Self-Understanding and Personality - Essay Example

Self-understanding Introduction I am a 22-year-old female college student. I am originally from China. I love horror movies and hip hop music, but I also find other film and music genres like jazz, drama, soul, and action interesting. My personality is the product of many factors, including my environment. The settings I have lived in, and the people I have interacted with have defined who I am. I am proud of the person I am because my attributes are the result of valuable self-motivated and unavoidable experiences. I subscribe to Buddhism, a religion that is adored by many but largely misunderstood because of its intricacy. Discussion Over the years, I have come to terms with my identity, mostly by accepting the inevitable and changing what I can. Although the journey has not been easy, it has been worthwhile. I have a passion for art; I believe it is the embodiment of my personality. Art is unpredictable, and so am I. I always like to keep my options open, not being restricted to a particular system or routine and ending up in a cul-de-sac. If I were to describe my personality and philosophy using one word, liberal would be the perfect summative interpretation of me. I believe that everybody should be given time and space to pursue their ambitions without being labeled, provided they do not interfere with others through their actions. I also trust that the world would be a better place if people learned to respect others’ opinions no matter how wrong they may seem, because expression is the basis of intellect. I am a staunch supporter of liberties, especially the freedom of expression and the right of choice. I do not subscribe to any political ideology because my opinion is that they are all fronts for personal ambitions. Throughout my adult life I have interacted with many people who swear allegiance to Marxism, Communism, or Capitalism, but the knowledge I have acquired thus far has led me to oppose the application of these individual concepts en masse. In the modern world, the illusion of freedom is so entrenched in us to the extent that people do not even know whether they are free or not (Cohen 54). For example, the electorate often thinks that electing presidents from certain parties is democracy, but my opinion is that such actions are an infringement on the fundamental rights of human beings. We can do better than gravitating between two or three parties every few years, without understanding that underneath all this “change” lies politics and intrigues. I am an outdoors person; an extrovert. I find it boring, discomforting even, to stay in one place longer than necessary. For example, I rarely spend time in my room during the weekends; every opportunity to go out to a different place and something different will be taken with relish. This trait informs one of my fundamental beliefs: dynamism. I believe that every human being should be dynamic in order to facilitate progress. The most advanced societies and civilizations were designed by the most dynamic people of those ages (Cohen 41). My dynamic nature inspires my dedication and passion to causes that I believe are just. My opinion is that passion triumphs over profit any day, no matter the circumstances. Lack of passion, which leads to greed and short-term thinking, is the reason many of the world’s problems are yet to be solved. As a student, I have witnessed the value of education first-hand. Education is one of the best investments a parent or an individual can make. However, I abhor modern society’s propensity to sacrifice learning for education and evaluation. I also oppose the current rush to restrict education to the classroom. These misinformed actions are part of contemporary society’s myopic approach to issues. Education is important, but it is not a silver bullet. The power to change society does not lie in the classroom alone. According to Cohen (26), studying to pass exams is not education; studying to understand concepts and to use them to change society is the true meaning of education. Children and students with natural talent should be encouraged to maximize their potential as early as possible, instead of being imprisoned in a cycle of examinations and assessments (Cohen 29). Some of them have the potential to change society in a way that other studious people may not understand. My position on race and religion is informed by liberalism. I have always held that nobody is born racist, and we are never aware of our skin color when we are born. Why, then, does it become an issue when we have become rational? My logic is that racial profiling, superiority, and all forms of color bars are a projection of people’s frustrations with themselves and a manifestation of underlying insecurities. Personally, I fail to understand how other people’s skin color should affect me in any way. I have experienced various forms of discrimination because of my race, but I would never subject other people to similar treatment. Although I am a Buddhist, I have no qualms practicing good principles espoused by other religions. My rationale is that there is no religion that is completely “bad.” I like reading about other sects, understanding their motivations, and integrating their positive teachings with Buddhist ethos to develop a holistic perspective of the concept of religion. Conclusion My personality is a powerful concoction that has been brewed in many pots. Having taken time to understand myself and to project my personality in the best way possible, I believe I am living my life in the right way. Self-understanding has given me a degree of security and inner peace that allows me to interact with others without doubting my opinions and thoughts. This level of maturity in identity is difficult to achieve, but the results justify the effort. My hope is that everybody would take time to learn who they are to avoid being trapped in worlds they do not want to live in but do not know how to escape from. As is evident in my situation, inner peace enables outward confidence and balanced growth. Work Cited Cohen, Martin. 101 Philosophy Problems. 4th ed. New York: Routledge, 2013. Print. Read More