by
It’s a myth that you get a new body every 7-10 years. The reason is, different cells last different lengths of time. Colon cells last only about four days, skin cells two to three weeks, and neurons a lifetime. In that, the body you are in now is not the same as it was last week, last month, or last year, although it feels the same. So are you truly the same person?
There are those who say our title, occupation, position, and responsibilities lend us identity. And even so, we may have different friends in years to come or a different spouse. Our children will grow up and move away. And our career likely will not stay the same, either. On average, a person changes careers 5-7 times in their lifetime and has 11.7 jobs. That’s impressive, considering how much of our identity is derived from our work and career. We may move to another city or even the other side of the world. So with all of these changes, are we really the same person throughout? If not, which version is the real you? Is there one? There are many ways to answer.
Some philosophers say we are our body. But as we grow older, we get wrinkles and gray hair. We develop health problems and modify our diet. We change our look, our clothes, our hairstyle, and more. And then there’s the death and replacement of most of our cells. So our body isn’t a permanent fixture. Others say our mind is what gives us our identity. Yet, our outlook on life changes over time. We may become an addict or get sober, find religion or lose it, just as we maybe become jaded… or embrace an unbridled optimism.
There is no right answer. What this paradox reminds us is, although we see identity as a fixed and solid structure, it’s actually thin, malleable, and ever-changing.
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