Define me outside the box.

Who we are, are the perceptions we build. Are we easliy containted by others notions of who we are, or are we individuals with as many determining factors as there are thoughts to be considered? It is very easy to confuse one's moral, political, and religious ideals as being one in the same. In much the same way that a... person (like myself) can be a believer in Christ and still follow the rational observations of science, people can be any combination of ideas and identities. So while it becomes very easy to stereotype and become stereotyped (it is part of our survivalist nature) we must realize that there are as many combinations of thought as there are people. Many of us will stereotype ourselves, and be stereotyped into a convenient group that "best" matches what we believe, but does this ever represent us as an individual? Sure, it is comfortable to be in a box and put others in their boxes, but if that is where we stay then we will never reach our greatest potential as individuals and thinkers. I have seen it in both "boxes" of our time: this or that group identifies this way politically therefore must identify in some general moral and philosphic way. So then people, I would estimate the majority, accept the entire view associated with the stereotyped group. This can be dangerous, as people begin to not question what is right or wrong anymore. They assume that what is good for the group is good for all. This can lead to moral drift and the banality of evil, as seen throughout history crime after crime. We have to, as individuals, rise to the challenge to constantly be thinking of each set of circumstances as ends to themselves: that is, we take time to carefully consider every circumstance and event as it is. When we do this we begin to see a broader spectrum of thought, as infinate in possibility as the considerations allow. This is how I can be only one thing, "Me".
I may say I am politically independent because I don't think any of our currently existing political bodies represent the best interests of the people; I may say I am morally conservative because my moral foundations are conservationist of life, of family, and environment. I may say I am a Christian, a scientist, a philosopher; just as, I may say I... See More am a husband/father, a musician, and a carpenter. We will stay where we are most comfortable. If we want to live in a box we will; if we want to live outside of a box we will. I am reminded of an Old Italian saying, "After a game of chess, kings and pawns are all placed in the same box". In the end we have more in common than any of the superficial ideals we hold in life.