Free Essay

Knowing Ones Self: Should Individuals Identify His or Her Identity?

In:

Submitted By higgins5825
Words 1184
Pages 5
Knowing Ones Self: Should Individuals Identify his or her Identity?
Why is it so important to know your identity? This question is summed up in the obvious statement, “you can only use what you know you have.” It is always easy to illustrate points when they are put it into a monetary context. Say for example that an individual has a bank account with one million dollars in it. He or she, however, did not know about it, but has the ability to find out. The benefit to a person, and possibly others, for making this discovery is worth the trouble taking the time to find out about it. Until a person makes that discovery, it is worthless.
In a world of indecision, is it a good thing for individuals to identify his or her identity? In the dictionary, one can find Identity as, “ the condition of being one’s self or it’s self and not another.” In simple terms, your identity is who you are in this moment. As individuals, we can so easily place an identity on someone else without wondering what ours is. Dr. Seuss said that, “Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is youer than you;” Identity, however, does not reference the process of how you are shaped (Seuss). Within this essay, I will be taking a look at this question and related opinions from a variety of sources. Lets dive into identity. Where does any person start when trying to tackle such a personal natured question? Simply join a conversation. In Marian Ruderman and Christopher Ernst’s journal, “Finding yourself,” the authors state what seems to be the obvious in American culture; “Rapid advances in information and communication technologies are having an impact on the level of interaction among people” (Ruderman, Ernst 14). The parallels with communication and identity seem almost second nature. With out the ability to communicate, how can any person express who they are? In their journal, the authors state that the “processes to increase self awareness include 360-degree feedback, personality assessments, value inventories, mentoring, biographical questionnaires, peer feedback, and coaching” all in an attempt to understand individuality within a social context (Ruderman, Ernst 14). Having a social context of identity and a membership in certain social groups and the idea of belonging to a group is inseparable to a person’s interpretation of his/her identity (Ruderman, Ernst 15). Given Ruderman and Ernst’s stance, its clear to see that they already hold the opinion that identity is a necessity to understand and possess.
This joins what we’ve previously talked about, another conversation by Debra Ford in her article “Urban America as a Context for the Development of Moral Identity in Adolescence,” and her experience on moral identity. Morality is the distinction between right and wrong; in Ford’s article, she looks at the development of moral identity within adolescence. She states, “Adolescent morality is a topic that has long been at the forefront of social policy debate in the United States” (Ford 513). The reason I include her article into this conversation is simply because she takes the stance within her claim that identity in a moral context is a crucial part of society. Take for instance her words, “urban poverty is associated with few opportunities for development of moral identity” (Ford 513). In this passing sentence, Ford has added to this conversation with her educated opinion that identity and urban poverty are related. The question of how closely, that is an entirely different topic all in itself. With that, Ford holds the belief that understanding one’s identity is a good thing.
Considering another point of view from the journal “Becoming an Atheist in America,” by Jesse M. Smith, the author argues in his piece of literature that he “seeks to fill this gap (religious identity) by examining the process by which people construct an atheist identity in a theist society” (217). The reason I bring this piece of work into the conversation is simply that Mr. Smith holds many thought provoking ideas that add to the topic. For instance, Smith states, “I take identity to be fluid and shifting, rather than fixed and permanent” (Smith 217). From birth till death, a human changes, physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually; there is very little solidity in life. And so the process of identifying ones identity is a continuous one at that. But this still does not clarify the question, is identifying (recognize or distinguish) a persons identity a good thing? Adding insight, Smith establishes his view on identity; “Fundamentally, identity is that which we use to locate and understand ourselves in social life” (Smith 217).
With consideration, this notion of identity, and an individuals understanding if self, is beneficial to understand one’s identity. This is no question at all. The notion of good vs. bad in regards to identity, it looses all merit. With the research presented, every voice that has added to this conversation, has either directly or indirectly insinuated that an identity is necessary, not if it’s good or bad. It is necessary. And with that, answering the question, is it a good thing for individuals to identify his or her identity, has been answered. Not in the form of a yes or no response, but with a unanimous assumption by all sources considered that it is an inevitable necessity. Identity is comprised by the sum of many aspects of individuality: individual resilience, community, opportunity, social influence, self, moral judgment, personality (Ford 518). But these are a few of the contributing factors that lie within the constraints of the word identity. In conclusion, this paper has answered the question, is it a good thing for individuals to identify his or her identity, through the consideration of outside sources as well as personal logic and belief. It is a good thing for individuals to identify their identity. In so doing, one is claiming ownership and relationship with what he/she identifies with. Identity is a fact of identifying with people, things, emotions, and experiences, comprising them together, and finally forming an identity. I’ve herd it said that identity is the pattern of who you’ve been up until now and the probability of who you will be in the future: a compilation of human experiences. That is all ones identity is, human experiences. Since everyone has experiences, spreading the length of human culture, no one can go through life without an identity that depicts specifically and uniquely who they are.

