How does one determine who is a person rather than a biological entity of a human being? The checklist doesn’t consist of blue eyes, brown eyes, medium length hair, etc. although it does judge based on appearance. So how then is personhood earned?

It can be based on one’s intelligence, so if you get every A and push yourself past all limits to achieve the long term benefits it does not guarantee, you are showing your person ablitilies. It can tie into labor and how to be a functioning member of society. Be polite, but not too nice or talkative. Go to college to get a good job. I was somewhat under the impression that because I am a human being I have human rights which is true to an extent, but the lesser known, harder to achieve, subconscious rights are my person rights. 

These subconscious rights are subjective in the sense that the majority of the population possesses certain qualities and if you do not adhere to this ‘golden standard’ you will be seen as less than a person or nonhuman. But how does earning personhood play a role in my life if I am not actively trying to obtain it? Earning personhood is something taught in school, by your parents, or your friends that guide you on what is seen as right and what is seen as wrong. Sometimes it isn’t verbally said out loud but just person functioning you observe and notice what others perceive as right and wrong. Of course we are all capable of having minds of our own and we do, but we often have to rediscover what we want to believe in because thousands of messages were constantly shoved into us and one day we might realize we don’t have to agree with said opinion. For some this realization occurs young and it could take others a longer time to learn it. It took me a little longer to realize, but when I did I now see how I was born with expectations to uphold the desires of personhood and I continued to cling to these desires without knowing what it was. The questions asked in interviews are seeing if we possess the characteristics to qualify for a job. Tell us about yourself- who are you? Do you have friends, a social life, a degree, hobbies, etc.

The world can be a networking pariah that feeds and flocks to other people, and yet strives for individuality and leadership qualities. Some people can do it but some fumble to grasp the thin line that is ‘originality’ which people like. It can’t be too far off that sets you too far from person attributes, so something like running in a marathon or owning 10 dogs. The scale of personhood is always teetering and always changing yet it is also a very balanced and perfected plate that no one can fully understand because it’s based on an internalized majority agreeing how anything is seen.