Do You Aspire To Be Something You Are Not?

[flyinglentris]

There are a multitude of reasons why people aspire to be what they are not? To put a credible finger on it, it's a social identity issue. Often people seek to be what they perceive defines them in a socially acceptable way. But the key point is that they do not fluidly evolve toward their aspirations. Instead, their vision of their goal identities are already extant, examples existing in the behaviors and identities of other people. They try to emulate or be like some others which they see and know of.

Very few people define their own identity from scratch, perhaps only learning bits and pieces from the actions and identities of others. Very few are truly self-identified. They do not aspire to be anything other than what their world view would offer as a fluid pathway to self-identity. It's arguable to claim that such people do not aspire to be something they are not, except that what they achieve in terms of personal identity is an internalized and continuing evolution and growth, not toward being similar to some example archetype.

Whether it is cooking, philanthropy, politics or something else, most people choose from the examples of others what to aspire to for their personal identity.

Of course, between the two extremes, there are people who achieve identity both by growth and by emulation.

In your cooking, what defines you, the examples of others, or your own creative direction.

 

[garlichead]

Not too sure what exactly your trying to say but as far as cooking goes it's an essential need that has a wide spectrum of involvement.

 

[Yorky]

In your cooking, what defines you, the examples of others, or your own creative direction.

The need to eat and the wish to eat food that I enjoy.

No more complicated than that.

 

[NailBat]

My aspirations with cooking are to make tasty food that my wife enjoys, for a reasonable amount of effort, and with a good deal of variety (never getting into a rut or getting tired of "the same old thing"). In that regard I think I'm doing all right.

Not entirely sure what point you're trying to get at here though. Of course everyone builds their identity based on what they observe in others. That's true of 100% of all things for all time, forever.