Thoughts on Self-Categorization
All individuals are evolving, multidimensional beings. Don’t trick yourself into thinking that you will always belong to a single static category.
This includes
- Your job/profession
- Personality types
- Horoscopes
- Relationship attachment styles
- Romantic/Sexual preferences (see exceptions below)
- Political Party
- Gender
Don’t let someone else’s rigid categories define you. Only you can do that.
The more you restrict yourself to a specific method of existence, the more that becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy and the less likely you’ll be able to change for the better
From personal experience, every time I take the Myers-Briggs personality test I get a different result. Like with everything, my personality of the day depends on my mood and other external factors. Plus now we know that Myers-Brigs has lost scientific merit over time.
Another one is Attachment Styles I’ve qualities of all three attachment styles.
If it brings you comfort then by all means keep your preferred category. If it helps you and your community unite under a common cause, if taking on that category brings you power, if it helps you navigate this scary world, then definitely keep taking it on.
Some noteable exceptions I can think of:
- Race (duh)
- Sexual orientation
- Basically anything you were born with that wasn’t chosen by you or someone else
This is just my opinion I have no idea if this is informed by any kind of scientific research.