"If I didn't define myself for myself, I would be crunched into other people's fantasies for me and eaten alive"

This quote by Audre Lorde talks to the value of self-definition and self-determination. It emphasizes the requirement to take control of one's own identity and to not allow oneself to be specified by the expectations of others. Lorde is alerting versus the threats of enabling oneself to be shaped by the expectations of others, as it can lead to a loss of one's own identity and sense of self. She is recommending that if one does not put in the time to define themselves, they risk being "crunched into other individuals's dreams" and "eaten alive". To put it simply, if one does not put in the time to define themselves, they risk being consumed by the expectations of others and losing their own sense of self. This quote speaks with the significance of self-definition and self-determination, and the need to take control of one's own identity and not permit oneself to be defined by the expectations of others.