A person’s identity
What is identity? People have different conceptualizations of the nature of identity. Some will say that identity is a unique personality that an individual possesses. Others will say that it is the responsive behavior of a person to their environment. Identity is a concept that almost every human being seeks to define for himself or herself. At a specific point in time, a person will be faced with the dilemma of understanding their identity to give life meaning. As much identity is defined as an innate quality of a person, it greatly influenced by the environment. The social traits of a person such as the family, peers, religion, and cultural awareness that emanates from family history and understanding of traditions are some of the aspects that immensely influence the identity of a person. This evidence of society’s impact on the personal lives of human beings.
Culture is used to refer to the combination of values, beliefs, and practices for specific people. Culture determines many aspects of a person. From the way we dress, talk, act, the right behavior, and gives rubric for gauging what is deemed acceptable or not. When a person is born to a particular culture, they will automatically incorporate the ways of life of the environments that they are born into. This is the concept of acculturation. The process of assimilation of these values will influence the identity of a person. From this aspect, we understand that identity encompasses a dome of characteristics that are unique to a person. Remix is a book that offers insights into the concept of culture and how it affects the identity of a person.
From the earlier definition of identity, it has been determined that identity is a personal concept. From this definition, identity will vary from one person to another. Some conflicts might arise between a person and the society they live in. Catherine G. Latterell, the author of Remix, states that the forces of culture that mold a person’s identity cannot be judged on neutrality. She instead says they are an optic through which a person can evaluate themselves and those of people surrounding them. From this perspective, a person can assess the social norms of his culture to shape their identity. The identity could be in contradiction to the identified standards of they could lead to a person feeling a powerful sense of self. In both scenarios, culture has shaped the identity of a person.
The various concepts of culture, such as religion, work, school, among others, influences identity differently. Work is among a critical determinant of a person. Persons who are having success in their jobs or receiving promotions tend to be more confident compared to those having a rough time as their working environment. Having success will not only be short term but will also be engrained in a person’s personality, thus creating a distinct identity. The school environment is another aspect of culture that influence the identity of a person. The school is an environment where knowledge is shared. The learning could either be formal from teachers or informal, which is mainly from peers. Having memberships to specific clubs or peer cliques will immensely change the way perception a person has on himself/ herself. The formation of circles is an illustration of the relationship between culture and identity. Typically people will form cliques since they have similar views on specific aspects of culture.
Additionally, religion is a massive determinant of a person’s identity structure. There are people drawn to a religious culture rather than its beliefs. Others may reject a particular religion entirely and move to another one that resonates with their feelings. Others assimilate religion into their DNA. They have been born and raised in specific religious ways, thus cannot change it. Their religion is part of them.
Family is another integral part of a person’s identity. The family is the most basic social entity that a person is assimilated. What person is being told from their childhood to adulthood tend to be internalized into identity. ‘You are a good person, you are pretty, you are smart, you are dumb,’ and son on are sentiments that eventually tend to reveal themselves in a person’s identity. There are the unspoken aspects about a family that shapes the identity of person. The nuclear family is a vital source of information that may end up influencing a person’s character. Most children look up to their parents to understand the different gender roles. A child will know how a man is supposed to behave from the father.
Consequently, a child will know how a woman is supposed to behave by observing their parent’s traits. A child by the age of 5 has a theory of how a particular gender is supposed to act. A person will have a foundation of determining their personality will may change as they grow old depending on their experiences as children. Some of the things that are allowed in one’s family set up may not be allowed in your family. It is expected that a person will carry the family principles into their old age, not unless they decide to change.
The ways through which families impact the identity of their members could either be direct or indirect. It is direct when guardians or parents will teach their children what is right or wrong, rules of social interactions, and religious teachings. The teachings are indirect when a child learns by observing the conduct of their seniors. Families are critical in the development of the self-confidence of a person. Children from families where freedom of choice, encouragement, and cohesion are paramount are deemed to develop self-confidence and individuality. Other aspects of identity that families influence include occupations, political inclination, religion, and morality, among others. Children tend to pick their family positions on these factors. However, some individuals decide to break the norm and pursue independence in defining their identity.
Cultural norms and the family are among the key determinants of a person’s identity. Whether positively or negatively the family and the culture a person is born into impacts their identity. Some choose to carry on with their family or cultural norms. Others defy the standards to create distinct personalities free from the entrenched patterns. In both cases, family and cultural norms have shaped a person’s identity.