to differentiate people. I don't wanna start a lengthy magical chant on persona which sucks, -------------------------------------------------------------------- Straight into the topic -) Personal Persona is in regards to concept like awareness of our life. Public Persona simply put something like a mask also our main agenda of the thread Right now you're using the mask "social media user", At home you'll wear the mask "daughter" or a "son". In your school as a "student" which are completely normal, these may change into a "wife" or "boss" which leads to mask of infinitum. when you use two different Persona's their tone and attitude tend to be different. People use countless number of masks in their lives According to philosopher epitectus statement " Remember, you are an actor in this play called world. You have just one duty that is to act the role that is given to you well. " Question's : What is your favorite Mask/persona ? Also the reason why it is?? Do you really think that life should be played as an act or as a whole you?? Would you polish your mask to act better in this world?? Does philosophical stuff make you feel stuck?? Also your own view on life??
I'm not sure most of what you said is correct to be honest. However, I am not studying psychology so meh
i read what you wrote 3 times......but i still don't get it....who and when aren't wearing a mask? the only mask i ever see is only those women with heavy makeup wich you can't tell her face appart without it.....
Eeeh...what an intriguing thread so early in the morning... 1.Well, I think it might be the “housewife” role? Having the house affairs (cleanliness, meal prep, monthly budget) in order gives me a little bit of daily satisfaction! 2. I don’t think it’s all an act but I believe the way we behave is heavily influenced by the reactions of other people. Maybe I’m wrong but all the personas are me so I don’t dwell too much on it. 3. Aren’t we all just rehearsing together until we’re gone? It’s an one act only play! Unless...you have discovered the secret for multiple reincarnations! o.o)!!!! 4. When I’m in the mood for it, philosophical stuff is good to hear over a cup of coffee. I feel like my own view of life is becoming more simplistic as I get older, not sure if I’m too tired to argue with people more passionate than me or if I was always one to watch it from the sidelines.
Well, some people are just using one same persona everywhere like me, it is just that they might not share all details about that persona (think of it as half mask if you want because in a sense you are hiding some details) because you know there is something called privacy and some details shouldn't or rather can't be shared, of course that depends on the person in question but I believe that everyone got their secrets I suppose this answers all of the questions
1 my favourite persona is being carefree, usually when I'm alone. I tend to get lazy if I got too much free time, sometimes my room goes uncleaned for days, my clothes are all over.. u get it. 2 if you see life as an act, then it is. Any character from a story is an actor ( aware or unaware), if you see life from a third person view your life becomes generalized. Basically - if it makes sense to you than it is, philosophy is normalising complex existential questions, it's like trying to translate your soul language to a universal language. 3 I'd be better polishing my skills and knowledge than polishing my attitude. Don't let the mirror define you, you design your own image. 4 never went into study on philosophy, but really want to ( have enough on my head to study). My view on life ? - be prepared to win, and be patient when you lose. If you feel comfortable, even the darkest deed is right. If you feel conflicted, even the noblest deed is a sin. beware of your heart's door and windows, it's easy for dust to enter but hard to clean. Confidence isn't being full, it's being strong even when your empty. even when all doors are shut, you either make your own, or make the darkness your home.
1) The professional - Having worked in healthcare for a long time, I've developed a professional character that interacts with patients. This professional character is not only sociable, makes small talk, and can make lighthearted jokes to break the ice, but it also helpful, efficient, and well-appreciated by patients. The professional is really a group of my nicer qualities and nicer moralities, embodying an attitude that is very beneficent to others. 2) I believe that parts of your life needs to be played as an act, and that there really isn't ever a time when the "whole you" will be possible. People can possess many personas with very different personalities, morals, and values compared to the others. For example, people who are internet trolls aren't necessarily like that in real life. In fact, although some people may make rude or satirical comments, or even act tough online, they are probably a law-abiding introvert in real life. Spoiler: Rant alert Take this for example, at home I tend to consider myself as a pretty racist person. I don't go around discriminating or hating on others, but I'm very open to laughing at stereotypes, racist jokes, etc. But when I am working, or even in public, I would never make a comment like that or treat someone differently because of their ethnicity, gender, or sexual preference. Am I actually racist? Probably not. To joke about it is one thing, but to actually believe in it or act on it is another. It would take a great degree of ignorance to be racist at that level. And that's a big problem with people and society today. They do not understand that the world acts in personas, that people play a role depending on where they are and who they are with. You can never fully portray your whole self, all of your personas, in one situation, because to do so would literally be insane. Only a person who is completely inept at social situations and social customs would do such a thing, but as for normal, sane people, they will adopt a persona or hold back certain personas that do not suit the situation. I've worked with doctors that are incredibly talented and skilled, but if you catch them