Likes and dislikes. These are just more than our preferences; it can also act as identifiers. Shaped by childhood experiences, family, and social backgrounds, a human identity is a mental construct of social values.
This sense of self reflects how 'I' want 'myself' and others to perceive 'me' as.
Esquire Singapore is exploring this psychological phenomenon in our upcoming August issue and we want to know what defines you. Treat this as a confessional and bare your soul. Choose to leave your first name and age or be totally anonymous, it’s totally up to you.
Entries will be selected to be featured in our August print issue and on our site till August. Game? Here are the questions:
*Terms and Conditions: No abusive behaviour will be tolerated and submissions will be ignored if it is sexual or suggestive content involving minors; encourages or incites violence; threatens, harasses, or bullies or encourages others to do so; impersonates someone in a misleading or deceptive manner; is spam.
Below are some answers that caught our eyes (and raised some 'brows):
Confessional #10
Who are you when no one else is watching?
"A childish, lazy person who makes 'cutesy' noises to escape stress. Free to rant, free to cry and free to say the things I wouldn’t have said in a professional environment. Truly air my dark thoughts out."—Anonymous
Confessional #9
What do you know to be true about yourself?
"I believe everything happens for a reason. Everything ranging from things that happens in your daily life, to heartbreaks, and the loss of your loved ones. It’s like the universe telling us to pick ourselves up when things go wrong and enjoy the good ones."—Anonymous
Confessional #8
Who are you when no one else is watching?
"I guess, just being the most human I can ever be. To make mistakes without fear of judgement, barefaced without living up to expectations and vocalising my thoughts out loud without fear of looking insane." —Anonymous
Confessional #7
Who do you want to be?
"It's so easy to be someone nowadays, to copy a style or person. Therefore, I want to grow into a person uniquely myself such that there will not be a second me." —Anonymous
Confessional #6
What do you know to be true about yourself?
"I'm honest but capable of telling white lies." —Anonymous
Confessional #5
What do you believe?
"Sticking up between the others' advice and my own personal life beliefs. They say there are two sides to a coin. You have to be that coin. We're bound to make some mistakes but we learn and improve from those errors." —Anonymous
Confessional #4
Who are you when no one is watching?
"I'm a lot more serious and solemn, a stark contrast from the person that I am around people—which is the crazy and carefree one. And because people see me this way, I feel like I have to keep up that persona, or they'll think something's off. I think a lot more than people think I do!" —Anonymous
Confessional #3
Who do you want to be?
"I want to be able to be true myself. Society judges too much. Anything one does, people judge. It's hard to be myself, speak my mind, go all out, be as crazy as I want, be as loud as I want. I'm taking baby steps, one step at a time to slowly step out of my comfort zone. It's hard but I'm trying." —Anonymous
Confessional #2
What do you know to be true about yourself?
"My value and identity are beyond labels and people’s opinions. My worst days don’t define me; it only makes me stronger." —Anonymous
Confessional #1
Who are you when no one is watching?
"Eating ice cream watching Netflix in pyjamas. Scared that life is rushing away too quickly and wondering if I’m fulfilling my potential." —Anonymous
Featured answers updated daily. Survey runs until August.