AY: Persona
The other day I decided I would walk home only treading upon alleys as the means to arrive at my destination. My journey began downtown and ended at S 13th and J. There is quite a diverse array of alleys between these two places. Some didn’t seem like alleys at all and others seemed as though they were straight out of a book I had read, or a movie I had seen. Some were lined with restaurants and businesses, others with back doors lined up like my kindergarten box of Crayolas, and others that were a chess board of garbage receptacles or they seemed to be the receptacle themselves.
As I ascended The Hill this trend faded quickly. The alleyways became personal. They tended to be that of homes and back yards strewn with toys, perhaps a discarded couch here and there. There were patios with grills and unoccupied chairs for an unexpected visit and an evening drink. The backs of these homes and apartments seemed to be where the real life was happening. In some cases children were playing, friends were chatting, or dogs roamed.
So often it seems as though we put the reality of our lives in the proverbial backyard and place what we think society wants to see out in front for all to see. The alleys of our lives are where we keep the garbage, the discarded memories we would rather forget, and sometimes even the small joys that we would rather hide and keep to ourselves. I don’t know about you all but, I can sometimes tend to hide my real self a lot of the time. Or worse yet, I make other people hide their real selves because I would rather not deal with their garbage and what they keep in their alley.
If we choose not to walk the alleyways of our neighbors’ lives, how can we expect to know how interact with them and become the community that Tacoma needs? Granted, there are places where neighbors cross alleys and work together to deal with the needs of their neighbors and their community. Yet, more often than not, it seems that we go through the days, weeks, and months without any interaction with the reality of our own lives and lives of the people we live with. Is it because we don’t know how, or is it because we just don’t want to deal with the garbage?
As I said, I tend to avoid the garbage. This seems to be true with the actual blight in our neighborhoods as well. I cannot count how many times I have heard someone say how they wish so-and-so would clean up their yard, cover up the graffiti, or simply mow their lawn. How often do we get to know the person we are demanding this of? Maybe they are lazy. But, perhaps there are other circumstances that we could discover if only we chose to walk through their alley and get to know them as a person.
The word “person” comes from the Latin word persona which means, “an actor’s mask, or actor in a play.” I think they got it right when they created that word. It is very true that we as people often tend to wear masks or act the role that we are given, and continue to live into our false selves and realities. Perhaps we need to step off of the stage and down into the crowd and even allow others to do the same in order to walk the alleys and truly understand our community and its garbage, its discarded memories, and its hidden joys.
Filed under: Adam-Ydstie, General
5 comments
T Thorax O'Tool May 12, 2009
It has been said that all human language, all personalities and interpersonal actions are nothing more than a mask we use to hide ourselves behind.
Perhaps could it be that we adopt various personas to give the appearance that there actually is something of value and meaning behind the mask we wear. Depending on how one defines the very concept of the “self”, we can see why we act the way we do towards others and why it may not be possible to let the “real” us come out.
In one aspect, all the efforts we put into our personas is little more than a means for the id to satisfy it’s need for the release of energy (pleasure).
Or, one can view the self as the result of integrating one’s conscious, unconscious and ego into an individual.
Or then again, perhaps the self doesn’t exist at all. The personas we adopt are a tool to attempt to maintain a hold on relationships with people and things because the impermanent nature of the universe, including our very lives, makes us uneasy and afraid. We’re afraid of losing our hold on a temporary relationship with temporary things and beings, so we act in ways and create personas that we think will cement said relationships as long as possible.
S Sven Anderson May 13, 2009
Nihilism gets you nowhere.
J J. Cote May 13, 2009
Wonderful observations by Adam and, of course, TOT.
An additional thought, or observance: One cannot have the community that exists around those alleys if the neighborhood is made up of high-rise condominiums or of the six-plexes that were put up on Pine St. adjacent to the Mall. The sense of community, of being PART of something is lost in the elevators and hallways that permit ingress and egress to the building. The sense of Community that Adam experienced is lost when one doesn’t know which “neighbor” (if any) will be encountered in the lift today.
D dolly varden May 14, 2009
J. Cote, I’m not sure the alleys on Hilltop are such a great example of successful community … nothing against the neighborhood, which despite some lingering issues, adds a lot to Tacoma. And to cite the poorly planned high density development around Tacoma Mall as a reason why high density development is bad in general is like saying the U.S. presidency is forever worthless because George W. once held that office. The fact is, high density development can, when done right, foster community and economic, social, and environmental sustainability. Lots of big cities have a great sense of community in part due to their density, which creates less auto-dependence and more pedestrian activity. In Tacoma, the Stadium is a good example of a quite high density neighborhood with a good feeling of community.
A Anne May 15, 2009
Can’t get much higher density than New York City – and Manhattan is one small, quality neighborhood community after another!