Who Am I? Think Again. Exploring Authentic Identities
This video is part of the TED Talks series. TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) is a nonprofit devoted to disseminating "ideas worth spreading." I thought the idea of creating authentic identity through failed imitation was a great theme to begin the course as well as the blog. My hope is that you will step outside of the status quo and use your creative nature to complete the assignments and explore identity in a global context throughout this semester. What are your thoughts about Hetain Patel's presentation?
As I watched and listened, I was reminded of Social Cognitive Theory and the idea of modeling, that we learn by watching others, we learn of what is right and wrong, acceptable and unacceptable through the behaviors of others.
ReplyDeleteI was unfamiliar with Social Cognitive Theory until reading your comment and appreciate your addition with that. I see the direct correlation with the video and it brought a psychological perspective into what I viewed initially as strictly a social interaction.
DeleteI enjoyed Mr. Patel's presentation. He brought to my attention a different perspective on how we individually grow into who we are by the actions, thoughts, and beliefs of others. I've never thought about the fact that we learn by copying others and as we succeed or fail in these imitations (especially in our early years) we become more and more of who we are as unique individuals. His presentation brings an interesting point of view that humans can be easily influenced by characteristics of our own and others' cultures.
ReplyDeleteI wrote about a concept in Social Cognitive Theory called modeling. As I noted, modeling talks about how we learn what is acceptable and unacceptable from watching others. This concept to me was very much what the talk was about. I thought it was interesting that you also observed the same. The idea humans can be easily influenced is something I see as truth as I study more about leadership. The going definition of leadership is that it is a process of influencing others while trying to achieve a mutual goal. This to me is an acknowledgement that people can and can be persuaded to behave in certain ways. The challenge is getting them to behave in ways that are not harmful to themselves or society.
DeleteAt first, I found this presentation hard to follow but very intriguing. I believe that Hetain Patel's presentation is unique and effective in relaying the intended message. To be authentic, you have to embrace multiple identities tied to different social groups. In this presentation, the display of various languages and cultures made it easy to distinguish the social groups that make up Hetain's identity. I wonder how failed imitation is identified when identities are not so apparent and different. Also, I like the positive spin on failed imitation.
ReplyDeleteThe first time I watched the video, I thought to myself, "wait, what just happened?" I had a hard time following it initially too, but then was also intrigued. The TED Talk was thought provoking for sure and shed a light on identity that I had not thought about before. You bring up an interesting question on identity when identities are maybe a little more similar than the examples he provided. But then I also wonder who determines what is apparent and different? Many times regions get put together under the assumption they are similar when in reality they are very different. What is different to you may be the same for me, or vice versa. Very interesting point to ponder!
DeleteThis was a very interesting TED Talk. I watched it multiple times to get a good feel for what Hetain Patel was sharing. I admit, I have not thought of imitation as a way to reach your authentic self previously. However, this idea does make sense to me. As I reflected on myself and how I got to be like I am today, I realized how many others I have observed, learned from and tweaked over the years to create a domain and an identity that works for me. My family has had such a strong influence on who I am. I think it is safe to say we all use imitation in our journey to find our true selves. When we really think about it, it is a little scary how much potential power others have to influence us – even Spiderman as Patel indicated in the video! This reminds me of Jessica Andrew’s “Who I Am” song that was released when I was in high school… “It's all a part of me, and that's who I am.” I remember how much that song resonated with me the first time I listened. Check it out if you have a few minutes!
ReplyDeleteThe saying “don’t judge a book by its cover” continued to ring as a bell in my mind as Hetain Patel and Yuyu Rau were presenting Who Am I? Think Again at TedGlobal. I think it is human nature to put people in boxes to make sense of the world. It is hard for our brains to synthesize everything we see and hear so by developing categories it makes it easier to absorb more information. But as Patel said, “what makes us who we are anyways?” (Patel, 2013). Our language, identity, dress, the way we sit, what we eat or who we choose to imitate creates the space for each person to have a multitude of boxes to fit. Emmanuel mentioned social identity theory in his post which I completely agree as this theory helps understand people and behavior as it relates to different social situations. Patel describes how we copy others as a way to get to know our more authentic selves, “every time I fail to become more like (fill in the blank) I become more like me” (Patel, 2013). It is hard to not think, who am I imitating? Who am I failing to become like? When I fail at this imitation am I embracing becoming my truer more authentic version of myself?