Works Cited
Ernst, Christopher and Marian Ruderman. “Finding Yourself How Social Identity Affects Leadership.” Volume 30 (2010): 5p. EBSCO. Web 16 Mar. 2014
Ford, Debra. “Urban America as a Context for the Development of Moral Identity in Adolescence.” Journal of Social Issues 54 (1998): 18p. EBSCO. Web. 16 Mar. 2014.
“Identity.” Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, 2011. Web. 13 Mar. 2014
Seuss, Dr. Happy Birthday to You!. New York: Random House, 2003. Print.
Smith, Jesse. “Becoming an Atheist in America: Constructing Identity and Meaning from the Rejection of Theism.” Sociology of Religion 72:2 (2010): 21p. EBSCO. Web 16 Mar. 2014

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

A Portable Anthology Richard Rodriguez Analysis

...Any identity can be found, lost, made up, shared, and related to. Whether it be from one’s culture, family, beliefs or experiences people find their identity or identities throughout life. For others it can be a struggle and a hardship to find their identity of who they are or want to be. Throughout life, humans find their role in it and what they choose to do in the life they live. Living the life one wants includes finding their self-identity along the way whenever that may be. One may ask themselves, Who am I? and that is why humans have an extraordinary lifetime to figure that out. Not everyone’s experiences will be the same, or positive, but it is others peoples stories we listen to, to understand and appreciate them as human beings and...

Words: 1445 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Sex and Gender

...Sex and Gender are Different: Sexual Identity and Gender Identity are Different Milton Diamond, Ph.D. University of Hawaii, John A. Burns School of Medicine Department of Anatomy and Reproductive Biology Pacific Center for Sex and Society Clinical Child Psychology & Psychiatry - Special Issue In Press for July 2002 Special Editors: Bernadette Wren, Portman Clinic Fiona Tasker, University of London | | | | | | | |Sex and Gender are Different: | |Sexual Identity and Gender Identity | |are Different | | | |Abstract: | |This paper attempts to enhance understanding and communication about different sexual issues. It starts by offering definitions to| |common...

Words: 8070 - Pages: 33

Premium Essay

Examples Of Identity In Things Fall Apart

...Self-Identity is the recognition of ones’ potential and qualities as an individual, especially in relation to social context. Individuals are born into certain and peculiar cultures, environments, and families but have a little sense of Self-Identity. From experience, people will have to see for themselves the change of their ways from beginning to present. When one person find and discover themselves, life will be extremely easier and a breeze to fulfill their dreams. In life, majority of people who grows up in a suburban lifestyle experience a lot that shapes their future. Example of Self-Identity is the feeling of a teenager that he/she can be who she wants instead of falling into the pressure of drugs and alcohol. Either way from this typical...

Words: 2014 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

Myself and I

...Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Learning Objectives 1) Be able to Understand the Concept of Gender and Gender Identity A. Gender- i. The Way in that Biological sex is Experienced and Expressed ii. Psychological, Social, and Cultural Aspects of Femaleness and Maleness B. Gender Identity i. The “knowing” of oneself as male or female ii. Do I think as myself as a boy or girl, main or woman, or something else iii. Sense of being masculine, feminine, or ambivalent iv. Feeling of belonging to a particular gender v. The Data shows the following: 1. Evidence of Gender ID begins to emerge at 1 ½ years and is influenced by the infant’s observed genitalia, proper gender assignment, belief’s regarding gender, and infants experience with his/her body 2. 2-2 ½ years old- Clearly Crystallizing through naturally curiosity about anatomical differences between sexes, genital play and gender categorization. 3. 3- firmly established through process of identification with same gender parent 2) Be able to discuss the current understanding of the development of sexual orientation A. What is sexual orientation: i. This refers to a person’s potential to respond with sexual excitement to persons of the same sex, opposite sex or both ii. This includes erotic or sexual fantasies...

