Philosophical Question - are we the “same” person we have been our whole lives?

[Anonymous]

We evolve every day. Are we only our true selves at the most present moment? Or are still that little girl or boy, teen or young adult? Or are those selves no longer who we are?

No, I’m not drinking or smoking, just thinking. My mom recently passed away and I’m looking at old photos wondering if these are all genuinely her, or only who she was up until the day she passed.

[Anonymous]

What?

I don't know. Go find something relevant over at the Philosophize This! podcast to listen to.

[Anonymous]

I think this is an interesting question. When my Grandmother was 96 years old she told me “you always feel the same, it’s just the face in the mirror that changes”. If you “feel” the same, it’s the same you, right? Just with more life experiences and knowledge.

[Anonymous]

Great question, I recommend the book, Personality Isn’t Permanent by Benjamin Hardy, Phd. We learn and grow, so while we feel like “us” yes, that us has changed. Have you never said/thought what was I thinking I wouldn’t do that now?!?! To be the same is to be stagnant, who wants that!

[Anonymous]

There’s a podcast called Wiser Than Me by Julia Louis Dreyfus and she interviews women who are older and wiser than her to determine from them what you can learn about life. It’s really a great podcast. Anyway, she asks each woman at the beginning “can I ask you how old you are?” and then follows up with “how old do you feel?” It’s fascinating how similar their answers always are: they always say “I feel my age” AND “I feel every age I’ve ever been.” Isabel Allende had a really good episode and she says she’s not the same person at 70 that she was at 50 or 30 because we change and reincarnate over our life, but we always carry those versions with ourselves.

When you experience childlike delight as something you would’ve loved as a kid, that’s the 11 year old in you. And when you make a choice or take action with the wisdom attained from your current age or experience, that’s the current version of you. We get to be them all, it’s really so cool.

[Anonymous]

Who do you think is in the old pictures?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think this is an interesting question. When my Grandmother was 96 years old she told me “you always feel the same, it’s just the face in the mirror that changes”. If you “feel” the same, it’s the same you, right? Just with more life experiences and knowledge.

I remember having this conversation with my dad when I said something along the lines of 'I still feel like I'm a teen/college age'--I was in my mid-30s with a baby at that time. My dad in his 60s said --yep he still felt like a 20-something in a 60-something body--that you don't really feel 'grown up'.

He also lived life to the absolute fullest and was always fun. I think maybe it's a 'young at heart' thing. Because I've met plenty of people that act ancient and are miserable---but, yeah--who knows? Maybe they were miserable as infants and kids too.