Thursday 8 January 2015

Identity/Identities (2)

Please read the following two articles and comment on them either in relation to your own identity or in relation to [Canadian] identity in a more general sense.

"Who Are You?"
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/focus-forgiveness/201212/who-are-you

"Beyond Cultural Identity: Reflections on Multiculturalism"
http://www.mediate.com/articles/adler3.cfm


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14 comments:

  1. I think that the first article, "Who Are You" is true of Canadians and myself. It is often easier to confine yourself by using introductions like the article lists. Normally I tell other people that "I am a student" but that is not all I am. I'm a student who studies at UBC, but aside from that I also have a life outside of school. But by introducing yourself so simply I think it doesn't fully allow other people a good view of your "mask". I agree with the article and think that by using these changes to our introductions it can open up more possibilities because people would be more likely to respond to more information. If more people introduced themselves this way I hope it would help them to understand who their true self is rather than just a role, their circumstances, or beliefs.

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  2. It would appear that in modern day society, most people identify themselves according to factors that they are associated with, such as one’s job, level of education, or perhaps even by the material possessions they own. When someone introduces their friend to another person, sometimes they may say something along the lines of “This is my friend Bob. He’s an accountant and drives a Mercedes Benz.” However, when considering one’s own identity, one has to remind themselves that there is much more to one’s identity than simply what their job is or what material possessions they own. As stated in the Psychology Today article, “Who Are You?” when one loses their job or their material possessions, they may begin to question themselves regarding their identity because they feel as if they no longer know themselves anymore. Therefore, it is important that one must realize that their identities consist of much more than simply their jobs or their material possessions so that even without them, they should not feel lost without them.

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  3. I love exploring the concept of identity. As a Canadian Studies major, it is actually my scholarly pursuit: to define Canada, Canadians and Canadianness. I am also fascinated by personal identity in all of its expressions.
    In “Who Are You,” Matthew B. James suggests that our identity is not defined by external factors, like our jobs or political affiliations. He proposes that we, as individuals, are whole. Our circumstances are simply circumstances. They are not a part of us. I no longer identify myself by my occupation and marital status – I think that is a common and fundamental shift in many young people as they break through their mid-20’s. I am constantly inspired by life itself and the beautiful, tragic or amusing things I observe around me. This gives me certain drives: passion, enthusiasm, optimism, ambition, love. I love learning, and so I am now a mature student at UBC. I care about equality, liberty and protection for minorities – the founding principles of the Canadian constitution. Because of this, I believe that Canadian nationality is a good fit for me.
    I recently read an article that proposed that instead of asking “what do you do” at parties or on dates, to “re-language” the question to “what are you into/your passions?” That is how you really get to know someone. You see someone for who they really are.
    National identity is far more tricky. The problem is quite simple: if you gather 10 people – Canadian or not Canadian – and ask them what Canadian identity is, you will hear many different ideas. There is no consensus on what Canada is all about. As a country with no origin story or bloody revolution, with intense regional differences and identities, it is hard to find common ground. Many people will qualify Canada as relational, often “not American and not British,” or “really concerned with health care.” I loathe the commonly identified “multicultural” qualifier, a concept as vague and arbitrary as Canadian identity itself. So we struggle as a nation.
    I am not sure that we, as Canadians, know who we are yet. We are still searching for the inherent truths of nationhood but we simply cannot find them, yet. When we became an independent nation in 1867, we were still very much a British colony. Perhaps Canada is like a 13-year-old, trying out different hairstyles and her big sister’s clothes and her classmates’ musical tastes to see what she likes and doesn’t like, where she fits in. She does not yet know who she is. This is an important time in a person’s life (although, what time isn’t?) and perhaps that is where we are as well. Our national mask is translucent and awkwardly placed, because we don’t know how the mask appears to others, and we don’t know what lies behind it either.

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    1. Christine, I particularly agree with your last two paragraphs (would love to chat more on your Canadian studies and definitions of Canadians). I've responded to part of your contentions in my response the Julie Hong....just want to let you know.

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  6. The Canadian identity today centres on the concept of multiculturalism. Canada seems to be a place that provides a home for all who decide to come to this land. Because of the diverse and rich cultures that come together to make up Canada it seems to be the focus of Canadian identity. Many people view Canada as a place that accepts and welcomes all cultures. From Beyond Cultural Identity: Reflections on Multiculturalism, the idea of multiculturalism is that it does not eliminate cultural differences, but rather preserves the most significant aspects of each culture. By doing so, identity changes throughout time and is not fixed. This seems to be true for Canada since we do not have one identity that defines us. Instead, Canada seems to be made up of many different identities that come together and is always changing.