Words: 2471 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

An Analytical Look at an America Show in Pakistani Culture

...library of Alexandria in ancient Egypt to the depth of information on the internet, education remains at the heart of every successful society. Currently, modern formal education has largely failed to provide value to learners. The most common forms of modern formal education employ rote memorization. Knowledge imparted does not go beyond the testing stage. Another failure by modern learning institutions is their over emphasis on the academic aspects of education. These institutions forget that despite the basic mathematical and language skills, education encompasses nurturing of creativity and vision among learners. This mindset takes education away from its true purpose. Since time immemorial, the one true purpose of education is to bring people to their full potential. Education should be life changing. The 20th Century politician, Malcolm Forbes, aptly puts it as, “education's...

Words: 5063 - Pages: 21

Premium Essay

Social Work Theories

... Catholic religious background. I am a lesbian. Dominelli (2002) imposes that identity is formed through processes that are rooted in a person’s sense of self of who they want to be, and draws upon group or collective identities depicted in their cultural components, which are socially used to define or specify a way of life or being. My social location is easily identifiable as a white female however, due to the dominance of white supremacy, I am not judged by my racial background much like a woman of “color” may be. These distortions on sexism provide awareness, that oppression is not only in terms of sex and in our patriarchal power system, white privilege is a benefit. Social Identity Although sexism is a problem in society, I do not suffer the same oppression faced by women of color. Lorde (1990), discusses the impacts of this built-in-privilege of whiteness and how it forces women of color to become an outsider. As a Catholic woman, I am faced with a similar power relation by identifying as a lesbian in my community, which is neither considered the societal norm nor accepted by the church. This disadvantage I face allows me to be socially aware of the impacts oppression has in society and agree with Mullaly (2002) who states that oppression “assumes a ‘fixed identity’ on the part of both oppressors and oppressed – that the world is divided into two groups and people belong in either one, but never to both” (p. 27). I am aware of the marginality I experience between...

Words: 2440 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

Beauty of Childhood

...Childhood and adolescence is a period in life where one finds out what their identity is. Questions such as “who am I?” and “why am I here?” are just some of the questions that are asked during this fragile part in one’s life. In Alice Sebold’s The Lovely Bones and Heather O’Neil’s Lullabies for Little Criminals, the loss of innocence at a young age seems to be the main theme. Childhood is innocence and people must try to preserve that innocence for as long as possible or else it might cause complications and difficulties later on in life. The protagonists in both of these stories, Baby and Susie, have been exposed to too much “adult like” things for anyone their age Both protagonists are deprived of fundamentals of life at such an early stage in their lives which causes them to struggle with trying to find their true identity and their self worth. Being exposed to drugs and violence, changes in environments and not being in control of their own lives play key parts in their struggle throughout. Ultimately they struggle to realize their full potential and find independence from these experiences. At such young ages, especially ages 12 and 14, Susie and Baby are already deprived of their innocence in life. At such tender ages where one is trying to discover themselves, they find themselves not knowing if they are children or adults. Being exposed to things such as violence, death, and drugs does not help them in their journey. Susie Salmon and Baby are independent, there is no...

Words: 2272 - Pages: 10

Free Essay

Management Behavior on Interclean-Envirotech Merger

...of all the expertise gathered mutually from these organizations in the Cleaning and Sanitation Industry. A merger or fusion between organizations is always a sensitive subject to deal with, since the human capital from the companies involved will experience a cultural, structural and managerial change that needs to be handled delicately during the transition, in order to impact the least on areas like employees social identity, behavior and attitudes toward organizational commitments, turnover intention of key players among the company, to name a few. Lipponen, J., Olkkonen, M., & Moilanen, M. (2004) explain the approach of social identity theories, by stating that they “share the same fundamental assumption that individuals define themselves in terms of their social group memberships and that group-defined self-perception produces distinctive effects on social behaviour and intergroup relations. This means that the more an individual conceives of him- or herself in terms of membership in a group or, in other words, identifies with the group, the more his or her attitudes and behaviour are governed by this group membership”. The authors on their study also explain that concepts like procedural justice (‘perceived fairness of the formal procedures used in allocation decision-making’) distributed justice (‘perceived fairness of the allocation outcomes’) and interactional justice (‘perceived fairness of the interpersonal treatment received from the decision-...

