Who are you???
Recently someone on Medium mentioned about not being able to aptly introduce themselves in a social setting/semi-formal event when asked “Can we meet you?” Very honestly, If someone asked me the same, I would probably reply with “Why? Where?” :D Not kidding or trying to be cheeky. It is a cultural gap of sorts where some informal phrase one uses in their social setting could be lost in translation for someone else. One would rather be straight forth with me and ask for an ‘introduction’.
Now this question isn’t as easy as it sounds. Most people think that they have a very good answer but only end up introducing themselves with their professional title. They usually say something to the effect of “I am Mr XYZ , a doctor/engineer/scientist/historian/teacher/influencer/podcaster etcetera working with XYZ institute or corporation or freelancing.” This is unless you are accomplished enough to need no introduction but again in the vast expanse of this universe there will always be people who do not know you and you have to be humble enough to acknowledge that.
Now, sorry to burst your bubble, but that is what you DO not who you are. It is a fine introduction in a professional setting, but a lame one in a social setting. You have to learn to separate your egotistical professional attributes from your core personality. Now try to reintroduce yourself and most people will be grappling for words.
To state for instance, most people are elated on receiving the ‘Doctor’ title whether that is in the health industry or a PhD in a certain subject. I am tempted to quote Rachel from ‘FRIENDS’ here where she tells Ross in a hospital , “ ‘Doctor’ actually means something here.” However having said that, it is a title I refrain from using in social situations. You will never find me writing my name as Dr XYZ unless I am in a health care setting or where it is absolutely essential. Miss XYZ is good enough.
The hilarious part is that even doctors choose to write their designation in places like their wedding hall. Dr XYZ weds ABC or Dr XYZ Weds Dr ABC . That is definitely one thing I can skip on my wedding day. If people need to be reminded whose wedding they are attending, may be they shouldn’t be there in the first place. And if you want to write ‘Dr’ make sure there are invitees in potential need of a CPR or just cut that crap.
To elaborate on how much people allow their work to define themselves, I know of people who would say, “I am marrying a pathologist” . The reason being that they are a physician and the two professions go well hand in hand. I even told one of them, “Dude, you are marrying a person not their profession. She just happens to be a pathologist.” They totally leave out the characteristics of the person they are marrying and are more focused on the optics part instead.
This little girl who wrote the Medium article actually made me mull on these things. Maybe I should change my bio slightly and let me reintroduce myself. Here I go:-
I am Unapologeticallyyourstruly, (that itself should speak loud and clear :D) From XYZ place, here on Medium for expressing myself unabashedly, speaking my truth and to meet more like minded people. It doesn’t matter where you belong, if you are honest and conscientious enough, I already like you. I enjoy writing. I find it both cathartic and therapeutic. Other interests would include travel, music, cooking and photography. I am pathologically curious so much that I obsess about things I do not understand. So, if curiosity kills the cat, you can consider me dead already. ‘Dead’ and ‘Alive’ are semantics as far as I am concerned because you see, I am in love with life so much that even when I actually die, I hope my spirit can continue to thrive for eons to come.
If prodded, I would say that I belong to the Health industry and is a trained physician as well.
Cheers!