in the doctor's lounge they make dirty jokes, talk about sports, and cuss like a sailor. They'll even make racist jokes about their own race. And this is fine, because no one should have to live a "professional" persona 24-7. But people today don't get this. They dig through years worth of tweets and messages to find jokes from a different era and attribute it to that person today, as if that is the only persona and identity they have. They treat a person solely based on that one persona, not realizing that a person is more complex and has many more personalities and behaviors. They hypocritically judge others as if they were only a single persona, without realizing that they-themselves switch personas all the time. They don't realize that some of their personas are not as politically correct as they may believe themselves to be. Because being politically correct is just a persona too, and it is a tiring one. When you are with your friends, when you are online, sometimes you want to be politically incorrect. Sometimes you want to play a persona that isn't really you. So really, we're humans and we tend to be very complex. We are dynamic, constantly changing over time, thus we need to adopt personas to meet the different circumstances. This is why I believe that life is played in roles, and that we never truly act as a "whole us". With that said, while the roles we play may be different, the actor is still the same, thus many of our different personas will still carry our different quirks and individuality. It is our personal charm, a trait that makes my persona unique from yours. 3)Yes. Some personas more than others, such as the Professional. A part of being human is to experience and learn; it involves polishing and changing your personas after meeting and interacting with many people. Sometimes your persona will even change without you noticing. As you learn, grow, and experience ups and downs, you'll inevitably change your persona to better match the situation. For example, when you meet a group of people for the first time, your persona may be janky and awkward as hell, but after the sixth or seventh time you've met them, you'll have improved the persona you adopt when you meet them. 4) No. I love philosophical stuff. While I won't go about researching different philosophical principles, argumentative fallacies, and crap like that, I do like to talk about my views and exchange views with others. While I may not always agree with the philosophy or views of other people, I always enjoy seeing how diverse thoughts can be. I do put in a lot of effort to think about philosophical situations and to express my views as accurately as I can, but this doesn't mean that I am taking it too seriously other. It's more of a hobby or a past-time, thus no matter how heated a debate may get, I only view it as an eye-opening experience and never get to hung up on it. End note: I know my definition of persona may be different from others, so to clarify, I define a persona as a visage, act, or role that a person takes up depending on the situation. A person's character is not one-dimensional, rather they consist of numerous personas that have been developed through their interactions and experiences. Thus, a person shouldn't be defined by any one persona they may possess, but rather how these personas developed and what the person experienced. Thus, we should not look at how a person acts in a certain situation, but why they decided to act that way. Because ultimately, something in their thoughts and their experiences made them feel like it was appropriate to act that way.
This is what I thought of: “The Japanese say you have three faces. The first face, you show to the world. The second face, you show to your close friends and your family. The third face, you never show anyone.” It's a Japanese proverb(?) that I came across on tumblr, I think. I don't know about its authenticity as a "Japanese proverb" but it did help me understand certain aspects of the personalities I show to different people. Helped a little with the feeling of imposter syndrome, too. This explanation made it easier to understand. So, I guess there's at least three for me: a public persona for work and professional endeavors (and other casual acquaintances); one when I'm with my close friends (depends on the level of "closeness"-- I think I show a different me to close friends who know of one or two of my hobbies and interests) and family; and the last one is the me that I really am when no one's watching. 1. What is your favorite Mask/persona ? Also the reason why it is?? Of course, my favorite is the one when I'm alone, that's probably why I've always been appreciative of solitude, as well as traveling and doing stuff in public (going to movies and cafes, eating in restaurants) alone. 2. Do you really think that life should be played as an act or as a whole you?? I'd like to not have to hide parts of who I am all the time but I'm not really brave enough to "go against society", in a manner of speaking. That means that sometimes, I will need to... "act". Wow. That is such a sad way to put it but "All the world's a stage", eh? 3. Would you polish your mask to act better in this world?? Oh, I used to do this when I was younger but I don't bother that much, if at all, now that I'm older. It gets tiring. I just make sure that the mask I have on is enough to keep up appearances. 4. Does philosophical stuff make you feel stuck?? Also your own view on life?? I always feel stupid when it comes to philosophical stuff and the only topics I've actively researched on are about Existentialism and Soren Kierkegaard (and Romanticism in Literature-- I liked the topic of "death"). I'm focused on the "Self" and existence and that question, "Are you living or merely existing?" really bugged me, like, A LOT. Another is the question about happiness and when I truly felt it and the reason behind it. Rude awakening when my answer turned out to be "I can't remember." and "I don't know". I'm leaning towards ikigai and I want to learn more about it. View on life? Hmm, you only have one of it so make the most of it any way you can (without doing anything heinous, ofc).
