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About this quote

What does it mean?
A person's social identity is multiple and depends on who recognizes them.
In plain terms
You act differently with different people based on how they see you.
What can you take from it?
Accept that you have many social selves.

Where it applies

  • social situations
  • workplace
  • family

Putting it to work

  • adapt communication style
  • build diverse networks

Questions to consider

  • Who are you with whom?
  • Does your core self exist?

Another view

It may ignore the core self that remains constant.

More from William James

  1. In its widest possible sense, however, a man's Self is the sum total of all that he can call his, not only his body and his psychic powers, but his clothes and…

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  2. So our self-feeling in this world depends entirely on what we back ourselves to be and do.

    Permalink to quote #27
  3. An act has no ethical quality whatever unless it be chosen out of several all equally possible.

    Permalink to quote #24

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