Is your physical body you?

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My partner once stated, when we were discussing gender, that probably what he sees himself most as, is a brain in a jar.

I personally do not feel that my physical appearance, including the sound of my own voice, accurately represent who I am to my own self-perception. I used to have some issues with this, seemingly the standard body-image issues that most young women have as they grow up. But now I'm just more upset (when I bother to think about it which isn't often) that it's not really representative of me. I'm beginning to realize that there are steps I can take so that my image and appearance will be more in-line with how I perceive myself, which would be nice to show to the outside world instead of them getting a wrong impression of who I am, but the amount of effort just to spend on physical appearance is not appealing to me at all. Keep in mind I'm not just talking about grooming, but clothing choice and style, things which shouldn't be all that much harder or more effort than just putting on random clothes because I already make sure I buy clothes that fit pretty well and aren't ugly.

But at the same time, even doing all that, that I wouldn't get a self-representation that is me, just closer to me. I feel like I've purposefully ignored that things like my voice and my face don't match my internal image of myself for so long that I could be shoved into any body as long as I moved my brain in with it, and I would hardly be bothered. Of course, other people would see me and treat me differently because of it, and that would take awhile getting used to.


Anyways, seems to me like this might also be something a lot of the people on the spectrum have to a degree.

No, the meatsack is not me.

I think what you propose has been a philosophical discussion for centuries. Jains, for instance, regard the physical body as unimportant, just a mere "jar" for their soul. Their emphasis, then, is not looking good, buying the hottest shoes, or getting the newest hairstyle but living a life as austere as possible to remove the bad karma that has accumulated on the soul for years. It's why Jains practice non-violence and are strict regarding what they eat.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dissociation_(psychology)

http://www2.nami.org/Content/Navigation ... orders.htm

also on Boltzmann Brains.

No but it's a part of you.

This discussion has always come up in discussion for me when talking about people who are trans. They have a highly separate identity than their body and it bothers them to the extent that they desire to change bodies. That's not something considered dissociative nor greatly philosophical (imo), nor is it the sort of answer I was looking for. Guess I should have made a poll.

When I look in a mirror, I feel that my body represents who I am very well. But when I see/hear myself on video, I feel like it's someone else, not me.

I feel more like I'm a parasite using this body as a puppet, and I would love to get a new one as this one is malfunctioning.
I don't know if it's anything like what a trans person feels, but I have never really felt like my body is me, though I have learned to accept it, that I'm not going to be able to escape it until death (and even then, who knows). I don't know what I want instead, it's probably just a strong desire to just escape being mortal. Limited. Trapped.

I don't exactly feel like a 30 year old, balding, deep voiced, bearded man, but I am.

A boy\man? Yes. I have never needed to question this.

Internally, I do not feel any different to when I was around 17 and often get a surprise when I see myself in the mirror and see what I see.

I started to go bald at 16, but there is really little I could do about it, and to be honest it probably didn't affect me as much as it should have, I didn't have to look at it and girls still found me attractive.

There are a few reasons for the beard (think biker beard), I really don't like the sensation of shaving, but most of all it acts as a protective veil in ways, not only does my true self hide behind it, it can turn away unwanted attention.

I noticed, I am granted a lot more respect and courtesy with the beard. I'm not sure if people think I will slash there tires if they get on the wrong side of me, or because I look much older (I do), but it works. I am less intimidated by the world around me because my "shield" is up.

So while I do not look how I feel internally, I am glad I look the way I do, and I wouldn't change it.

I often feel disconnected from my body, like I am some sort of sphere of consciousness looking out a window (eyes) controlling this meat mobile or something. I also kinda forget I exist sometimes? I'm not sure if it makes any sense. It's like I'm living my life through other people, I observe others interactions and feel what they feel kind of like watching TV. So when someone makes eye contact with me or tries to interact with me I'm like ??? and I don't know how to react because I'm kinda just void.

Nope; I'm always surprised when I look in the mirror because I never picture myself as how I actually look (not that I'm ugly and I always expect a beauty queen or something)-- just that what I think I look like is nothing like how I actually do. I am just me inside this suit that is necessary for me to have, in order to exist on this plane. But I am not this meatsuit-- I'm just renting it until my time here is over and I'm free again.

yeah i feel like that a lot

i think of my body as some sort of system that i have to learn to use

and sometimes i do depersonalize (or whatever its called) and i've brought it up to my therapist and psychiatrist and they said it's pretty common with people that have anxiety, depression, and/or autism