ReplyDeletePatel, H. (2013). Who am I? Think again. TedGlobal 2013.
www.ted.com/talks/hetain_patel_who_am_i_think_again
I enjoyed the presentation. I especially enjoyed how the audience including myself developed a preconceived notion of Mr. Patel with his clothing, language, and the way he sat. These actions he did allowed us to categorize him into a culture we have past knowledge on and allowed us to display to what extent he is engaged in his respective culture. Initially we view him as very developed into his local culture and find out he is not nearly as much as originally believed. I found that fascinating as well as his view of self perspective and culture. Mr. Patel wanted to be culturally similar to his role models which are his father and Bruce Lee. He gained more however when he failed to be like them. This is because he gained information on who he was, not who they were.
ReplyDeleteI thought the same thing as I began to watch the video! It is very easy to label someone on the first chance of meeting them. As his story unfolded, I was very impressed as to how well he was able to play all of the different roles. Being able to find your identity is very hard, but I think that you said it perfectly when stating that we gain information when we fail to be like someone we aren't. I believe that our identities continue deepen and solidify throughout life, and learning from/imitating new people along the way offers new opportunities for growth.
DeleteI thought that Mr. Patel did a wonderful job of continuously adding new parts to his life story. When I began watching the TED talk, I had a simple, pre-conceived idea of who Mr. Patel was. However, as the talk went on, he kept changing my perspective of him. I believe that this aspect of his speech helped viewers reflect back on people in their lives who they may have imitated in the past. In my pediatrics course this semester, we learned that a major stage in the development of a child is the action of imitating those around them. It was an interesting idea to me that this "imitating" act goes on far longer than the toddler years. Acting as others allows us to make sense of who we really are versus who we are simply pretending to be.
ReplyDeleteI love that you mention imitation in developmental growth! This truly is a stage that helps a child gain an understanding of what it is like to be in different stages of life. When I babysit, I often see young girls act out what it is like to have a boyfriend, put on makeup, etc. This is interesting to me because it is an imitation that mimics what is societally expected of them. Perhaps this imitation plays a role in them determining whether they align with this identity.
DeleteThe above comment was mine, I forgot to add my name
DeleteI found that Mr. Patel, through highlighting certain aspects of his identity (whether he felt aligned with them or not) explored how multifaceted identity truly is. Initially, I found his statement to be contradictory. How can we express our own identity through imitating others? However the key word in his statement is "failed." Somehow, the failure to accurately imitate another has the ability to display your own interpretation of identity. This presentation made me think of how often I imitate singers, their voices and persona. These imitations connect me to facets of my identity I would otherwise not have discovered.
ReplyDeleteSophia, I love your view of his presentation. This is something that I thought about after listening to the presentation, and how I try to imitate some role models of mine. The one thing that stuck out to me too was the word "failed". I was shocked yet pleased how he used it because most people think failure is bad, but in this case, failing to imitate someone is helping you become your best self.
DeleteSophia, contradiction of my own thought pattern was a thought I had too! I want to think that I stay true to myself at all times, however this TED Talk really made me ponder, "how did I end up being myself?" I appreciate the comments AMB added about toddlers imitating those around them and realize how we continue to do that throughout life in a quest to find our own identity. Failed attempts to be someone else is key! However, I wonder how many people (especially adolescents) spend their time only attempting to imitate others and not developing their own identity with those failed attempts. Do all people acknowledge this failure and learn from it?
DeleteI found Mr. Patel's presentation interesting because it started off with a translator; however, he added humor by stating he had memorized the first part. I thought it was fascinating when he was speaking about assumptions, and how he was not going to speak in English because people may judge him on his accent. I do believe people judge others on their accent and the way they speak. Additionally, I found the section where he spoke about people imitating others nice. One thing that he said that stuck with me the most is that failing to imitate others helps him find more of his authentic self. I enjoyed listening to his Ted Talk.