    However, this has also been an issue in Canada because many people question what it means to be a true Canadian. Because we are quick to identify ourselves based on our circumstances, our identity has changed drastically throughout history depending on the circumstances of that time. As discussed in the article “Who Are You?” when these identities are no longer applicable we lose sense of who we are. This seems to be the case with Canadians. We seem to focus a lot of our attention regarding our identity on who we are and not are. As suggested in this article, maybe Canadians should not latch on too tightly to these identities. Rather we should distance ourselves from these identities so that we can open up more possibilities to find out who we really are. Furthermore, when these identities are stripped away, it will not leave Canadians feeling lost.

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    1. "Multiculturalism" is a buzz word in proliferate use by those charged with marketing a Canadian "identity", used so often, so repetitively, that many (like me) simply don't react to the premise. Like Christine, I loathe its overuse. If it sounds good in theory, what does it mean in reality? Peter Adler gave me the definition I was looking for in "Beyond Cultural Identity..." in that he goes far beyond the surface construct. Multiculturalism is, he says, globally historical. The truly multicultural person is "both old and new"; "old' in the sense of the concept being philosophically timeless, "new" in the sense that global knowledge has been redefined by advanced technologies. We know (or can know if we research) so much more about the world we inhabit. Adler speaks of multiculturalist flexiblity, of responsive rather than fixed identities, and openness to change, as well as integration versus assimilation (the devastations documented in "We are Children" come to mind). He underscores the stresses and strains of interweaving cultures at both macro and micro levels. As Canadians, we find it far too easy to proclaim the former and ignore the latter. By trying to build a national identity without respect for the ones in existence eons prior to 1867 we are attempting a construct bedded in sand - particularly when we define ourselves by what we are NOT (American) - then come up short in comparison. Maclean's magazine recently published an article by Nancy MacDonald titled "Manitoba: Welcome to Winnipeg" and another, related article by Scott Gilmore, "Canada's race problem: It's even worse than America's" (macleans.ca). Both are horribly enlightening. They underscore societal dissociations that severely undercut my national pride; they make me adamantly aware of the need for a broader Adlerian approach to nation building
      to avoid transposing the problems on future generations. I have a new appreciation for the meaning of the word.

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  7. In terms of our personal identity, it appears to me that individuals usually associate who they are as what they do. Matthew B. James suggests that our identity is not in fact determined by these external social factors. As individuals, we must recognize that there is a big difference between who we are and who we present ourselves to be in society.
    In all honesty, I truly believe that who we portray ourselves and describe ourselves to people (ie. our student status, occupation, political affiliations, etc.) is just an act. A formulation of fronts, masks, roles, and performances in which we choose to portray ourselves.
    I believe that our actual identity stems from within. From what we do not show others, or what we show subconsciously through honest actions and words (such as beliefs, morals, and values). Identity is always a tricky subject as there are many things that people can identify themselves with, but do not necessarily define them as an individual person.

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  8. It definitely goes without saying that people tend to identify themselves with their habits and status among their peers. Doctor Matthew B. James in his article “Who Are You?” argues that the manner in which people identify themselves are loaded with “false identities” that only serve to prevent oneself from recognizing their true being. Indeed, it is true that people change and times change, but I think that just because (a great majority, but not everything) things change does not mean it’s not or cannot be an integral part of your character. Ultimately, the writer of the article seems to be implying that all things are temporary and subsequently, people can only help but distance themselves by putting on labels.

    I do agree that a lot of what we say and do are not truly who we are. Too often I tend to put myself in a box when we are greater than what our words and actions show. Though I’m not quite sure how a person would acquire their discovery of their true identity in terms of how James would expect, I am sure that this realization would require a lot of introspection and courage. However, I am curious about people who DO want to identified with “being Christian” or “being a mother”? Are they any less self-realized and accordingly, a fraud? I don’t think that's the case either.

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  9. I have mixed opinions towards the first article “Who Are You”. It is common for people to identify or label themselves with their circumstances. More often than not, I use the phrases “I’m a smoker”, “I’m a student” or “I’m Korean”. Matthew B. James brings up a good point in stating that we should not identify ourselves with our circumstances. What I find interesting however is that he only provides negative examples: “I’m a diabetic”, I’m broke”, “I’m disabled”. I believe people identify themselves with their negative circumstance as a form of acceptance, but with that also follows a sense of false reassurance and relief. I openly label myself as a “smoker” for example, partly because I don’t want to be embarrassed about my choices, but also because it is more reassuring to openly admit that I am one. By labeling myself as such however, I restrict myself mentally from escaping that title. This is where I agree with Dr. James, that for one to be able to recover, rehabilitate or rid them from a negative circumstance, they must first stop labeling themselves as such.

