Self Identity: Self-Identity And Personal Identity

Self–Identity & Social Identification

“Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else's opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation.”

― Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills Wilde (1854–1900) Irish wit, poet, and dramatist

Each mind is a world. Who am I? What am I doing? Where am I going? These are questions that should arise when speaking of identity, a sense of belonging, or communal direction. It is ancient human nature to want to belong to or identify with a group, such as a family, culture, association or sports team. It is deeply embedded throughout mankind’s history—tribalism, antiquity to today. From hierarchies, religious fellowships, political parties, military brotherhoods; to globally intertwined social networks, activist organizations, corporate-conglomerates back to fraternities and clubs on academia campuses. The identity of an individual is greatly influenced by his or her environment and the great role the governing powers play in influencing our culture and society. In the recent years of my life’s experience, being part of a student body and association with a particular religious organization has exerted leverage on my perspective, persona, and identity.

It is striking to me that in our time racism and prejudice is still such a prevalent issue in this country and across the globe. Can’t we all just get along? Ethnic and religious conflict permeates the news headlines round every day. The late reverend Dr. King quoted—“We have flown the air like birds and swum the sea like fishes, but have yet to learn the simple act of walking the earth like brothers.” We are living in a sci-fi. The future that many of us grew up contemplating on television shows and in comic books is upon us. Atom...

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...group preference or ethnocentrism and a perception of belonging to a social or cultural group. Ethnic, cultural, economic and religious conflicts between groups of people are ever-present in our world and present time. Ideologies, social engineering, mass media, the country, culture and religion one may be born into are all molding forces that will continue to promote qualities that make a person or group different from others.

An Old Russian proverb says, “Show me your friends and I'll tell you who you are.” A bible proverb, “The one who walks with the wise will become wise, but a companion of fools will suffer harm.” Shakespeare wrote—“All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players; they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.” This is not a dress rehearsal, these are our lives.