How philosophy and psychology can help us become more genuine people
Let’s talk about persona. No, not like V from V for Vendetta.
Actually, exactly like V (we’ll get to that later).
Your persona
What do I mean by your persona? I mean the character you play, in the same way an actor might play the part of a character. In social psychology, a persona — as coined by Swiss Psychiatrist Carl Jung — is “the personality that an individual projects to others, as differentiated from the authentic self.”
So, everyone on the planet dons a persona, meant for one audience or another. Even groups and organizations can have personas. It’s like code switching in linguistics, when you change accents to show people that you’re alike. That persona is something like a mask that we put on every day. It acts as a defense mechanism we sometimes use.
Think of it like this, you don’t act in the same way around your boss as your friend, right? You wouldn’t say the same things, talk in the same way, or even look at them the same. You wouldn’t tell your boss that your true dream is to open a small Seattle coffee shop with it’s own donated library. Or how your greatest friend in the whole wide world is your pet bunny Peppers. But you probably would talk about those things with a good friend. You could be a completely different person between these two people! In all aspects, you are a different person to each.
Pegging down which Nicholas Dockery persona is the real Nicholas Dockery is a bit of a self-reflective experience. Sometimes, there simply is no true answer. Sometimes, you can only see a real self-portrait when looking in a mirror. Even then, we could be playing a character even for ourselves, like some introspective theatrical monologue.
The Reason for Persona
But this isn’t a Shakespeare play or a theatre class. So why do we each have these personas in the first place?
From my own observations of my family, peers, and professors, it seems that people use these personas — consciously or subconsciously — because of a concern for what people think of them and for a multitude of reasons, many of them justifiable.
Sometimes we put on these faces because in reality, we are going through tough times that we’d rather not let others see, probably for their own good. This can range from just a bad day (or week) to something clinical.
Depression is one of many mental health disorders that can stay hidden for months before someone finds out. That’s because people use their personas as a coping mechanism, keeping people from seeing what they are going through. With a persona, you don’t need to worry about external stresses because you aren’t directly exposed to other people.
For those suffering from depression, it’s a lot easier to act like everything is okay in public. Why bother coworkers and friends with our troubles?
1st impression, 2nd impression, 3rd impression, 4th…
Another reason may be the want to make a good impression on people. A sport tryout, an interview, or a get together with friends can make us feel the pressure to be better than we think we are.
The popular example for good impressions is the first date. You know that girl from Calc 2 you scored a date with, even though you think you totally don’t deserve her?
Well, be honest with yourself and her. You may find out you have something in common, like a completely justified hatred for Marius from Les Mis. You deserved better, Eponine. What I’m saying is don’t lie, embellish, or make up stories to make you seem cooler. Start a relationship off right with your genuine personality, and it’ll save you a lot of heart and headache down the road.
That kind of pressure is very common in the professional and academic world, and can come in the form of competitiveness. I have lied on more than one occasion about what grade I got on this or that. I like to give people the impression that I am a punctual, studious, and 4.0 student.
I am none of these.
The Case for Authenticity
The fact is, these kinds of pressures to be better than yourself will not go away by putting on a persona. Some may say that if you pretend to be better than you are, that you will eventually become that better self. But if that is true, then why isn’t everyone as perfect as their persona?
I recommend showing an authentic persona.
In the field of philosophy, “authenticity is the degree to which one is true to one’s own personality, spirit, or character, despite external pressures.” A faithful representation of yourself.
Why would I show the world my hardships and true self, you ask? The idea is similar to learning from your failures. If you are true to yourself, you are better able to recognize your faults, your shortcomings, your temperament, and are then better able to fix or accept them. But it can also help you with self-acceptance.
Self-acceptance, or more virally worded, self-love, is a huge part of fighting depression. To truly love yourself, you first needs to understand yourself, and that means accepting who you are and how you feel instead of hiding that behind a mask of “everything is fine.” Sometimes the first step is admitting to yourself that what you have and what you feel is real, that it is you.
Coming to terms with this level of introspection is no small task. It’s difficult to look at yourself in a critical way. The best thing we can do is be sympathetic and constructive with our introspection. Be honest to yourself about the issues you’re facing, and your honesty will rally support.
The idea of being true to yourself is epitomized by the LGBT community. Over the last 30 years, “coming out” has been their slogan for being true to who they are.
They have shed their personas and embraced themselves for who they really are, and it is incredibly liberating. A simple Google or YouTube search will yield thousands of these coming out stories, and I highly recommend watching or reading at least one.
Personality versus Persona. The V problem.
What if my persona feels more real than my own self? Well, let’s bring back V for a minute.
Hi V. See, V from V for Vendetta has a Personality versus Persona problem.
The man — tortured, imprisoned, and severely burned — has chosen to completely ignore his past and himself and don the visage and purpose of Guy Fawkes, a man who tried and failed to assassinate King James I of England.
V, as he calls himself, has completely assumed his persona, even forsaking his real name. He believes that his purpose is not to be a man, but to be an idea.
Here’s the problem, though; V’s persona is actually just him. He succeeded in burying his past and his persona became his true self.
The principles that V fought for were not intangible graspings at abstract ideas; they were his response to real injustices that he endured. He was tortured, experimented on, and ultimately tossed aside by society. These harrowing experiences were a cornerstone of his personality, and his persona reflected that more perfectly than any face could. V’s unique circumstance was that his persona, his mask, was more real and genuine than anything else in his life. Because of this, he chooses never to take of the mask, acting as a symbol and an idea, not as a man.
Get to the point… How is this possible?
Okay, okay. I’m not telling you to go blow up parliament, but to be true to your personal identity.
That means checking yourself, every day. Think about the things you say, the way you say them, and to whom you say them. Is it you? Is that your genuine opinion on the matter? Are you changing your tune for your audience’s ear, or singing what your heart really sings?
Think about how you would have a genuine conversation with that girl from Calc 2. Talk about yourself in an honest way, about your life and work, and don’t shy away from your passions: musicals, pet bunnies, over-analyzing films and all.
Honest discussion begets an honest relationship.
I know I’ve been talking about persona and authenticity as a personal function, but it’s worth mentioning that they can extend to organizations, companies, governments, and entire cultures. Think of charities as examples of organizations being true to their purpose and message. Governments like the United States use national animals like the bald eagle and propaganda characters like Uncle Sam and Lady Liberty to show the outward appearance of freedom, nationalism, and strength. Cultures, while harder to pin down, can do similar things as governments, utilizing social media and pop culture to define entire generations and races.
This happens in companies too. As Facebook has recently been guilty of shady dealings, users have completely lost faith in the company. To combat this, they have been trying to bring themselves back to their roots: “Cause when this place does what is was built for, we all get a little closer.” Despite the seemingly changed mantra of Facebook, the media and ad campaign is simply another persona, put on through clever and emotional marketing.
The most successful companies are, unfortunately, the ones that take most advantage of consumers and employees. The most authentic companies, however, are ones that give employee benefits, support their communities, and use their profits towards bettering the world.
Your ideas, feelings, passions, flaws, and features all define who you are. Don’t hide yourself behind a mask. Show yourself to the world, and the world will be better for it.
Originally published on medium.com
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