Define yourself Quote by Morris Berman
![“Negative identity is a phenomenon whereby you define yourself by what you are not. This has enormous advantages, especially in terms of the hardening of psychological boundaries and the fortification of the ego: one can mobilize a great deal of energy on this basis and the new nation [the US]…” quote by Morris Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/9e0/morris-berman-44141_define-yourself_negative-identity-is-a-phenomenon-whereb_2872430.jpg)
““Negative identity is a phenomenon whereby you define yourself by what you are not. This has enormous advantages, especially in terms of the hardening of psychological boundaries and the fortification of the ego: one can mobilize a great deal of energy on this basis and the new nation [the US] certainly did. . . . The downside . . . is that this way of generating an identity for yourself can never tell you who you actually are, in the affirmative sense. It leaves, in short, an emptiness at the center, such that you always have to be in opposition to something, or even at war with someone or something, in order to feel real.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The End of History and the Last Man by Francis Fukuyama, 1992 (quoted in Berman’s essays)
Defining oneself by what one is not creates a strong ego but leaves an inner emptiness, requiring constant opposition to feel real.
In simple terms: Identity based on negation fuels ego but leaves a void.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate a positive, affirmative sense of self rather than defining by opposition.
Themes
identity
psychology
self-concept
Mood
introspective
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- personal development
- therapy
- mindfulness
- goal setting
Key Concepts
negative identity
ego fortification
existential emptiness
Questions to Reflect On
- What positive attributes define you beyond what you reject?
- How can you find meaning without constant conflict?
A Different Perspective
Opposition can be productive when balanced with self-acceptance.
![“Identity is very personal...identity is political. My identity is what is and it is what it's gonna be. And I don't think that any information will change that profoundly...I [already] know that I am a Black woman, and a Black woman who has mixed some heritage, like most African Americans.” quote by Jamilah Lemieux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/35b/jamilah-lemieux-61755_african-american_identity-is-very-personal-identity-is-po_967159.jpg)
![“[I]nfinity is not part of the real world.” quote by Morris Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ce0/morris-berman-44141_real-world_i-nfinity-is-not-part-of-the-real-world_1213502.jpg)
