"who you are is defined by the choices you don't make"

[DramaQueen]

So I saw a movie last night, Gone Baby Gone. (it was great, but that's beside the point)

Anyways, in the opening monologue the main character says "I think who you are is defined by the choices you don't make" like where you live, your neighbourhood, or your family. You don't get to CHOOSE those things, but they affect who you are as a person.

I was just wondering what you guys thought about that.
Do you think it's true? Or do you think that who you are is defined by your choices and who you choose to be?
What to you, defines who you are?

semi inspired by the movie, semi inspired by shelby's "hi i'm shelby" thread (which i have yet to answer...because it's going to take me a while to think.

 

[Skelington Spade]

No um, I think your defined by the choices you do make, since the choices you don't make really gives nothing to define you at all.

 

[STOPxmickeytime]

I disagree, to some extent.
I mean, you are defined by where you live and who your family is, you can't help that.

But I think that the choices you make define you much more as a person.
I could say, "I live in NJ and my family is blah blah blah,"
But that doesn't show who I am at all.

I mean, you can change where you live, but you're forever defined by the choices you make.

Sorry if that's confusing. It was difficult to articulate.

 

[AngelInDisguise]

Completly true.
You could have the worst home life and be bummed about it or do something about it and change your attitude.

 

[K-Shong99]

I kinda agree with it.
There are things about you that people see that you can't help, yet they believe that is who you are.

Like... I live in the country, right. But I'm not a country girl on the inside. Yet... when people hear what town I am from they are like, "Eww. You're a hick." But I'm not.

As of right now... I can't change some things about myself. Where I live, what I look like, who my family is... But people look at you for those things anyway. Even if you can't do anything about it.

Sorry. I know it's confusing.

 

[Sparx]

I completely 10000% disagree, if used the way you did. (like saying who you're born to, where you're born, etc)

You can rise above your situation. You can rise above your family. You can rise above all of that.

But I think you are defined by your inaction. What you DON'T or WON'T do.

like if you know someone is doing something harmful to themselves or someone else, and you don't do anything to help. like if you see something bad happening and you don't stop to help.

 

[Lizbon]

I think you are defined by what you do and don't do. Most of my relatives live in one state, but my family moved when I was one. My parents love where they used to live and even though my sister was young when we moved, she misses it to. We go there all the time (its only a state over) and I love the atomosphere. I think if we still lived there I would be a different person, not a bad person, just different. I think that goes for anyone though. How you live now, probably isn't the exact way you would be if you lived some place else. However, I don't think that is the noyl thing that defines you. I think everything you do in your life, the little things and the small define you as a person.

Also: for the fixing the title: click edit on your post, and then go advanced.

 

[Tinkerbell424]

I think your defined by the choices you make and how you define yourself. Of course where your from,IMO is going to shape you but the actions that you choose are what is going to form you.

Hope that made sense.

 

[Quack Attack]

The choices you make are what ultimately defines you in the long run. I can live in a box and ppl can look at me as a homeless guy, but does that really define who I am. There is so much more than external things that define a person. What I mean is that not just where you live, what you look like, or what family your in. External things that ppl only see on the outside. The inner things, your feelings, goals, inspirations, morals is what defines you and those things are things that ppl cannot see on the outside.

 

[PowerMonkey]

both are right.. some things you just cant control... and some things you can.. you are defined not by your choices but by your intentions and beliefs... good people can make a lot of bad choices... however, just cause they make a lot of bad choices, doesnt make them a bad person... its hard to define yourself.. theres just so many things that make that up.. really, no one will be able to know who you full are.. only you yourself can know that

 

[life of the party]

i agree with the statement.

My first time reading it, i thought "wow that is so stupid!!" but then i thought about it, and it makes a lot of sense!

If you had great parents who taught you to make good decisions ect. you will grow up that way. But if it is the opposite, then the outcome will be the opposite.


Or another decision you dont make is the people your surronded with, the kids at school (if you school is bad or good too), your family, ectt.