ReplyDeleteCatrina, engaging with your blog post made me think about the power in the way that we communicate. You pointed out that he spoke in Mandarin to avoid judgements on his accent. This could be because he knows the influence different voices have on others. Furthermore, it made me think of the overall structure of the presentation and how his communication style & delivery allowed the viewer to discover his message on their own. In my opinion, this made the message more powerful in the end!
DeleteHetain Patel's TED Talk was certainly an interesting one. At first I was struggling to wrap my head around the central point he was trying to make. However as the video progressed, it became much clearer. Mr. Patel took a unique route of conveying his message that we grow more and more into who we are by looking for ourselves in others. Through imitation, new ideas, and grand failures we find ourselves! This is something that I haven't thought of before but that makes sense. How can you differentiate yourself from the crowd when you don't know others?!
ReplyDeleteI thought this Ted Talk presented an interesting way of reaching our "true" selves. I do believe that failure is excellent for personal development and growth. I find that commitment to growth is very central to my values and it really comes from a place of understanding myself and my past and not being afraid to admit and move forward in areas that are "failing" or need more development. Additionally, as Patel was talking about imitation as a means of coming into our authentic self, I immediately thought of the quote "If you inherently long for something become it first. If you want gardens, become the gardener. If you want love, embody love...." I think about this quote often when I am speaking with mentors or leaders within my community and try to imitate traits in them that I admire, so that I took can become someone that young people feel that they can be their true, authentic selves with.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this video very much because it challenged my thought process. I found the first few minutes hard to keep up with, so I kept rewinding or starting the entire thing over to try to understand what was going on. After I finally just continued watching, I realized that the introduction was strategically played out the way it was, and I caught on to the deeper meaning that he was getting at in regards of identity and culture. Throughout the ted talk, he displayed how different attributions and scenarios in life help shape a persons multidimensional identity, but yet other peoples assumptions may lead us to think differently.
ReplyDeleteI also found myself rewatching pieces of the video to catch the subtle tactics he employed to get our attention. The idea of multidimensional identity is important when we interact with cultures outside our own. We often see outsiders and differences as flat and easily boxed, but when you actually experience and confront those assumptions in the culture you see that nothing is as simple and one-dimensional as we'd like it to be for our own sense of comfort.
DeleteI enjoyed this presentation very much. I thought it was a very authentic way for him to get his message across. His message was about how we as humans grow individually by interacting and imitating others. And through the imitation of others we fail and find our true identity. I am hoping that through this trip interacting with others I will be able to find out more about about who I am.
ReplyDeleteMy response to this post never uploaded! Anyway, while watching this ted talk I enjoyed how frequently the speaker subverted my expectations and assumptions. Not many have the ability to effectively and creatively demonstrate a social concept with the inadvertent participation of the viewer themself. I think a challenge many have in trying to address judgement and prejudice, is that those with defensive perspectives simply deny the validity or presence of the issues but this video helps illustrate the issue in a way that requires engagement from the audience. On the idea of authentic identity through failed imitation, I think there is definitely some truth to this in my identity. Since I was a child, I've mirrored my sister's mannerisms, style from tv shows and aspirations from the example others. But in this kind of imitation I found the parts that really bring out who I am. When I sing a song that my sister has been singing, I don't hear her airy high notes and deep choruses, I hear my own tone and clarity. The same goes for much of the things we try in life.
ReplyDeleteI think the video was entertaining and fun which is an important way to get people to feel comfortable. This is a useful tactic especially when talking about things that may make people uncomfortable. In this instance it was about peoples' culture and identity from various places around the world. In recent years, it seems like people get upset if you try to imitate another culture that "is not theirs." I think that way of thinking is garbage. It keeps people from appreciating other peoples' way of life that they may find more meaning in or a healthier way for them to live. We should be allowed to imitate, learn, and grow which will eventually help us to discover who we really are.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the way this information was presented was both entertaining and a way to make people feel comfortable, especially if they feel like they can relate in some way. I like that you mentioned how some people get upset when others imitate a different culture because I also agree that sometimes experiencing and learning from other cultures is a way to help us learn and grow. I also think that people will naturally imitate others and various ways of living or pieces of a new culture that may feel beneficial to them.
