It is agreeable that no one is born with philosophical beliefs. But with time, people develop certain beliefs becoming so embedded into them to the point that they stop to be conscious. Automatically, these beliefs develop into habits of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Our identities develop from what we believe in since persons are not born with their identities (Eccles 83). In other words, it is also safe to say that an attempt to change our beliefs threatens our identities. This is the reason as to why changing our beliefs remains very challenging to most of us. For an extended period, identity has remained at stake when individuals have tried to compete on the superiority of their beliefs because conflicts arise in most occasions. Based on this argument, it is undoubtedly right to conclude that philosophical beliefs shape the identity of people and influences their actions to unimaginable levels.
It is said that beliefs are an essential element to our sense of who we are, our sense of self and identity. There are those beliefs that are deeply entrenched, while others remain conscious and easily accessible. Our habits are determined by what we believe in, and this defines our identities (Mezirow 20). Another point is that beliefs guide people’s actions and aspirations, thus influencing their choices and set the foundation for the valuation of themselves and others. Any activity that a person engages in is most of the time shaped by what is acceptable within the community beliefs. People fear taking part in actions that are against the norms and standards of the people that surround them. Therefore, beliefs are vital to our sense of being and agency in the universe.
For obvious reasons, people actions and behaviors are motivated by either beliefs or conscious. Moreover, concepts of identity are required in order to create and maintain distinct groups. As a matter of fact, the special sets of beliefs expose the existing differences between individuals or groups and more specifically the superiority or inferiority of certain groups or individuals towards others (Schwitzgebel 540). In the absence of beliefs, it would be difficult to develop our sense of reality. Beliefs are comprised of the verbal content and emotions which lead to our behavior. They influence the actions people take or the activities they engage in since no one prefers taking part in things that are against his/her beliefs. For example, if one’s beliefs are against homosexuality, bi-sexuality or trans-sexuality, they will always disassociate themselves with people that engage in such actions since it is against their identity.
Beliefs influences how people derive meaning from the factors that establish the sense of identity such as culture, biology, ethnicity, religion, family settings, socio-economic status, sexuality and gender amongst others (Stedman 561). Beliefs are the progressions via which we construe our experiences, personal histories, and our memories. From the existing cultures, people are exposed to different beliefs; thus there is a diversity in individual’s identity.
On the contrary, beliefs can be false and do not in any way guarantee people of the truth. Believing in a certain way should not mean that a person is right since we all have different beliefs and identities. The possibility of surprise emerges when people realizes that what they believe in is not right and is seen as an abomination by other groups. Therefore, it is good for people actions to be determined by what is good or bad according to the majority of the population.
Work cited
Eccles, Jacquelynne. "Who am I and what am I going to do with my life? Personal and collective identities as motivators of action." Educational Psychologist 44.2 (2009): 78-89.
Mezirow, Jack. "How critical reflection triggers transformative learning." Fostering critical reflection in adulthood 1 (1990): 20.
Schwitzgebel, Eric. "Acting contrary to our professed beliefs or the gulf between occurrent judgment and dispositional belief." Pacific Philosophical Quarterly 91.4 (2010): 531-553.
Stedman, Richard C. "Toward a social psychology of place: Predicting behavior from place-based cognitions, attitude, and identity." Environment and behavior 34.5 (2002): 561-581.
