Without you, there is no me. It takes other people to be a self. We have to assemble the components of our selfhood, and while some of that comes from interacting with the objects, spaces, environmental conditions and so on, a great deal of our self-construction occurs while interacting with other selves, in varying degrees of completion.

Our playmates might be as unassembled as we are, while our parents, uncles, grandmothers, and so on are likely to be finished and polished selves. We benefit from interacting with all kinds of people.

Other people never cease to be critical. Our selves are not sufficient to easily survive solitary confinement in prison over a long period of time. We tend to shatter, eventually. People who are isolated (but at liberty), like immobile old people or psychologically fragile adults who avoid social contact, don't do well over time, physically or psychologically. They die at a much higher rate than people who are connected with others, everything else being equal.

I always think philosophy gets lost in heady speculation and neglects the nuts and bolts of human existence -- eating, playing, mating, emotions, working on cars, (or bikes, or quilting, whatever) the long hours at work, family, pets, etc.

I really agree with your last paragraph. You summarize the true daily existence of humans. Aside from philosophical inquiry, and I truly respect that.

Your answer was profound and has truly helped my learning process,

So, thank you for your comment. I wish you well and I look forward to hearing more of what you have to say.

The great thing about having done a class in child-psychology is that you learn to trust absolutely nothing said by child psychologists! This, I would suggest, is an opportune moment to practice that very handy power!