“The self thus becomes aware of itself only by its opposition to another self ”
— Jean Piaget
Simplified Meaning:
We learn who we are by interacting with other people. Imagine you are playing a game of soccer. You understand how good you are at running, passing, or scoring by seeing how other players perform and react to you. The same thing happens in life: you get to know your strengths and weaknesses, your likes and dislikes, by comparing yourself with others and by how they respond to you. For example, if you help a friend and they thank you, you learn that you are kind and helpful. If you disagree with someone, you understand your own opinions better because you must explain and defend them. By being around others, you see what makes you different and special. This back-and-forth with people helps build your self-identity and confidence. You understand yourself better through the connections and oppositions with other people.
