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The Art of Being Yourself

Sometimes being yourself requires more courage than trying to be like someone else. When we mask ourselves with a persona that is even more different than who we really are, some how that makes us feel safe in an odd way. After being like another to fit in, teenagers may fine themselves at a loss when the time comes to be themselves and develop their own sense of being and how to make it in the world possibly alone. This topic should explore how children grow from being themselves, to being someone else, then back to being themselves. It takes courage to cycle through this madness.

  • Perhaps you could turn this idea around with the art of being yourself in films (e.g., the beauty of Captain America sticking to his ideals in Marvel films) – Yvonne Tapia 4 years ago
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  • I think to make this topic more appropriate for this platform, it could be addressed within young adult literature/films, coming-of-age stories. They deal with this kind of development often. – leersens 4 years ago
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  • This sounds like an essay addressing a coming-of-age theme. It seems part of development that it takes time to figure out who you are. But, to add a twist, I would suggest that this extends well beyond some early years in a person's life, but continues well into the later years. If there is focus on including movies in an essay here, then include movies of older people and how they change not just the coming-of-age sort. – Joseph Cernik 4 years ago
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  • This topic has potential, but I do agree with the other comments. This topic could be further explored through literature, film, and other forms of media. Good idea, but I would bring in outside sources to help add depth to the topic. – nicolemadison 4 years ago
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  • I agree with the other comments regarding this topic. To build off of those points, what does it mean to "be yourself" (from perhaps a philosophical standpoint)? How does one "be oneself"? Is it one's natural impulses or is it a framework with which one should consistently refer back to? How does one "lose oneself" and find one's way back? That's sort of a rabbit hole line of thinking, but it should be considered in relation to how a certain art form (literature, film, TV, etc.) addresses such issues. – aprosaicpintofpisces 4 years ago
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  • Focusing on the teenage years (adolescence) is very good for this topic! You'll find a lot of useful information in the area of developmental psychology. You might find this concept particularly useful: Erik Erikson described teenagers as experiencing an internal conflict that he calls "Identity vs. Role Confusion." Teenagers have to try on various identities and roles and figure out for themselves what they find to be meaningful. Another potentially useful concept from developmental psychology is "identity foreclosure," which occurs when someone commits too early to an identity (such as by getting married before they're truly ready for marriage) and locks themselves into something that isn't actually in harmony with their own still developing identity. You can't be yourself if you don't take the time to figure out what "yourself" truly is, and much of that work happens during the teenage years. – JamesBKelley 4 years ago
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