Not exactly a mask, but simply a small part of me. I like my playful self. Very carefree and social. Makes funny comments, gets along with people. Quite different from the absolutely quiet mode. Nope. While I know we all act some way or another, I think the best experience is when people are being their genuine self. That kind of happiness when you climb your first mountain or caught your first fish. I dislike an overly polite society playing out their roles for the sake of it. I don't think I need to. It's very much well polished by what it has gone through. Not really? As long as the philosophical thing doesn't involvey life, it's pretty much fun to think about. Life is life, you live it.
I don't really act any differently in different areas of my life. Or even online, honestly. No matter where I go I'm a lazy bastard that likes to talk about things that interest me and otherwise hope you go away.
Hmm I think that’s probably not a real proverb...it looks like something one could have said about Japanese people but not something they would say about themselves. They do make a clear distinction of “honne” and “tatemae”, or giving out real intentions or being polite. The closer I heard a Japanese person say about this was the best way to deal with people was “Kokoro wo mu ni shite” or simply “Don’t be heartfelt”.
Answers : My favorite persona is the one of the fool. People are often suspicious of smart people and also often assume negative stereotypes upon them. If I pretend to be stupid I feel I'll be treated more normally. If I'm kind and smart then people think I must be evil, but if I'm kind and a fool then it makes perfect sense. I'm probably not right, but it's become a reflex, my persona. I don't know who else I would be, or how else I would act. I don't care to connect with people, I just want to help them. I think my act is perfect the way it is. I'd be a pretty bad actor if all the practice meant nothing. Though I do think I could always be kinder. Philosophy feels like elementary math. It just makes sense, simple sense. I need to do something of worth so I may feel at peace with my eventual death. As long as my life has worth then it's okay for me to die. As long as I spend my life then it's okay to end it. I think another lesser persona I have is that of the gentleman, though. Idk, I think I just admired them. Why wouldn't I like to be like one?
I don't think the use of the word mask is quite right. A mask is something used to hide someone's true face, while a persona is a distinct side of someone's personality, not hiden or exposed, but perceived in different situations - but that is still part of one's true self. In the second question you ask if we think that we must act or be ourselves as a whole, however, that is not exactly in line with what epitectus said. The different roles assigned to us, that we must play, are different faces of a whole, not a mask that hides it. Playing different roles is different from acting different from one's true personality (a.k.a. wearing a mask). That means that we do not wear the mask of a husband, of a student, of a boss; we are a husband, a student and a boss. Not being all at the same time does not mean we are wearing a mask, just that we are acting according to the circumstances and what is required of and by us. As for answering the first question... well, not gonna do that. First, I don't think one can choose a single side of one's self naturally, because the instigation of another will make so we wish to choose the 'one that looks better' or that 'looks cooler'. That is because we are social animals that long to be accepted and long to interact with others; a human cannot live in true loneliness because we were not raised for so, as a result, or choices will change under peer pressure. As for philosophical stuff... that depends. I hate reading about it, really. But contemplating about the world and life can be good sometimes. However, it can be quite the abyss; Descartes doubted his own existence while contemplating, and while that looks really cool it could send anyone into deep depression. Finally, answering the last part of your question - life is meaningless. As someone that believes not in God's existence it is hard to think that living has any purpose; the average lifespan on Earth is something around seventy years. That means that after that we will 'not be', and not being erases all meaning of everything we have once been. Since even Earth shall not exist forever, then all traces of who we are right now, and everything humanity has ever done, will disappear with the passage of time. Since everything is going to end without leaving any traces behind, then everything we do in life is meaningless. That is a logical conclusion; the problem is that, more often that not, logical conclusions do not match with the way we feel. As much as I'd like to say that my existence has a purpose, the thought that everything ends in nothingness tells me otherwise.
You know what I think? I think, there are no masks or actors, just fuck'en sinners doing lots of good and bad shit in this world. They be thinking they're some hot shit or shit worse than other's shit, but they ain't. They be thinking they be someone's shit, but they aren't. They're all piles of shit stack together in one giant slab of subhuman waste. In conclusion? You're just you, be it the this, that, or whatever. Just own up to what your actions result in, because this ain't some stage play or storybook where you can edit or erase shit, as if it never happen. As I said, people are shit, because they stain life with shit, they can't make shit out of nowhere and change the reality of it all. A stain, muddy prints on this world. Gruesome, ugly and horrid marks everywhere. Sickness in and out of their upper and bottom mouths. Life does not suck, they do. They suck a lot. Shit a lot. You probably thinking why am I sprouting bullshit? Well, shit, I'm just proving my theory of shit.