The Relational Self: How Others Influence Our Sense of Identity

The Delphic oracle 'Know thyself' is echoed in psychoanalysis as 'Know yourself through the other.' Our search for identity unfolds in relation to others – our mind begins to weave narratives around the significant others. We often believe others influence us, but in truth, they become part of our self. Radically, one could say: there is no self without others. This 'other' can be a parental figure – loving, punitive, or neglecting – a stranger who became a lover in reality or fantasy, or even your Instagram.