DeleteMr. Patel's final remarks regarding imitation have truly stuck with me since first watching this presentation, partially because I could see my own tendencies in what he was doing. I often find myself "chameleoning," a term referring our tendency to copy the mannerisms, gestures, behaviors, and other characteristics of people around us. This is something I might do for weeks or even months before I pick up on what I'd been doing and how I had in some ways lost the ability to present the "true me" to others due to acting like someone else. This pattern has left me feeling quite negatively toward the idea of purposefully attempting to mimic or otherwise alter my behavior to be more similar to someone else's but this TED Talk presents a new perspective on this issue. In Patel's case, he found it to be somewhat enlightening to imitate two of the people he most idolizes in his father and Bruce Lee. In doing so, he finds that he is revealing parts of himself not usually seen that are uncovered by these imitations and thus is presenting aspects of himself that are still authentic. Moreover, what is learned from these attempts at imitation also form parts of oneself that extend beyond the mimicry. It is that point which has made me reconsider my feelings toward my own mimicry of the people around me, as rather than unintentional and unpurposeful repetitions of what my friends do these imitations are extensions of my true self simply in another form.
ReplyDeleteGreat perspectives, Nathan. I suppose it's true to some extent that imitation is the most sincere form of flattery rather than mockery? The intent and purpose behind the imitation makes all the difference, doesn't it?
DeleteI enjoyed watching Hetain Patel's presentation. I love how they acted out the presentation almost the entire time. This was a useful way to engage listeners and help them absorb the information. I agree that we as humans imitate each other and those close to us naturally especially when we are young and still developing into the people we become. One example that stuck with me from the presentation was whenever he described water becoming its container. This reminded me of the saying that I hear a lot that refers to people making similar decisions and/or acting like those that they hang around or are close friends with, which is likely the result of imitation. After thinking about this theory and listening to Hetain describe how he imitated his father and became the person he is today, I realized just how much the person I am today is influenced by my parents, other family members, and friends. This got me thinking about different cultures and why many people from the same place/background have similar beliefs, morals, traditions, etc.
ReplyDeleteThe acting also caught my eye! It kept the TED Talk entertaining. We are definitely strongly influenced by those we look up to, and those we hang around. I also enjoyed the presentation, and I believe I gained new views about who I am.
DeleteMr. Patel's presentation was eye-opening. He talked about how our actions, thoughts, and beliefs are shaped by the people around us. It was interesting to learn that we grow by copying others, and our successes and failures in these imitations, especially when we are young, make us unique. He shared how he wanted to be like his role models, his father, and Bruce Lee, but found that he learned more about himself when he failed to be like them. These failures helped him understand his own identity better. I have experienced this in my own life. It is a great reminder to stay true to yourself. He also pointed out how human behavior is influenced by our own and other cultures, which made me realize how much culture affects our personal growth.
ReplyDeleteGreat post Ann! I love how you highlighted how our failures are what reveal our true selves. I have never thought about it in that way before watching this video. In turn ,I feel like that failure turns into a success, as learning yourself and who you are is a great thing when it comes to self-identity. Thinking about it like this will triumph over comparison, the thief of joy, for there's nothing better than becoming your true best self.
DeleteI found Mr. Patel's talk very interesting! I thought it was smart how he started the presentation by presenting himself one way through speaking Mandarin, how he sat, and how he was dressed. I think it really added to his point about how we imitate those that we want to be like, which in turn creates our own individual characteristics when we fail at imitation. I also think it is important to take note of how our identities can be so much more than one thing about us, so we should not put others into one box when we are learning about them.
