The Disruption of Self–Other Dialogue as a Cause of Identity Crisis

Abstract

The human being exists in a constant state of searching for the Other and discovering the latter within oneself—a process that enables us, as an "I" or a "We," to expand the horizons of our self-knowledge. The ontological unity of the Self (the "I") and the Other implies that the latter is a crucial participant in the construction of the Self's identity. This unity manifests itself in the substantive duality of the Self. Furthermore, the declaration of the latter's existence is carried out by the Other in a "temporal format," since only the Other is capable of situating the Self in the present and defining its "lifespan," shouldering the emotional weight of such pivotal events as birth and death. Since the registration of the Self's finitude is given to the Other, it follows that the value of its existence is also recorded by the Other, which underscores the necessity of two-sided moral legitimacy. Accordingly, the failure of communication with the Other—resulting in the collapse of the moral bridge that exists between the participants in dialogue—can become a source of identity crisis. Overcoming such a crisis is, first and foremost, a moral–philosophical task that involves the acceptance of the Other and the acknowledgment of one’s responsibility before the Other. Dialogue with the Other reveals points of intersection, thereby ensuring the adequacy of the parties’ self-perception and the integrity of the Self.