Think back to your former selves. I know that we're not that old yet, so we don't have that many former-selves. Or- maybe you do. Maybe you've been 6 different people since Junior High. Either way, there's no denying that you've done a lot of changing over the years. You're not the same person now that you were a few years ago; and, whether or not you'd like to believe it, the person who are now won't last forever. (Except for me- I'll never change. I'm pretty confident of that.) Now that I have left you with that food for thought, make your way on over to the article! There's also an accompanying video, which is fun (I know, it's not TEDx... you'll have to forgive me). And now, click here to read John Tierney's January 3 article "Why You Won't Be the Person You Expect to Be".
Psychologists have found that when we look ahead and think about our future selves, we expect them to be more or less the same as our present selves, even though we can identify that we are much different now than we were in the past. This phenomenon has been dubbed the "end of history illusion", because people tend to "underestimate how much they will change in the future." Daniel T. Gilbert, a psychologist at Harvard, said this about the illusion, "At every age we think we're having the last laugh, and at every age we're wrong." What do you think about this quote? It really resonates with me. I sometimes find myself looking back at my former self and laughing at my naivete and foolishness; I laugh at old Racheli and find present Racheli to be so smart and all-knowing. A few years later, the same thing might happen. According to this study, it never ends. But.. but.. I don't want to look back at my present-self and laugh. Is this Gilbert trying to tell me that I don't know everything now? Preposterous!
In the study, people of all ages played down how much their personalities would change in the next 10 years. Do you expect yourself to be the same person in 10 years as you are now? What do you expect some of the differences to be? Apparently we tend to overestimate our own wonderfulness. Can you believe such a thing? "Believing that we just reached the peak of our personal evolution makes us feel good," said Dr. Quoidbach (what a name, am I right?). Do you think you've reached the peak of your personal evolution? If not now- when do you think you will? Or will you truly ever reach it?
Take a second to think about your favorite band/musician. How much would you pay to go to one of those concerts today? Now how much do you think you think you would pay for that concert in 10 years? Do you really believe you'll be just as excited for One Direction or even Beyonce in 10 years as you are right now? What about your new musical tastes? Or do you think they will remain the same?
What an interesting topic, right? Personally, I know that the research makes a lot of sense and is correct, but it's still difficult for me to 100% accept that I will change so much. I like myself right now, why would I change so drastically? Though, on the other hand, why would I want my 40 year-old self to be the same person as my dumb 17 year-old self? Food for thought.
High-school Meryl Streep and modern Meryl Streep.
Do you think they had the same ideas or ambitions?
Do you think they both have the same taste in music?
Do you think they had the same ideas or ambitions?
Do you think they both have the same taste in music?
This article was super interesting. Although I can't see into the future (that does seem kind of cool, though), I think that my priorities will probably change as a result of growing older, but I think that my fundamental values will remain the same. We're always constantly developing though, so some things about us do change. Even if ambitions begin at a young age, they still have the power to be rejected or altered. Change is inevitable, but to what degree, I think it depends on the person.
ReplyDeleteRachel, what an interesting idea. I was actually thinking about this the other day as I was looking through my Bat Mitzvah pictures. Although I haven't changed clothing size since age 11, a lot has actually changed. The quote from Daniel T. Gilbert also resonates with me. I don't think I have reached the peak of my personal development, and I expect to change a lot more in the next 10 years. I think my core values will remain the same, but perhaps the way I act or carry myself might change. Honestly, who knows?
ReplyDeleteCould I have not skipped the bat mitzvah age all together? Horrendous. Simply horrendous. What's crazy, like you said, is that a couple years from now I'll surely look back at my current self and laugh. Such a strange thought. And yes, in 10 years I will still be dying to go to a Beyonce concert. C'mon, Racheli. You know there's no question.
ReplyDelete