Monday, October 5

"Me" and "I"

some people mix up George Herbert Mead's "Me" and "I" and think that once upon a time when they were young they were all "Me" and now they are all "I" - but it doesn't go that way. The self is always a pattern of negotiation between the two. Even when you were infants, you were sometimes "willful," i.e., you had your "I" moments. Your "I" moments are when you are doing things your way. And now that you are adult, you still have your "me" moments - you are a "me" to get along, be social, meet expectations. Me-I-Me-I is a process.
Your "I" can perhaps be better seen by dividing it in two: sometimes your "I" emerges in rebellion - maybe because you were too obediant and something inside you said, "Too much! Stop!" So an "I" can be a rebel. Other times the "I" emerges in creativity - without destroying or rebelling, you say, "My way - I'm going to create a new way." Hope this helps. Use the terms I, Me, We if they help you see "Who am I Sociologically (and Who Was I Once Before?)"

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