The Struggle of Identity and Authenticity in Society

Identity struggles reveal the importance of authenticity amidst societal perceptions and expectations.

### The Struggle of Identity: Navigating Self-Expression in a Digital Age
* 🎓 Imagine stepping into high school, filled with **hopes of reinventing yourself** and the uncertainty of **where you truly belong** among various social groups.
* 🤔 The pressure to choose a table at lunch can symbolize the broader struggle of identity, where **external perceptions can dictate one's social placement** based on appearance or background.
* 📖 Sociologist Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois introduced the concept of "**double consciousness**," highlighting the internal conflict between **how one perceives themselves** and **how they are perceived by others**.
* 📱 In today’s digital age, social media amplifies this struggle, as platforms allow for **constant scrutiny** and the question of "**Who am I?**" becomes even more complex.
* 💡 Despite the identity crisis that social media can provoke, it also **democratizes knowledge and learning**, as seen with platforms like Imprint that make philosophy **accessible and engaging**.
* 🌍 Du Bois’s insights into the African-American experience resonate today, revealing that the **clash of identities and the quest for authenticity** is a **universal struggle**.
* 🌀 The persistent nature of double consciousness can lead to feelings of despair, but it is crucial to recognize that **our identities should not be entirely shaped by others' perceptions**.
* 🌟 Ultimately, embracing **authenticity** and supporting those who struggle with their identities can empower individuals to navigate the complexities of **self-expression** in an ever-evolving world.

[Music] Imagine it's your first year of high school or your first day of class. Last night, you spent the evening wondering what the next day would bring. How will you reinvent yourself? Who will you become this year? You may have stayed up watching YouTube videos discussing tips and tricks on how to have a good year, and now you feel ready to take on the world. Now imagine walking into lunch. You're paralyzed by the decision of which table to sit at. Do you choose the corner seat with your friends from science class, or perhaps you should sit with your friends from theater, maybe even from band, or you could pick the table with your friends from the soccer team. You might find yourself relating to various groups of people with various different backgrounds and different interests, but you might not feel quite at home within any particular clique. Now imagine if that choice for the rest of the year was determined by another person. Let's say that decision will be based solely upon your appearance, your skin tone, or maybe even

your gender expression that day. Where do you think you would be? Identity at times can feel like a buffet of personality traits, a list of characteristics to choose from, to put on a play, and to give to others. It often forces one to consider which of these identities is truly your authentic self. Am I the person you perceive me to be, or am I the person of whom I choose to express myself as? Or, as sociologist Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois would put it, Why did God make me an outcast and a stranger in my own house? Du Bois even provided a useful term for this tug of war between identity and the perception of your identity. He calls it the double consciousness. Dr. William Edward Burghardt Du Bois was an African-American civil rights philosopher. His writing encompassed many topics, primarily sociology, history, racial justice, and even equality. In 1903, one of his most popular works, The Souls of Black Folk, is still considered a cornerstone in African-American literature to this day. In this text, Dr. Du Bois summarizes the

experience of being black in a so to speak post Jim Crow era. As he writes, the history of the American Negro is the history of this strife, this longing to attain self-conscious manhood, to merge his double self into a better and truer self. This desire to have some sort of ownership in terms of how you were perceived is just as relevant now as it was in Du Bois's time. In the digital age, many of us greatly fear being perceived. You may have seen Tik Toks or memes which reference that aversion to perception that we all experience daily. Some of us may use private stories, some of us use close friends, and some of us just choose to disengage their platforms altogether to avoid being seen. With the rising prevalence of social media, these platforms allow for other users to voice their opinions, share their whereabouts, and instantaneously engage with popular mainstream media at the push of a button. Whether live on Twitch or perceived through highlighted clips on YouTube, the arrival of the ability to express ourselves online forces us to ask a

seemly simple question: who am I? Early am I the person that you see as you tap through the stories, or in a more relevant fashion, am I more than who you perceive me to be? Now, despite the identity crisis that can emerge from using social media, one of its irrefutable benefits is in democratizing access to learning about new concepts such as double consciousness. That's why I'd like to introduce the sponsor of this video, imprint. With imprint, knowledge from the world's greatest thinkers is visualized and presented in clear and exciting ways. Imprint is time-efficient and easy to integrate into daily routines, as big concepts can be mastered in as little as 2 minutes per session, which makes it fun to learn more. Instead of spending that time scrolling on social media, you can learn about fields of study like philosophy and psychology while also getting better at taking care of yourself and others through learning about health and wellness. It's no surprise it was Google's app of the year, as millions use it to learn for its incredible content.

