The Minutiae
It is in the minutiae that we find the flow of history.
It is in the minutiae that we find the flow of history.
People from all over the world have contributed essays and interviews, sharing what made them who they are. From their generosity and transparency, we created a collection of stories which illustrate the importance, the struggle, and the universal humanness of the journey to ‘know thyself.’
You are invited to share in this experience by reading through our collection of narratives and, maybe, taking the time to consider, ‘what makes you, you?’
Genetics, environment, experience, society, and divinity, were all cited as responses to the question, ‘what makes you who you are?’ Yet, upon delving deeper, interviewees often articulated their struggles, relationships, and experiences of transformation as defining aspects of themselves. While this inquiry may not definitively resolve what makes us who we are, it underscores the significance of challenges, connections, and evolution in our lives. Perhaps, in our quest for self-discovery or reinvention, we should draw inspiration from our struggles and relationships, while embracing the belief in our capacity for change.
Language makes this narrative collection possible and also makes its assessment problematic. These interviews were held in English or translated into English. This creates a bias for English speakers and potential for misunderstandings. This process, however, is compelling in its own right. It is interesting to compare the responses of native English speakers to those who have English as a second or third language.
The language we think in shapes our thoughts; translating those thoughts into another language can be limiting. With this in mind, I left in grammatical mistakes. While being technically incorrect, the alternative phrasing conveys different meanings. This way, the reader has a more authentic experience of the interviewees’ expressions.
In many of my conversations, the nuance of ‘what makes you, you?’ verses ‘who are you?’ was blurred. Obviously, this could be a translation issue, but I think it could also be a reflection of perceptual or cultural differences in the meaning of the question. Maybe for some, who you are is what makes you, you.
The women I spoke to on the side of the road highlighted this for me. No matter how I asked them via Google Translate (I know it’s not the best), they answered, “We are workers.” Does that mean that what they do is what defines them or what makes them who they are? Or was it just their way of explaining themselves to a stranger? I do not know, but I did enjoy the simplicity of their answer.