Fluid Identity in a Changing World

In the modern world, our identity is subject to the influence of both internal and external processes, where the usual self-control gives way to involuntary transitions between states. Entering the flow of change, one might not notice how one's "self" gradually dissolves into a labyrinth of transformations, where surges of emotion and unstable strategies of self-identification become the dominant force.

The core of this dynamic process unfolds through the collision of the natural plasticity of personality with the challenges posed by mass culture and extreme forms of self-expression. Contemporary trends offer an appearance of identity in which belonging to a certain group or choosing reductive forms of self-expression—whether it be piercing, body art, or even more extreme acts—becomes a way to experience oneself. However, such practices are sometimes devoid of a deep sense of self, turning into a game where the true sensation of "self" dissolves in a mix of random impulses and societal expectations.

In conclusion, it is worth noting that a personality losing its multifaceted nature faces an existential threat when its inner integrity is replaced by fragmented images. In moments of intense experiences or when traditional reference points blur, one may find that their usual supports vanish, and the sense of one's "self" transforms into an indeterminate game of fluctuating states. This process, rich yet simultaneously disquieting, reminds us of the importance of a stable inner world in an era of constant change.

In what moments can a person lose the sense of their own identity?

A person can lose the sense of their identity at various moments, when the processes defining the "self" collapse or become inaccessible to conscious self-determination. For example, as noted in one source, an "involuntary transition" occurs when a person, without even realizing it, slips from one state to another, and their capacity for self-assertion becomes subject to events rather than their own will. In such a situation, the plasticity of their being spirals out of control, leaving them "unsure of where they are" and unable to perform an act of self-certification—as described in the following excerpt:

"Moreover, there can be unintended, involuntary transitions, 'slips' from one boundary area to another (only in the realm of spiritual practice is one exempt from involuntary occurrences)... But if this cohesive process is the case, then the person no longer controls their own plasticity; on the contrary, it controls them, and they are unaware of where it is taking them. These phenomena... represent, in fact, the triumph of plasticity over identity."
(source: 1270_6349.txt)

Furthermore, modern society often promotes strategies of losing or reinterpreting identity through extreme or reductive acts. Under the influence of mass culture and group dynamics, when self-identification is achieved by aligning with a particular community or when a stable self-consciousness is replaced by variations and combinations of formless transgressive acts, an individual loses the ability to fully define themselves. Thus, even actions that might serve as acts of extreme self-denial—from piercing to deeds far removed from traditional notions of self-identification—are reduced to elements of a game lacking in the deep-rootedness of the "self." As stated in the following passage:

"But these deficient forms also provide room for variations and combinations, for intricate, often dangerous and cruel, modern plays of identity. Directly linked to these, for instance, are piercing and body art; the act of acquiring or affirming self-identity—albeit a reduced one—can be any act of transgression, extending even to terrorist acts and suicide, etc."
(source: 1270_6349.txt)

Similarly, the loss of identity can occur as a result of the fragmentation of the personality into homogeneous elements, where an individual ceases to feel their multifaceted nature and uniqueness. In this case, personal self-definition dissolves within a system, reducing the essence of personality to an objective collection of "parts" that lack inner unity:

"We are very poor at distinguishing our own personality from others similar to it, confusing that which is alien with our own... And in losing our multifaceted nature, the personality loses all quality. There is no longer the self-determination and self-consciousness implied by a multifaceted nature, as the duality of subject and object."
(source: 179_892.txt)

Finally, in moments of extreme experience—when one is overwhelmed by inner suffering or even the sensation of complete isolation (such as when comparing one's state to being "in penal servitude" or "buried alive" underground)—the habitual sense of integrity and control over oneself can disintegrate. In these periods, the sudden absence of support, familiar reference points, and the ability for adequate self-consciousness leads to the loss of true identity:

"I felt as if I were in penal servitude, perhaps in the mines... this grotesque and inexpressible experience, which struck me like a blow, was mystical... I felt the powerlessness of everything that had occupied me until then..."
(source: 1076_5375.txt)

Thus, the loss of one’s sense of identity can occur in situations of sudden involuntary transitions between states, when a person’s inner plasticity overwhelms self-regulation, through the use of reductive identification strategies via extreme, often transgressive acts, as well as through the disintegration of personality in conditions of inner fragmentation or existential suffering.

Supporting citation(s):
"Moreover, there can be unintended, involuntary transitions, 'slips' from one boundary area to another (only in the realm of spiritual practice is one exempt from involuntary occurrences)... But if this cohesive process is the case, then the person no longer controls their own plasticity; on the contrary, it controls them, and they are unaware of where it is taking them. These phenomena... represent, in fact, the triumph of plasticity over identity." (source: 1270_6349.txt)

"But these deficient forms also provide room for variations and combinations, for intricate, often dangerous and cruel, modern plays of identity. Directly linked to these, for instance, are piercing and body art; the act of acquiring or affirming self-identity—albeit a reduced one—can be any act of transgression, extending even to terrorist acts and suicide, etc." (source: 1270_6349.txt)

"We are very poor at distinguishing our own personality from others similar to it, confusing that which is alien with our own... And in losing our multifaceted nature, the personality loses all quality. There is no longer the self-determination and self-consciousness implied by a multifaceted nature, as the duality of subject and object." (source: 179_892.txt)

"I felt as if I were in penal servitude, perhaps in the mines... this grotesque and inexpressible experience, which struck me like a blow, was mystical... I felt the powerlessness of everything that had occupied me until then..." (source: 1076_5375.txt)