Although deceptively simple, this question is often one of the most difficult to answer. However, the author known as Michel De Montaigne dedicated his life to writing a book filled from cover to cover with essays in an attempt to paint an honest picture of himself. In each essay, Montaigne attempts to discover himself by exposing his reactions and ideas on various experiences and life topics. In doing so, he is able to determine how much of his "character" was the result of nature and how much was a byproduct of society. So, using Montaigne's idea of ​​self-examination, is it really possible to truly know who we are? How could we go about understanding it? And what truly shapes us today? People define themselves in different ways: I am (my name), I am (my position), I am (my life experiences), etc. With so many different means of classification, it's difficult to come to a conclusive answer about what makes you, you. Montaigne's approach is made up of his life's experiences, and while it encompasses virtually everything that is you, it still lacks a lot of things to desire in refining one's identity. So, is it really possible to take something as complex and multi-faceted as the soul and reduce it to an idea that we can grasp and understand? . The answer is no, to have a true understanding of who we are could take a lifetime of reflection and then some, which is strange because who knows you better than you do? RIGHT? Most people agree with Montaigne that they are the result of their life experiences, but humans have an imagination and free will that allows us to go far beyond what our experiences characterize. . If you can't truly define who you are as a person, it doesn't do it. That's not to say you shouldn't skip to the middle of paper...ads on every wall or logos on every item of clothing. The ability of today's generation to thrive in personal growth is hindered by their desire for these omnipresent status symbols. Instead of trying to promote a well-known clothing line or a luxury automobile, we should try to promote less materialism in the eyes of our youth. generation. We should promote food drives to help solve world hunger. Focusing not on what is important for the individual, but on what is important for humanity as a whole. The more we address real-world issues like these, the more we begin to become better people. Wealth should not be measured by the number of inches in your wallet, but by our actions to make the world a better place. The more effort we put into these ideas, we will arrive at a greater and deeper definition of ourselves..