Recently, I watched an Instagram video featuring an excerpt from Maria Shriver’s interview on CBS’ Sunday Morning. She discussed her journey of self-healing and, of course, her new book.
Her words struck a chord and have lingered in my mind ever since. She posed a powerful question:
“If the exterior labels fall away, who are you underneath all of that?”
This question is especially relevant for anyone on a journey of self-discovery or striving to define themselves. While Maria frames it through her circumstances—as a woman in her mid-fifties, recently separated, and having left her career behind years ago—this question resonates with countless individuals navigating their own identities.
Interestingly, the Netflix series everyone is talking about—Adolescence—explores similar themes. Adolescence has always been a time of identity formation, but today’s teenagers face added pressures, largely due to social media’s influence. The platform amplifies societal narratives about masculinity: what kind of men boys should aspire to be, how they should interact with others, particularly women, and the behaviors deemed acceptable. In Adolescence, the alpha male archetype is portrayed in troubling ways, associating aggression and violence with manhood—a deeply concerning depiction.
The theme of identity has been a cornerstone in art and humanities for centuries, yet it feels especially pressing today. We live in an era fraught with uncertainties. Global politics shake us daily, environmental changes remind us of our fragility, and the world feels increasingly unsafe. Adding to this, social media bombards us with endless imagery and voices telling us how to look, act, and feel—all while pushing us to conform to unattainable ideals.
In professional life, we grapple with expectations, peer pressure, and the financial constraints that keep us in jobs we dislike. We avoid discussing politics for fear of jeopardizing relationships. Vulnerability is often shunned, perceived as weakness. In this climate, labels become a shield—a way to present curated versions of ourselves and distance our true selves from reality.
One speaker—whose name I can’t recall—made a striking observation in another talk show: “Social media isn’t the problem; it’s merely a podium for societal issues.” While that’s partially true, it’s impossible to deny social media’s significant role in shaping our identities. For too long, social media has been dismissed as separate from reality. It’s not. It’s a tangible part of our lives, deeply intertwined with how we define ourselves. Popular labels often dominate, and in their quest for acceptance, many people adopt the most viral or trendy ones without question.
Maria Shriver’s statement, “I went on a spiritual quest to find out who I was, what shaped me, and who I wanted to be”, is not just her journey—it’s a universal one. Whether adolescents, young adults, or mature adults, we all yearn to know who we are when the exterior layers are stripped away. Yet, in this digital age, it’s all too easy to ignore this intrinsic need or outsource it to curated content. After all, who has the time or energy for genuine self-reflection?
Nevertheless, prioritizing that question—who am I without my exterior labels?—is essential. To be honest, I don’t have an answer yet. Like many others, I define myself through external markers: my career, location, hobbies, marital status. But strip those away, and I’m at a loss.
So, thank you, Maria, for posing this question that has stayed with me. I’ve decided to take the time to “de-label” myself and embark on the journey to discover my authentic self. I sincerely hope Maria’s words and shows like Adolescenceinspire more people to do the same—to explore their identities beyond societal labels and external expectations.
Perhaps such introspection could lead to a more connected society, one built on genuine human connection. It could provide space for our children to grow without social media’s overwhelming influence. It could empower individuals to embrace their uniqueness—uncategorizable, vulnerable, and talented beyond the confines of catchy phrases or viral posts. Imagine that: a world where we don’t need labels to define who we are.
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RosieGlobal 
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