    In regards to identifying ourselves to our roles, what we do and our beliefs, I have opposing opinions. I believe that my labeling ourselves to our roles, jobs and beliefs make up whom we truly are! For example, I say “I’m a Korean”, often with a sense of nationalism and pride. I am also a catholic and I am a singer. By labeling themselves with what they love or feel passionate about is absolutely necessary! Without these labels, what would be left of yourself? “I am a human.” That’s about it. If you are a mother or father, most likely you are proud and absolutely joyful about being one! Therefore there is no wrong in labeling yourself as one. I deeply believe that these labels are what make each individual different from another. We should openly identify ourselves with our passions and roles that we embrace in life because without these labels, we would be stripped down to nothing.

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  10. It is often the case that in modern society, one's identity is no longer who they see themselves as or who they want to be. It is now what others perceive of you and think you are that shapes our identity. It is something that is no longer in our own control. Growing up in an Asian household our culture is heavily influenced by appearances and how we are seen by fellow relatives or friends. Appearance and personality are important in judging one's identity, but it is second-rate to what really matters in our culture. What is really a deciding factor now is how much money you earn, what job you possess, what kind of car you own, and what kind of house you and your family lives in. Perhaps what shapes me and people of my generation now is our education. We are viewed upon what university we attend and that determines our worth and our intelligence. I am lucky to have been able to be admitted to one of Canada's most prestigious schools, and thus am not seen negatively. But, I am sure if I had not been admitted to one of the top universities around the world or in Canada, many Asian friends and adults would deem me stupid with no bright future. It is sad to admit, but it is certainly true that this has come to shape a university student's identity in an Asian perspective. Our worth is characterized depending on what the name of our university is.

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  11. I find the thoughts of the first article "Who Are You" hit the most at home. I greatly associate my sense of who I am with what I do or my position in life. I find my feelings of self worth tied greatly to how successful the things I do are. I am a musician, a record producer, an audio engineer, an AV technician, etc.... when these things aren't going well, or if I were to lose them, I don't know what I'd do... similarly to the person in the article who tied their life to martial arts.
    On another hand, and probably a bit more positive, I liked the second article relating to being a multicultural person. It's interesting to me when my wifes family (who strongly associates with being Scottish, despite being multiple generations removed from the country) seems to think I grew up eating bratwurst and sauerkraut practically everyday of my life because I have a German last name... now, I do pride myself in my germanic heritage, and I studied German, and even lived in Germany for a year during the height of the Bush era Iraq war (and subsequently grew a very strong disdain for admitting to being an American).... but growing up, we actually took more to cultural influences my mom had from her family, which were more Irish and Czech based. Then there's the fact I grew up between Arizona and New Mexico. I ate chips and salsa and meals featuring green chile as a key ingredient way more often than we ever had brats and sauerkraut. Growing up I probably had more in common with a Mexican kid than a German kid. As I've grown and researched my background the cultural divisions split even further, realizing I also have English, Scottish, French heritage as well...and some of those folks and their families even spent time in Canada, so hey, I guess I can say even before moving here, I am already part Canadian, eh? I lived in the San Francisco bay area for a time, a true melting pot of white, black, hispanic, asian and indian cultures. And of course now I'm here in Vancouver. So who am I? What am I? Do I associate with my citizenship? Am I American? Do I claim my ancestral background? Well, if so, which one? That of my name (and probably largest ethnic genetic makeup)? Do I associate with my new home, and say I'm Canadian? The fact I'm so confused as to who I am maybe does seem to make claiming Canadian quite fitting as in so many history and english classes the main themes are the struggles of Canadian identity... as sometimes it seems to not know who oneself is, and trying to take a journey of self discovery is the definition of being a Canadian. Culturally I'm a mixed bag, both genetically and with the aspects of various cultures I choose to enjoy. That's why to me it seems so much easier to identify with what I do. So for now, I associate myself that way, I am a musician/audioengineer/producer/bandteacher/avtech.... and if I get in a car wreck and lose it all, well, I guess I'll be a Canadian and start to figure it out all over.

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  12. Matthew B. James's piece covers a topic that I've spent a lot of time thinking about.
    My mother is very hard of hearing. She is one of the strongest, smartest, bravest women I know, and yet because she’s scared people won’t be able to see past her disability, that’s how she introduces herself. She forces it to be the first thing people know about her because she doesn’t want to be embarrassed when they learn about it on their own. She puts herself into the box of being disabled despite the fact that she is so much more than her disability.
    For many of my friends, going through university and deciding where they want to go career-wise is less about what they want to do with their time and more about who they want to be.
    Personally, I've been trying to avoid putting myself into any particular one of these boxes, ever since I realized this was something I (and maybe everyone does this) have a tendency to do so. When I was little every time I saw a movie or read a book I would dress up as m favorite character for the following week, and try to emulate her until I came across another story. But avoiding these boxes now can make setting goals and choosing how to spend my time difficult. I feel almost allergic to devoting myself to any one thing because I’m sacred of what will happen if I decide that’s no longer how I want to define myself.

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