ReplyDeleteI too found the decision not to immediately put emphasis on his own speaking voice quite a nice touch. I appreciate that he demonstrated that awareness to how often people tend to find undeserved/unwarranted trust in people speaking english in a British accent. The fact we then hear him give his Bruce Lee impression as well as attempting to imitate his father's accent further add to the closing point you pointed out about how people can be more than one thing at their core. We, as the audience, were treated to 3 different views of Mr. Patel prior to hearing his "true" voice, although that does not mean what we heard before was not any less representative of himself.
DeleteHetain Patel’s presentation was quite entertaining with that unexpected plot twist! I appreciate the humor and creativity that he incorporated into his talk in order to demonstrate his ideas on helping one find their true identity. I recently heard a radio bit from John Tesh radio that I felt was related to the ideas brought forth in this presentation. The radio bit discussed the psychological impact of siblings that received hand me down clothes and how it affected the psychology and identity of the child. Some research studies found that sharing clothes and wearing hand-me-downs actually made siblings feel more bonded and connected rather than less than or embarrassed for wearing the same clothes their older siblings wore. I think this speaks to Patel’s thoughts of imitating others to help find out who we are. We all have some type of shared identity with some type of group we identify with whether it is our family, religious group, a club, or other type of group organization or gathering. Yet within those shared identities that help shape us we also have our individual identities that we discover from exploring various shared identities and imitating others or wearing those hand me down clothes. Patel’s video also emphasized to me the importance of first impressions, assumptions, and taking the time to get to know someone. How easy it is to draw conclusions about someone the first time you meet them versus taking the time to get to know them and learning if your impressions or assumptions are true to that person. One final thought that came to mind was one of our four essential elements in 4-H youth development - belonging. We all crave belonging, and to know where we belong we must be able to discover who we are.
ReplyDeleteI found Mr.Patel's TED talk quite relevant in present times. Mr.Patel essentially states that there is no point in imitating other cultures because authenticity creates and informs its own culture. This makes me think of the experience of a child of immigrants in America. While initially learning about their heritage often involves imitation of their parents' customs, they ultimately forge their own distinct cultural identity.
ReplyDeleteThis TEDTalk was very interesting watch. I appreciate the effort that went into planning and preparing for this presentation, from the costumes to the "translating" to the choreography, and how each detail holds significance to the idea of identity. He begins by both conforming to and breaking stereotypes that we may assume, squatted in a chair wearing traditional Indian clothing, but appearing to be speaking Mandarin. We later learn that he's saying the same phrase repeated over and over, but to an untrained ear, it sounds genuine. However, mistakes in imitation can become apparent when interacting with culture, as Mr. Patel learned when he found out he spoke Mandarin with a female accent. By revealing the downfall of imitation when forging identity, Mr. Patel seeks for his audience to appreciate authenticity, and seek identity inwards. A copy of an original will only ever be that, but there is only one you.
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ReplyDeleteIn the beginning, I found Mr.Patel's talk to be hard to follow, as I didn't understand the interpretation component. Honestly, I initially thought the woman was a translator. After watching more of the video, I began to realize that Mr.Patel was demonstrating imitation, which is something a lot of us struggle with. We as humans imitate those that we want to be like, but it is impossible to me just like somebody else because of human error and natural difference. What this video highlighted is how this natural difference and variation is what makes us special and one of a kind. As we try to imitate others, our failures become successes of finding our true selves and how we are different, even when intentionally imitating. However, I completely resonate with how he explained that his father had a huge impression on who he is today. Mindlessly, people who we interact with on a daily basis serve as natural blueprints for how we come up. But even so, our natural differences are what gives us an identity of our own. Beautifully demonstrated!
Hello, Dylan. I thought it was interesting that you mentioned that imitation is dangerous because it decreases variation and diversity. I liked how you expressed this because I think that it is relevant to the lives we live in terms of those around us. People we hang out with tend to dress like us and be similar to us. The imitation and being like-minded in taste helps us bond and form relationships. However, it also has a downside. Imitation can lead to a decrease in diversity and even globalization. One thing we have seen on our trip are Mcdonald's and KFC's. While it can bring the world together by everyone sharing in one common food/meal, it also wipes out the factor of differences across areas.
