What makes me me? | Tamara Urigova | TEDxPrague British Intl School Youth

Key Concepts

• Storytelling and Identity: The connection between the stories we tell and our sense of self.
• Personal Identity: The philosophical question of what makes us who we are, both over time and despite change.
• Psychological Continuity: John Locke's theory that memory and consciousness create a continuous sense of self.
• Ship of Theseus Paradox: A thought experiment exploring whether an object remains the same if its components are gradually replaced.
• Narrative Identity: The idea that our identity is shaped by the stories we tell about ourselves, allowing for transformation and reinterpretation.
• Selfhood: Our capacity for transformation and self-reinterpretation.

What Makes Me Me? The Role of Storytelling in Shaping Identity

Introduction: The Power of Stories

• Storytelling is a powerful tool that shapes our perception of the world, helps us make sense of experiences, connects us with others, and ultimately defines who we are.
• The speaker's family story about a disastrous winter hike illustrates how shared narratives can define a family's identity and create a sense of belonging.
• The speaker, who didn't even participate in the hike, wanted to be part of the story because she identified with its message of enduring hardship in good company.
• The audience is prompted to consider a story that has shaped their own identity.

The Two Paths of Identity: Sameness vs. Change

• The central question "What makes me me?" branches into two related inquiries:
  • What makes me the same person over time?
  • What makes me me even if I change?
• The speaker reflects on how different she feels from her past self, despite sharing some core preferences.
• This leads to the question of whether a past version of oneself is still the same person.

John Locke and the Memory Theory

• John Locke, a 17th-century philosopher, rejected the idea that the soul defines personal identity.
• Locke proposed that identity is based on psychological continuity founded on consciousness, essentially memory.
• Locke's Argument: As long as you can remember an event, your current self and your past self are the same person.
  • Example: Remembering going grocery shopping and being disappointed by the lack of your favorite crisps means your current self and your "disappointed grocery shopping self" are the same person.
• Critique of Locke: Memory is fallible and prone to errors, distortions, and forgetfulness.
  • Example: The speaker's lack of memory of her 10th birthday party raises the question of whether she and her 10-year-old self are the same person according to Locke's theory.

The Ship of Theseus Paradox: Embracing Change

• The Ship of Theseus paradox illustrates the challenge of defining identity when components change over time.
• The Paradox: If every part of the ship of Theseus is replaced, is it still the same ship? If not, at what point does it become a new ship?
• The paradox is extended to the concept of personal identity.
• We can replace flawed or outdated aspects of ourselves to better reflect who we are and who we want to be.
• Holding onto sameness for the sake of familiarity can be illusory and prevent growth.
• An identity that doesn't allow us to navigate life safely is not worth preserving.

Narrative Identity: Shaping Our Own Stories

• A story can shape who we are, and equally, we can shape stories.
• Narrative Identity: Combines continuity with selfhood, our capacity for transformation and self-reinterpretation.
• Character development, including changing habits, beliefs, and relationships, doesn't mean losing oneself.
• Exchanging a sail (a part of ourselves) doesn't mean sacrificing the entire ship (our core identity).
• Identity is not something we possess but something we tell, a story we create.
• We have the opportunity to craft, reinvent, and reimagine ourselves at all times.
• We are the main protagonist with a unique voice, responsible for telling our own story.

Conclusion: Embracing the Journey of Self-Discovery

• The speaker encourages the audience to continue asking "What makes me me?" and to embrace change.
• Don't be afraid to exchange a sail on your ship, because you can still reach the harbor as the ship of Theseus, but with a wonderful story to share.