Words: 791 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Social Psychology

...Abstract: Identity is an abstract, complex and dynamic concept. As a result of those characteristics, identity is not easily defined. According to Pinney, a principal objective of one’s adolescent years is the formation of an identity, and “those who fail to achieve a secure identity are faced with identity confusion, a lack of clarity about who they are and what their role is in life” This suggest that identity development plays a critical role in the individual’s psychological well-being. Thus the necessity of understanding your sense of identity is self-evident. In summary, in this assignment, I’m going to discuss the importance of identity, and the relation between the identity and role of a person portray and enact. To begin with, identity plays an important role in our daily life, and the Identity I’m talking about here is not just a set of computerised data that distinguish me from you and you from me; Identity is a complex term, which links self attitudes, or identities, to the role relationships and role-related behaviour of individuals. Identity theorists argue that the self consists of a collection of identities, each of which is based on occupying a particular role (Stryker, 1968; Stryker & Burke, 2000). Identities can be defined as one's answers to the question 'Who am I?" (Stryker & Serpe, 1982). Many of the "answers" (e.g., "I am a student") are linked to the roles we occupy, so they are often referred to as "role identities" or simply, "identities." For...

Words: 2111 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

Bulimia Nervosa

...An Overview of Bulimia Nervosa Bulimia Nervosa (BN) is one of the leading eating disorders worldwide alongside anorexia nervosa and continues to pose a major health threat as sufferers experience psychological and medical symptoms that most often lead to complications (Le Grange & Lock, 2007, p. 4). One of these complications is the tendency of bulimic patients to commit suicide because of aggravating sense of despair and loss of hope. According to Pompili, Girardi, Ruberto & Tatarelli (2006), “suicide in anoxeria nervosa and bulimia nervosa is a major cause of death” (p. 1). Aside from suicide, one of the disturbing realities about bulimia nervosa is how it tends to affect women and adolescents. The usual onset or starting point of bulimia is set at adolescence (Le Grange & Lock, 2007, p. 3) when young adults are starting to form their own self-identity, a process tied to the notion of body image. The seriousness of bulimia nervosa compels one to understand the ‘entire story’ of this eating disorder that includes knowing its history and nature, the etiology, symptoms and prognosis as well as the innovative treatments that have emerged in the recent years that can solve the case and problem that is bulimia nervosa. Bulimia Nervosa: At a Glance Characteristics and symptoms often associated to BN are known to have existed and observed in the ancient times. Emperors Claudius and Vitellius of ancient Rome are found to have exhibited the typical features of bulimia...

Words: 2254 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

Treatment of Cbt Did

...Systemic Approach to the Treatment of Dissociative Identity Disorder S. Pais Systemic Treatment of Dissociative Identity Disorder SHOBHA PAIS Department of Family Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA Although dissociative identity disorder (DID) continues to be questioned by some clinicians, those who work with this population understand the complexity of this disorder. Most often DID clients undergo predominantly individual psychotherapy to help them integrate their fragmented parts or personalities usually taking an average of 5 to 7 years. Although there is limited literature on the use of systemic therapy with DID clients, family therapy approaches can be used to conceptualize the treatment of the DID client and their family members. This article discusses how individual psychotherapy from a systemic perspective can be applied to treat DID while family systems therapy can be used to help educate the client’s family about DID, the process of treatment, as well as how to recognize and become prepared for any symptoms of recurrence. The internal family systems model of therapy with a DID client is discussed through a case example. KEYWORDS dissociative identity disorder, family therapy, internal family systems approach Dissociative identity disorder (DID), which was formerly known as multiple personality disorder (MPD), is a disorder in which an individual has the presence of two or more identities or personality states. These personality states...

