Where You Are is What You Are

by Phil Houtz on April 2, 2010

in Destinations

World's largest drawing used GPS

I stumbled across a provocative label on Mark Bernstein’s site, coupling the phrase “Where you are is WHAT you are” with the caption “Weber’s Qualitatvie Analysis Tools.” As best I can tell, Weber refers to sociologist Max Weber and “Where you are is WHAT you are” is a quote from Constantin Stanislavski related to his affective memory system of acting. The notion is that if you want to act the part of a jealous prince you use your imagination to return to a set of circumstances where you felt jealousy. The feelings were not the key, it is your response to the circumstances that is the key.

Environmental psychologists call this “place identity.” A person’s memories and sense of self are attached to particular places. This is one reason why going “home for the holidays” is filled with emotion for so many people.

If we are the sum of our memories, and if our memories are rooted in a particular place then, yes, where we are is who we are. And if we want to better know ourselves, then one way to start would be with understanding our own particular place.

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Where You Are Is (REALLY) What You Are
April 14, 2010 at 2:09 am

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Phil Houtz April 7, 2010 at 5:05 am

Must be another difference between men and women. I can remember what I wore on freshman Hell Night at University of Redlands, but that’s about it.

Now Rick Blaine, he had a memory for those sorts of details.

johnna April 7, 2010 at 3:29 am

but number one for event recall possibly could be what were you wearing. damn, i hate it when they put you in a paper gown in the rubber room; or naked with seargents all around. location, location, location. woof!

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