Who am I?… No, really
February 22nd, 2008 by Stuart
I recently read an article about how often people present false selves. Psychologists call this the “impostor phenomenon.” It is a secret sense that we are not as capable as others think we are. Apparently, impostorism is running rampant these days.
Psychologists devised a questionnaire that gauges how much we present false selves. Men who scored high on the impostor scale were motivated by a desire to avoid looking weak. Women who scored high on the impostor scale were motivated by a desired to look strong. Impostorism can be expressed in different ways. It usually involves presenting oneself as humble and untalented so that later it is all the more impressive when we do something well.
So why are we impostors so often? Why are people so concerned about image? As Christians, we should be authentic, honest, and humble people, not deceptive. Granted, I’m definitely guilty of presenting a certain type of self (whether it’s false or not is hard to say). I wonder if we all have a desire to impress others, or maybe we have a low self-image. As Christians however, we shouldn’t care what other people think, and we shouldn’t have a low self-image of ourselves. We should take pride in being a beautiful creation. Still, it’s hard.
Thankfully though, impostorism isn’t all bad. According to the article, “It reflects a respect for the limits of one’s own abilities, and an intuition that only a true impostor would be afraid to ask for help.” I agree. Maybe I should ask for help more often.
Thanks so much for contributing this post to The Seventh Day: Ninth Edition blog carnival at On the Horizon! The Carnival will be live tomorrow, February 24, 2008! Stop by and check out the other excellent submissions!
Interesting observations. I think we are all imposters to varying degrees in different situations. I certainly am. It is part of surviving in the world, esp. when you are a Christian making a living in a secular environment.
[…] shares Who am I? No, really from Connected Christianity. He wonders, “Why are we so fake all the time? Is being honest […]
I love this article because it deals with issues that we all need to look at honestly. All of us tend to do this, we all have learned it from early on. However, as we desire to grow spiritually, I do believe that such a journey requires authenticity to a greater degree. I am so glad you wrote on this because I think it speaks to all of us. Thank you so much!
A few weeks ago I read how babies learn manipulation from an early age so they can get what they want (bottles, being held, etc.). I know my young son has already tries it, but we don’t let him get away with it. It seems like presenting a false self is something we do before we even know what we’re doing. Maybe that’s why it’s so hard to grow out of it. I think that as our spiritual maturity increases, our honesty and authenticity will also. Still, it’s a life-long process.
Hopeful Sp., I hope your working environment lets you be who you are without having to stifle too much.