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Everyone seems to feel the need for some way to identify themselves in a complex and variable world. What exactly should "identity" entail? Is it more about who you are as a person, right now, or is more about "what" you are, in the sense of your heritage and cultural background?

Culture, religion, and ethnicity have historically been primary factors used by people in deciding what their identity "really" is. Essentially, when this occurs, people focus less on things like their personality or profession and more upon accidents of birth. If a person happen to be born into a family whose ancestors lived in some geographic location, she "identifies" with that location - its culture, its religion, etc. A new and growing factor in how people identify themselves has been created by modern technology: genetics.

People are beginning to avail themselves of this technology to learn more about their genetic heritage. Presumably, by learning that their genetic codes contain markers for this or that ethnic group, they then learn something about who and what they are. Rather than forging a very personal identity through their own relationships, their profession, and the ideas they develop in their minds, they are looking to attach themselves to a communal identity they can share with others based upon genetic information.

When a person imagines that a group they are trying to identify with actually constitutes their identity, then they lose themselves in that group.

How does a person establish and maintain an identity?

Source: about.com

I think these external factors like geografic location, culture, or religion are far from represent a persons identity. People many times associate themselves with these groups because they lived next to them, and everyone else believes in them too ! Not because it represents their true identity. People like to be fashion... and to do what everyone else does. People are too coward to be who they are, but instead of it... they prefer to be politically right, to not risk their reputations. But of course there, are exceptions.

The idea to base your identity on genetics sounds absured to me.

An identity shouldn't be about geographic location, culture, religion or genes. It should be about a common mind set. Granted a lot of our ideas , how very unique we might think they are, are influenced by our culture and possibly our religion. Still our ideas, certainly in the modern world of global communication and Internet access, can be unique -even if only for a very small part- I think we define our identity by the ideas and morals we adhere.

Atlantis made a good point in saying that people associate themselves with groups because they lived next to them, and everyone else believes in them too. However, again in this modern world of global communication, those groups are no longer bound by ethnicity, religion or geographical location. They are bounded by the same ideas.

I can take myself as example I know I share a lot of ideas with most of my online friends. I do not share the same view on every major moral question but still there are more agreements than there are disagreements.

Once within such a group I think Atlantis is right if he says people like to be fashion and to do what everyone else does. People adapt their own identity to the social group in which they find themselves automatically and without even realizing it.
I know people will disagree with that statement but sadly enough. Enough experiments have shown that this is the case.

So to sum it up and answer Storms question:

A person establishes an identity based on his own moral ideas and common believes about the world. Those ideas and believes are still partly based on geographic location, culture, religion and ethnicity and so on. But (for the third or fourth time) in our modern world of global communication those ideas are also shaped by other cultures, other locations, other religions and so on. In the end we are free to form our own ideas and believes. (which won't never be very unique tho)

We maintain that identity by establishing a social circle of people with whom we have more ideas and believes in common than not.


As Atlantis said there are of course exceptions.

Originally posted by Storm
How does a person establish and maintain an identity?

Source: about.com

I agree that people need to remember their heritage and never lose that...It's what make them special, but also a person shouldn't over identify with it and seek out new experiences...We are not living in the "Old World" anymore...

The problem today is that many people like to conform to certain social, ethnic...etc. groups...and feel secure in that. But in doing so, you lose out on who you are, and how unique......I guess to answer the question is just be yourself...be really...who you are from all aspects of what you've accomplished, assimilated, trials, relationships that helped you grow, your ancestors, your family history.....from everything...

true

people will always try to conform to the situation. even if just on a subcontious level

Originally posted by Fire
people will always try to conform to the situation. even if just on a subcontious level

Oh... well... ah... ya... your probably right.

I agree totally... With ya all the way....yup..

well not like that Shakyamunison.

If I wasn't too lazy I would type out a few experiments we learned at uni. Which clearly show that humans always try to conform to the situation.

Originally posted by Fire
well not like that Shakyamunison.

If I wasn't too lazy I would type out a few experiments we learned at uni. Which clearly show that humans always try to conform to the situation.
Now you got me interested...

Get over your laziness and write away.

Maybe in a few weeks :

Originally posted by Fire
Maybe in a few weeks :

Just pm me with a reminder. I've almost forgotten about it, just now.

yea If I don't forget myself

Originally posted by Fire
yea If I don't forget myself

Oh! man! Now I have to back read.

Originally posted by Fire
people will always try to conform to the situation. even if just on a subcontious level

That I agree too. Is too difficult to fight against what society believe is right, but this faith people have so much in something would be another, just if they were born in another time or place.

People just want to be individuals for some reason or another, I'm pretty sure that feeling or wanting is also culturally oriented.