So, I feel like I'm just not good at being a person. And it kinda hurts.
And it turns out that I define a person primarily as a social being, because the above is what I say when I am struggling with social interactions.
How do you define "personhood"?
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Merriam-Webster's Unabridged
ReplyDeletepersonhood '==.= noun : the fact or state of being a person ; especially : one's distinctive personal identity
That just doesn't cover it for me.
The thesaurus includes identity and individuality in its synonyms. That's closer to the idea for me.
ReplyDeletei remember reading that man is the only animal that doesn't know how to be. dogs know how to be dogs! or maybe we just can't hear their angst.
ReplyDeleteto me, being a person has a lot to do with being an adult: taking responsibility, being kind, thinking about my actions and planning for the future. i guess "mensch" would be a good translation. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mensch)
i find you quite personny :)
I think maybe, for me, personhood, is accepting your own state of being. Once you realize that you are, and that no one else is as you are, you have achieved a sense of personhood.
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