We certainly notice the impact social separation has on our sense of self. We notice how our emotions shift when we are around certain others. Theoretically, every person that we make conscious contact with adds a layer to this “collective self”, which in turn influences how we approach life emotionally, behaviourally and perceptively.
the people that we grew up with, our current relationships, etc. This social side of our identity is referred to as the “collective self”, which is basically an amalgamation of our individual selves intertwined with the extent our life that has been ‘peopled’ (e.g. A sense of grieving right now is also present for many… mourning the realities that ‘could have been’ right now with the relationships we treasure.Īs social beings, we put so much time and energy into our relationships, to the extent that our relationships become part of our identities.
We are all grappling with isolation in loneliness in some form, being forced to cut back on the social engagements that were ever-present in our lives only weeks before. This question (and its variants) is likely echoing throughout the globe as we settle into the realities of COVID-19.