and info one course I've been really enjoying is Imprint's course on essential philosophy theories and thinkers, which has really helped fill in the knowledge gaps I've had, especially in the domain of ancient philosophy. To try everything Imprint has to offer for free, you can sign up for a full 7 days using the code on the screen and the link in the description. And as fans of the channel, you can get a 20% off discount for the Imprint annual premium subscription. While I am sure Du Bois will be shocked to see the progression society has made by and large in this area of communication and perception, I do believe he provides more than relevant experiences and solutions, drawing from the Black experience in his text. It is a peculiar sensation, this double consciousness, this sense of always looking at oneself through the eyes of others. Dr. Du Bois references the clash of identities which an African-American, for example, may experience—the double life every American people must live as a Negro and as an American. From this must arise a

painful self-consciousness, an almost morbid sense of a personality, and a moral hesitancy which is fatal to self-confidence. But this struggle in acting as one's authentic self is not limited to the African-American experience; rather, it is something that many of us can relate to. He goes on to say, The worlds within and without the veil of color are changing and changing rapidly, but not at the same rate, not in the same way, and this must produce a peculiar wrenching of the Soul, a peculiar sense of doubt and Belo. Perhaps Du Bois would be shocked to see the technological advancements we've made as a society, but he would not be surprised to see a social media psychological impact on identity and self-expression. The dichotomy between perception and reality has been written about many times since by several other philosophers and many other Scholars, but John P. Pitman, in his work Double Consciousness, alludes to this double consciousness as a sensation, a consciousness of oneself, but which falls

short of a unified true self-consciousness. It is part of a more complex feeling of tuness of despair and competing thoughts, strivings, and ideals. This is not an episodic or occasional sensation but a persistent form of consciousness. Penman's words suggest that double consciousness, while a persistent feeling, does not have to be a natural state of being. Maybe identity lies outside of who we are, influenced by something outside of one's control, but that does not mean it should be entirely determined through other perceptions of us. In the latter half of this book, Dr. Deoy says the following: Such a double life with double thoughts, double duties, and double social classes must give rise to double words and double ideals, tempt the mind to pretense or to revolt, to hypocrisy or to radicalism. Every day we are given an opportunity to choose who we are and which actions, ideas, or identities we want to uphold. If you have the privilege to choose, why not choose authenticity? Choose to support others who may not have had such privilege to alleviate any such.

dysphoria, which may be deemed as wrong or polarizing to society, presents us with a diagnosis and an answer to combat this paralyzing duality that we may feel. Yes, we may live in an ever-expanding, ever-changing world, but that does not mean we should allow this world to define us. Perhaps the most radical thing one can do is authentically be themselves, to authentically define. [Music]

the fear of being perceived

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High school can be a confusing time, with students navigating different social groups and trying to find their identity.

The pressure to fit in can be overwhelming, and the choice of where to sit at lunch can feel like a life-altering decision.

Du Bois coined the term "double consciousness" to describe the conflict between one's true self and how others perceive them, highlighting the struggle for authentic identity.

The Ongoing Struggle for Self-Identity in the Digital Age

The experience of being Black in the post-Jim Crow era is marked by a longing for self-conscious manhood and ownership of one's perception.

The fear of being perceived is relevant today, with social media amplifying this struggle for identity.

Despite the identity crisis caused by social media, it also democratizes access to learning about concepts like double consciousness, with platforms like Imprint offering time-efficient and engaging ways to gain knowledge.

Exploring Double Consciousness and Identity

Imprint's course on essential philosophy has helped fill knowledge gaps, particularly in ancient philosophy, with a 7-day free trial and a 20% discount for the annual premium subscription.

Du Bois discusses the double consciousness experienced by African-Americans, highlighting the clash of identities and its impact on self-confidence.

The struggle for authentic self-expression is a universal experience, and the rapid change in the worlds within and outside the veil of color creates a unique sense of doubt and turmoil.

Double consciousness is a persistent feeling of competing thoughts and ideals, suggesting that identity is influenced by external factors.

This duality can lead to a struggle between authenticity and societal expectations.

The text emphasizes the importance of choosing authenticity and supporting others in their journey, challenging the notion that we should let the world define us.