Words: 7725 - Pages: 31

Premium Essay

Conflict Face Negotiation

...Face-Negotiation Theory (Conflict) Dr. Stella Ting-Toomey developed the Face Negotiation Theory as a way of describing how people from different cultural backgrounds handle conflict with each other. She bases her theory on two basic concepts: Face (how we want people to see us/our public self image), and Facework (ways of handling conflict). She has identified 7 core assumptions and 5 empirical propositions that when used in tandem illustrate the Face Negotiation Theory as of 2010. A copy of the assumptions and propositions has been attached at the end of this document. Regarding the first concept—Face (also described as self-face concern), to people from the east and some middle-east countries (China, Japan, Egypt, Iran) the concept of face is multi-faceted with its origins going back to the time of Confucius. For them, face involves the feelings of respect, honor, status and connection. The concept of Face is a very serious issue. Infact, under some conditions, it can be a life or death issue. One can save face, give face and have face taken away from them. For people mainly from the west such as the US, face is not a complicated thing--it usually just means the saving of face—we know we have it, and we don’t want to lose it (i.e. embarrassment in front of others). As you can see, there are huge differences in how each culture views the concept of face. This is a prime example of something that can and will cause serious intercultural conflict. To help...

Words: 1620 - Pages: 7

Free Essay

Exile in Robert Raymer’s ‘Mat Salleh’ and Wong Ming Yook’s ‘a Beautiful Lady and the Fish’

...Rebecca Yeoh Yao Xia Dr Rashidi HXE 305 Malaysian Literature 10 December 2015 Exile in Robert Raymer’s ‘Mat Salleh’ and Wong Ming Yook’s ‘A Beautiful Lady and the Fish’ Homi K. Bhabha in his book, The Location of Culture said that “…the question of identification is never the affirmation of a pre given identity, never a self-fulfilling prophecy - it is always the production of an image of identity and the transformation of the subject in assuming that image.” (Bhabha) When the British colonized Malaysia, local Malaysians were known as the ‘Others’ while the British were identified as the “Self”. This is seen during the colonial era within Malaysia. However as time passed, during the post-colonial era, the identity of Malaysia seemed to be the issue that readers and writers tried to identify. In the postmodern era of Malaysia, creating or reinventing individual identity in a nation or in a cultural group becomes more crucial in building stability in identifying oneself. Therefore the issue of exile will be addressed in accordance to Robert Raymer’s Mat Salleh and Wong Ming Yook’s The Beautiful Lady and the Fish. In Rehman Rashid’s ‘A Malaysian Journey’ gives us a vivid description of a Malaysian who feels out casted in his homeland, his community, and his people. Through the analysis of the two short stories mentioned above, the issue of ‘exile’ would be seen in the light of exile from a family, culture and from a nation. Through that, similarities and differences will be...

Words: 2433 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

How Obesity Lower Self-Esteem of Filipino Women

...these findings and claimed that it is a “growing epidemic”. The results also show that there are more cases of female obesity than male. Obesity is commonly associated with cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, hypertension, and mortality. (Corbin & Welk, 1970) For women, obesity implies more risk in developing complications due to maternity. Before, it was only a term for the condition of a person who suffered from exposure to unhealthy living that created excess weight. (Fahey, Insel & Roth, 2011) An article in the Journal of Obesity revealed that many obese people suffer from depression and low self-appreciation. In the study, it was observed that obese people tend to have a lower self-esteem compared to their thinner counterpart. In accordance to this, researchers have already conducted experiments to examine the relationship between obesity and psychological problems such as poor self-esteem. In all cases of obesity, people have larger body size. Therefore, obesity makes them more conscious about their body image to avoid social...

Words: 3065 - Pages: 13

Free Essay

A Raisin in the Sun

...and precise set of needs than that of others within their communities, city, and state. I chose to examine concerns and challenges of one’s culture depicted by some of the actresses and actor in A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry. In this book report, I will identify the unique needs of the different characters, and propose a plan for delivering culturally competent strategies to address those issues. Lena Younger Lena Younger is the mother of Beneatha and Travis. Lena is a God fearing lady whom is a dedicated hard worker. Lena lives in a small apartment with her two children, daughter-in-law, and grandson. Lena’s strong family loyalty is apparent all through the movie. Lena is going through emotional turmoil because of the passing of her husband. She finds out that she is to inherit a lump sum of money from her husband’s life insurance policy. Lena strong ties with her church and family places her in a predicament on how to spend her money. Although Lena would love to give the money to her church, but her dedication to her family and their living condition, she decides to purchase a house big enough for her family. (A Raisin in the Sun, 1961). By Lena showing how much she values her family and spiritual beliefs, functions as a driving force for the difficult decisions she made through the movie. All decision factors are definitely important factors for acquiring any treatment plans. The African American race is a distinct and growing set of ideas...

Words: 1440 - Pages: 6