here's another one for you guys
last one i promise :angel:
please and thanks, with a rating /10 if possible
"The pressures that stem from an individual's lifestyle make self reflection impossible"
Famous philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson once said “to be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest achievement”, in reference to the relentless assault on the identity from conflicting a society. In our lives, the groups to which we choose to belong reflect our sense of self, and lay the foundations upon which all aspects of life surround. The instinctual desire of humanity to seek belonging is so strong, that when confronted with the prospect of a life in solitude the identity becomes lost and unstable. All individuals who choose to belong face the paradoxical situation, where the best interests of the group do not comply with those of the individual, and as such pressures that threaten the fragile nature of the identity are brought to existence. To assert the identity is vital, and although such pressures may alter it from its initial state, it is an aspect of life that allows for the self reflection of the individual to be possible.
To confront a conflicting ideology that threatens the identity is a normal process in life that all individuals will experience. The life we lead is although relative to us ideal, may not comply with another’s values and core principles. Our lifestyles naturally create situations by which the sense of self is troubled, but these new influences are not to be generalised as negative events. To assert the identity, exposure to all aspects of our environment is essential. By being restricted to a select few ideologies, the individual is inhibited from being truly tested and so self reflection becomes an inaccurate establishment. Attending a school which prides itself on being single-cultured comes with both its benefits and flaws. As a student is in my best interest to be surrounded by peers that have been raised in a similar lifestyle, and therefore share harmonious values. However as the segment of my life that resides within the school comes to conclusion, I will be forced out into an unbiased society to which there is no restriction to cultures, religions or ideologies. It would be ignorant to believe that no conflict will result, but it is not to say that these new values will damage my sense of self. Self reflection becomes evident when we are capable to expose ourselves to unfavourable environments, and reject these beliefs. When i enter the adult society my individuality will be asserted when I both acknowledge these newfound principles, and reject them if i so choose. However not all new pressures of life are to be condemned, as some act to strengthen the identity rather than hinder it.
The sense of self is in a constant state of flux, under the continuous influence of those around us and affected by our experiences. Although some aspects of change come as a difficulty for some to accept, others embrace it, incorporating it into their identity. As seen in J. D. Salinger’s insightful novel The Catcher in the Rye, protagonist Holden Caulfield reflects the result of an individual fearful of change, and incapable of forming relationships. A key aspect of life involves the formation and sometimes unfortunate dissolution of bonds between yourself and another individual. Holden portrays a teenager transitioning into the adult world, but refraining from accepting the “phony” principles the new society embodies. Holden’s lifestyle involves a life in solitude, devoid of all bonds and any action which could result in threatening his identity. The instability of Holden’s psyche is reflective in his trail of thought, by which he continuous questions himself, and repeatedly attempts to establish the validity of his statements for both readers and himself. The pressure resulting from Holden’s selected lifestyle inhibits him from asserting his identity, leaving him a hollow teenager with a bleak future. The necessity of human contact is profoundly exposed by Salinger, as he relentlessly displays the susceptibility of the human mind to corruption through his impressionable protagonist. However, it cannot be said that for all individuals the conflicting aspects of life will leave us vulnerable and unstable as seen with Holden. Holden’s helplessness is the consequence of rejecting his innate desires for belonging, to such an extent that his only relationship can be found through his younger sister Phoebe, but even so the bond is faint. As humans it has been the credit to our intelligence in that we are capable of adapting to an alteration, to confront the change interrupting our lives and overcome it.
The pressures in all our lives are relentless, and will continue to impose on the foundations of our values until the day we die. These external factors, although initially undesired cannot be ignored as an important aspect of establishing our identity. Our lifestyles of varying nature, all serve to confront us with every possibility, allowing the individual to re-evaluate both what is important and who we are. As discussed by Emerson, and to be experienced by myself and my peers, life is a continuous event, and without its random, sometimes difficult occurrences, self reflecting becomes impossible.
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