Why Is Everyone Having an Identity Crisis?

[wirikyle]

Can confirm. “Delayed dramatic play” is spot on. I’m a middle school drama teacher and this is exactly what I’m seeing.

[robertjensen]

I encountered an eagle with an identity crisis.
He's watching me like a hawk.

[Thejackofirishdiamon]

I know someone who has a daughter that they keep inside every single day. This kid has never ridden a bike. She has never met neighborhood kids. This kid has only ever played inside because her mom is so scared that random pedos are going to creep out of the woods at any second to snatch her baby. This kid is going to leave home to do some DUMB things when she gets older.

[alexb]

There’s never been a time in history until recently where parents are virtually helpless. If your child grows up to be a functioning adult that can think critically and isn’t living life like it’s a fantasy, then you’ve done VERY well.

[patriciasanderson]

My daughter just told me she now has a teacher who is a “them” called Dom. It’s not good enough to be male or female now with your own personality. Why doesn’t personality get talked about anymore? Now it’s all “identity”. I find it pathetic.

[kristiLB]

I agree. There's such a childishness and selfishness in these identity behaviors. Tall toddlers.

[mzblu-cjfd]

Play has been taken out of public schools. Even at the preK and K level, it's all about passing a test on standards. Unless children get lucky enough to have a creative, hard-working, self-sacrificial teacher that breaks his/her back to marry instruction with play, they are treated like HS students trying to test into college. It is entirely inappropriate and obviously having adverse effects.

[JokerisWild]

Let kids play, it's the only way they develop and get things out of their system.

[velvetindigonight]

Agreed……
Lets let kids play, use their imagination and the dressing up box early not fifteen years too late……

[mylesjaynes]

Perhaps a Fatherless generation is prone to identity confusion/crisis, as they are more prone to the wiles of the world 🤔 @JordanBPererson

[wildfirewulf]

I would argue that the heavy emphasis on academics earlier and earlier has something to do with it. I constantly tell my kids, "You're job is to play". I put zero pressure to learn to read, etc. I knew if I read, they'll read. If I talk about the math I'm doing to garden, cook and garden... they'd catch on. They did! Too much stress on kids being "behind"...but Play and imagination is how young humans make sense of their world, their experiences and start to form a sense of self.

[vincentfalcone]

I bet Jordan would find anime like Attack on Titan, Ghost in the Shell or Evangelion fascinating

[KyleK]

If Jordan's hypothesis is correct, it'll be very interesting to see if the kids who were sheltered during "the lockdowns" have an increased instance of this sort of behavior. Something to look out for within the next decade or so.

[theselfawaremom]

You are 100% accurate, thank you for pointing this out. Too many adults are missing out on critical periods in development in childhood and so they have to go back as an adult.

[ischmel]

Its the amplification of extremes thru online social networks and the lack of personal interaction with peers in their community.
Little by little the country changes because of who we admire.

[arabaeight]

The responsibility of parents in all this is so huge… God help me.

[blameese]

I experienced this on a very small level, but it got to someone in my family, during the time of my parent’s divorce. Kids need to play, and especially with their parents!

[ThatCatCid]

As a furry content creator it's nice to see such a reasonable examination of the furry subculture.

I see it no different than being enamored with the Stories of Old. We just find the creative aspect of anthropomorphic animals to be a compelling way to attach ourselves to these narratives. Whether it's allegorical like Animal Farm, or classical Hero's Journeys like Robin Hood and The Lion King, and even further back to Aesop's fables and so on.

It is very much a type of dramatic play and just another means to integrate the morals and values of stories. When done with a healthy intent you have pretty well adjusted individuals who don't make the sexual aspect the forefront of their identity, but instead use it as a creative window of self expression.

The danger lies not in being a part of these anime or furry fandoms. The danger is being someone who is dysfunctional in life already, who forms an identity based on sexuality (or gender/race/victimhood etc), and then with that mentality enter and exploit the tolerance of these fandoms. And Dr. Peterson hit the nail on the head. I've dealt with MANY furries of all types, 80-90% being well adjusted individuals, but I've also had interactions with a non insignificant amount of very damaged individuals in the fandom as well. Many of these types of people have certainly suffered abuse, mental illness and/or outright repression in their lives.

In short, to paraphrase some Maps of Meaning content, our creativity with storytelling (which includes anime and furry) is what allows us to extract some Truth from the abstract, but only if our orientation pathway is centered around the pursuit of Truth.

[julieangle]

Makes sense to me, great point and observation Jordan 😀👍

[Koko-ngph]

I once read "as children we already have a personality or identity of our own it's the world that beats it out of us" it's seeming more true with how much I observe, some people where forced to grow up early on and others didn't have a good childhood hence when freedom is found their take that chance