Jean-Paul Sartre's reflection on identity and the past: 'We are what we do with what was done to us.' - La Nación

Psychologist Gabriel Rolón explored the profound connection between past experiences and personal identity, drawing on Jean-Paul Sartre's existentialist philosophy. Rolón highlighted Sartre's renowned phrase, "We are what we do with what was done to us," to illustrate that individuals are not entirely predetermined by their circumstances.

Rolón explained that while formative experiences and relationships significantly influence personality, they do not dictate a person's ultimate destiny. He noted that individuals often become caught between idealizing the past and anticipating future happiness, neglecting to cultivate well-being in the present moment.

The psychologist elaborated on Sartre's idea, emphasizing that although people do not choose their initial contexts, they retain the freedom to decide how they react to the marks left by those experiences. Memories and past events "did things to us," but this does not condemn us to automatically repeat them. Instead, individuals possess the agency to choose their responses.

Rolón also touched upon the subjective nature of memory, describing it as an "editing" or "photoshopping" of the past. This process can lead to idealized recollections of figures like parents or childhood moments. However, he clarified that this idealization does not diminish the emotional value of these experiences, as they remain integral to a person's identity.