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Notes -
I guess I'm saying that the suppression of that desire is as real as it's unleashing. So the prioritizing of the bad behavior/utterance as Real You is just pessimism in disguise. You can just as well focus on the part of you displayed when you're not drunk and say that's the authentic you and the authentic opinion.
Getting sober can reveal old thoughts as well, unmasking the desire, hidden all along deep down, to be a better person.
I see what you mean, it depends on what we mean by describing a person as being x.
When I describe someone as heterosexual or homosexual, I'm referring to their sexual desires, not necessarily to their behavior. If you're a man who wants to fuck men you're a homosexual (or bi but we're going to ignore that for simplicity). It doesn't matter if you successfully suppress that or never get the opportunity, the identity is in the desire not the act.
Ditto racism. I'd define being a racist as having a belief or theory of racial Animus. I don't follow Kendi, I don't think actions are racist by impact alone, only by intention.
If you, on the other hand, define identities by their impact, then it would make sense to say sobriety is the "real" state.
I'm reminded of a quote from Shogun that I've got an effortpost around in the hopper:
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