Wednesday, July 3, 2013
COM 325 / Week Two Discussion: Identity: What Exactly Is It?
Identity is huge in one's life. People sometimes die for "who they are" and "what they stand for." Yet, identity is not innate, it is something we cultivate in our mind over time. Sometimes, it could be very trivial, vanity-related, and even empty. We can get rid of the concept of identity without losing the true value of the self. To me, identity is an embellishment and a mask I learn to get rid of day by day as I age; what do you think?
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I would agree with your statement: “identity is an embellishment and a mask I learn to get rid of day by day as I age”. It is described in the text about how our culture guides us and gives us the rules on how to function and perform within the world to be successful, or to keep the culture moving forward. But, unfortunately, in recent history so much of our culture teachings come from a “popular” perspective. Relating this back to your statement, specifically the embellishment part, the “popular” perspective forces us to act outside of our value system but within cultural norms to appease our need for acceptance, that is born from the “culturally driven” need to be part of the group. And, personally, it is “day by day as I age” that I am able to see more clearly my true values, not how I want to be seen by others, but more so, how I need to be seen by my family, so I can be the best version of myself to further my perception of a strong culture that I can pass on to my children.
ReplyDeleteIdentity is huge in my life. I have worked for the fire department since I was 22 years old 25 years last November. This in essence is the only real job I have ever had. This job has bought houses, cars, college educations, payed for family vacations and necessities. My family is very proud of me and my accomplishments over a 25 year career. All members of, my family are quick to point out to people what I do for a living when introduced by them. Never do my friends or family say this is Scott, he likes to take camping trips with his friends and family and spend as much time outdoors as he possibly can, he reads histroy books and likes to fix up old cars. In his job he likes to teach and mentor new employees so that they understand the culture and history of the fire service. My family and my personal interests are more important to me then my job but yet my identity is determined by the fact that I'm a firefighter and some people find this impressive although to me it's just a job. To me identity is an embellishment and a mask that I try to get rid of day by day as I age. When I am on my death bed I may think about my job and the friends I made while working. The family, history books, camping and teacj=hing the new generation of firefighters is what has really mattered the most in my life.
ReplyDeleteMy identity has changed over my lifetime. I agree with your comment "identity is an embellishment and a mask I learn to get rid of day by day as I age" because it seems like early in life we all conform to "fit in" especially in school. As I have grown up and made my own decisions on how I want to live my life a lot of the identity that I created while in my teens has changed drastically. In my teens, I wanted to fit in. I was always on the chunky side so I conformed in other ways, one of the main ways was drinking and partying. These actions got me into the "IN" crowd. As I have grown older and started a family, I changed this part of my life. I have not drank or partied for the last 22 + years. I don't miss that part of my life at all. I have raised my child in a alcohol free home and he has decided that he also doesn't want that type of identity. He is almost 24 and never had a drink! My family (parents and siblings) all drink heavily and I didn't want my son to grown up in that type of household. In my younger years that was my identity now everyone who knows me knows me as someone who does not drink or party. I like my nice quiet life and find other ways to stay active and busy.
ReplyDeleteIdentity can be confusing. I associate identity as multiple masks that I must wear everyday to satisfy the needs of others. I have a business mask which translates to exhibiting different behaviors such as being more aggressive, outspoken, forthright etc. I have the mom mask where I am more compassionate, tolerant, and patient. Underneath these masks I am still the same individual that strives to make ends meet, to be more confident and establish and meet goals. I believe as I get older I have become more myself as the needs for wearing masks goes away. Eventually I will no longer be the mother that drives her kids everywhere. I will be a mom through telephone or email only. These masks as they shed away will reveal the true self and make like much easier.
ReplyDeleteIdentity
ReplyDeleteI believe that identity is something that makes us who we are. And with your statement about how identity changes day to day as we age, I believe that is true, because we are in this world to learn new things each day, and to teach our young ones what we know, so they can take that acknowledge and teach others too. Identity is many things, it is who we are; example of that is what we look like, no two people are the same from inside and out, even with twins. When making the comment about how people will die in “what they stand for” and “who they are” I tend to think about the ones that protect us, the military, the police, they all die for that they believe in, in our country, they know going in to this line of duty that they could die, but they will die for what they believe in.