DeleteI really enjoyed Hetain Patel's TED Talk. I think they decided to take a very cool and unique approach to their presentation. I have spent a lot of time in the past year thinking and reflecting on identity and what that mean exactly. Everything is an imitation game in life. We learn to talk and communicate by imitating those around us. Our personalities and beliefs are molded by those we are surrounded by. This is not exclusive to physical space as we imitate those on TV or in books. Humans are social beings and we learn through example, so it is not surprising that we imitate. What I think is particularly interesting, though, is how it relates to our self sense of identity. I have not quite come to my own personal conclusion of identity, but I think it is beautiful to remember that everything it doesn't matter where we got it from, it is still wholly authentic.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with your thoughts on Hetain Patel's TED Talk! His unique approach really made me rethink the concept of identity too. It's fascinating how much of who we are is shaped by imitation, whether from our immediate surroundings or media influences. Your point about the authenticity of our identity, regardless of where we pick up our traits, is really insightful. Like you, I'm still exploring what identity means to me, but Patel's perspective definitely adds a beautiful layer to that understanding. Thanks for sharing your reflections!
DeleteI appreciate that you brought up the idea that identity is fluid and ever changing. Although we imitate people most as children and during tougher times in life, we always are evolving and adapting to who we think we are and want to be. I also think that imitation can be a positive and a negative thing. For example, inspiration is possibly a form of imitation. We can learn a lot from others. but the important thing to remember is that we should be imitating if it is making us more genuine and authentic, not to impress others.
DeleteGrowing up, we are like sponges, absorbing everything from our parents, family, and other inspiring individuals around us. The teachings of our ancestors and the observations we make of others profoundly shape our development, forming the foundation of our identities. Hetain Patel's TED Talk gave me a new perspective on this process, highlighting how our tendency to imitate those we admire is not merely copying, but a transformative journey towards becoming our unique selves. This perspective resonated deeply with me, as I have often found myself mimicking the mannerisms and behaviors of those around me. At times, this has made me feel as though I am losing my individuality, but Patel's insight helped me see that through this imitation, I am not losing myself, but rather, integrating valuable traits from others to craft my own identity.
ReplyDeleteHello, Stephan. I really enjoyed reading your post as you interpreted the message in a very positive and powerful way. Imitation can be from a result of inspiration and authenticiy. We tend to copy those that are similar to us as well. For example, many college students are wearing Hoka sneakers. The imitation is due to people being similar; in college, lots of walking, colors appealing to younger people, etc. This example of imitation shows that if we see people we like wearing/doing something, we are inclined to copy them as it feels more authentic than copying someone who is not similar to us at all.
DeleteI found Hetain Petal's presentation tricky to interpret at first; but, as I watched, I began to understand that he was demonstrating to us someone who he is not and we were easily tricked. He convinced us that he could speak mandarin well and the way he sat caused us all to make assumptions on his race, culture, and ethnicity. As humans, we like to categorize people when we meet them. This is exactly what viewers and the audience did. Patel went on to talk about how he had tried to imitate people such as his father to assist him in developing an identity. We also put ourselves into categories consciously and unconsciously. Being your authentic self is paramount for you to feel content and happy.
ReplyDeleteI definitely know what you mean, Hetain Patel's presentation initially seemed confusing as he continuously adopted different personas, challenging viewers to confront their biases about identity and culture. By convincingly portraying someone he is not, Patel exposes the ease with which we categorize people based on superficial traits. Ultimately, Patel's performance serves as a powerful reminder to embrace the complexities of human identity with empathy, urging us to resist the urge to categorize and instead celebrate the richness of individuality.
DeleteI really enjoyed Hetain Patel’s presentation and how the act of imitation is so prominent in our lives. Growing up, I would play dress up as my favorite Disney Princesses. Even though I was unable to recreate Rapunzel’s long hair and I could never find a good pair of glass slippers in my size, I still wanted to talk like them, walk like them, and live like them any way I could. While most of us felt this way about our childhood heroes, Patel points out how imitation is a practice we use every day. I was very captivated by how he used his presentation to illustrate the audiences tendency to categorize people based on appearances and stereotypes just to debunk them as such.
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