This week: All of Me, All of You Edited by: Kit  
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Are you one 'me', or a series of 'mes'? Philosophers' opinions vary on this matter. The answer has consequences both for us and for our characters.
This week's Drama Newsletter, then, is all about who we are, and what this means.
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How much do you remember of your early years? Most people don’t remember anything of their first 2 – 3 years of existence. It’s strange to think that we were there, experiencing life, yet when we attempt to think back to those days our minds go blank.
I don’t know how old I was exactly, but I do know I still slept in a cot – I can recall a dream about ladybirds, and there were so many of them that they scared me, causing me to wake up. A recurrent dream I had at about that age was of birds as tall as skyscrapers. I don’t know why my brain decided to store those dreams and not any of the other experiences I had as a toddler – they must have truly alarmed me.
I remember being stung by a wasp. I can remember the layout of my gran’s home, where I spent my first years. There are flashes of kindergarten, my teacher and the friends that I made. Most of it, though, is pretty vague, with some gaps having been filled over time with the stories of others.
We go through many changes as we learn and grow. Baby Kit was different to Toddler Kit, Toddler Kit is different to Kindergarten Kit, and so on. Baby Kit and Teenage Kit have very little in common – we saw the world in different ways, understood it in different ways and acted on it in different ways. Even many of our cells were no longer the same – whilst our eye lens cells last a lifetime, and our brain cells could comfortably outlive us, on average the cells in your body are replaced every 7 to 10 years.
That makes me think of the Ship of Theseus. Theseus' Paradox is a thought experiment that poses the question: if, over time, each part of the Ship of Theseus is replaced, one after the other, is it still the same ship? Thomas Hobbes later complicated this by pondering that if all of the old parts were stored away and then put together in the same order - leading to there now being two ships – which one would be classed as the Ship of Theseus? The one that had parts replaced over the years, one by one, or the one built anew from those original parts?
Whatever your thoughts on this, we thankfully don’t have to worry about Hobbes’ part of the paradox. There aren’t two of us wandering around. It does pose an interesting question about identity and the self, however. If much of us is changed throughout our lifetime, from our bodies to our personalities, can we still be said to be the same ‘me’ all along, or are we a series of interlinked ‘mes’?
What a silly question, you may think. Of course I am the same me that I was when I was born! That’s philosophy for you. It is true, though, that there are legally recognised times when we are seen as not being ourselves and, therefore, not accountable for our own actions. Most would argue that harmful actions committed when under the influence of alcohol ought to still be punished, even when the person responsible cannot recall committing them. What if someone lashes out after years of abuse? Does that reflect that person’s ‘me’, or would we say that they were not themselves in that moment? If someone has a brain injury and commits a crime to what extent are they legally responsible? What about morally?
I feel like the same ‘me’ that I have always been. My memories, however vague, tie me to all of my past ‘mes’, and even though those first years aren’t covered by memories I shall trust my family (and photographic evidence) that I did, indeed, exist in that state. It is undeniable, though, that I have changed in many ways – both the physical and the mental. I held views and beliefs as a child that I do not hold now. Much of what matters to me now did not matter to me then. In that sense there are distinctions between the different versions of me, just as there will be between the ‘me’ of right now and the ‘me’ when I am a senior citizen. I’m both a series of ‘mes’ and a combination of all of those ‘mes’, with some likes and loves and interests having persisted over time – I have loved to read and write since I learned how, still love my cuddly toys and still believe that vanilla is one of the loveliest scents in existence.
Some loves have endured – my love of my mom, for example, and my sister from even before she was born – others have faded, or been squashed by betrayal.
I find it interesting to have these reflections. Perhaps you do, too. Who were you? Who are you? Who do you think you will grow to be?
As writers we can use these questions when developing our characters. Character growth is important for a sympathetic character, whilst a lack of growth can be a key element to why your villain is (and remains) a villain. Your character’s changes over time offer depth and insight into who they truly are, and help us to care about what happens to them.
I am reasonably contented with who I am right now, though there is certainly room for growth. I hope that whoever you are today, you will find happiness in your tomorrow.
Kit
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The Drama Newsletter Team
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Drama: September 18, 2024 Issue [#12745]
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