The Influence of Identity on Freedom

.docx

School

Community College of Baltimore County *

*We aren’t endorsed by this school

Course

102

Subject

Arts Humanities

Date

Jan 9, 2024

Type

docx

Pages

Uploaded by ChefBaboonMaster996

The impact of culture and identity on an individual's position in society is a complex topic that has now been a subject of discussion for centuries. This of course up until recently tended to be not much of a positive discussion and usually leant into supremacy for the dominant culture. As we progress, we have started to look into this impact. There is a complex relationship between culture, identity, and freedom. Exploring how these factors shape an individual's place in society, the level of which freedom is attainable for various cultures and identities within society, and the detrimental role played by single stories, stereotypes, and unconscious bias in reinforcing inequality is important in order to achieve a more equitable society. An individual's freedom is significantly impacted by culture, identity, and societal narratives. We have to challenge and rise above narratives promoting inequity and inequality. Even in the 21 st century culture and identity still play a very important role in determining an individual's position in society. The complex nature of human freedom encompasses both negative liberty, which is to have freedom from external interference, and positive liberty, which revolves around the ability to control one's own life and actions (Thalos). The large influence of culture and identity becomes evident when we recognize that these factors can either empower individuals to exercise their freedom or inhibit them due to societal pressures and norms. Nicolas Geeraert challenges the conventional assumption that psychological findings from Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic (WEIRD) populations can be universally applied. He emphasizes that cultural variability, including the thinking styles self- construal and mental health, is a critical aspect of human behavior and mental processes (Geeraert). This highlights the limitations of relying mostly on western-centric studies and calls for a more complete understanding of cultural influences on human cognition and behavior.

Consequently, an individual's culture and identity can significantly shape their cognitive processes and by extension, their freedom within a society. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, in her TED Talk "The Danger of a Single Story," shows how single, one-dimensional narratives can lead to stereotypes, misconceptions, and eventually discrimination. Single stories can reduce the wide range of diverse identities and cultures into simplistic, often harmful, generalizations (Adichie). These stereotypes can have far reaching consequences, negatively affecting the freedom of individuals who belong to the groups being stereotyped. When I reflected on single stories, I recalled on an experience during my time living in Switzerland where a friend of mine, Solomon, who was from Ethiopia, faced the harsh reality of single stories and stereotypes. Despite being part of an international student body, Solomon was often treated differently by the local Swiss population. His visible identity as an African in an overwhelmingly white, wealthy country subjected him to frequent stops and scrutiny by the authorities even as a 12-year-old boy, who assumed he was in the country illegally. These experiences had a large impact on his freedom to move about without suspicion and fear of discrimination and I imagine his mental wellbeing as well, it can’t have been easy being singled out in front of everyone. Alisa Chang explored unconscious bias with NPR and made further clear the deep-rooted nature of certain stereotypes. Unconscious biases are automatic and operate without conscious awareness (Chang). They can lead to biased responses and actions, keeping alive disparities in society. This not only affects the freedom of individuals who are stereotyped but also helps keep alive inequality along the lines of race, class, and gender. The impact of unconscious bias is way larger than most think, and as Mahzarin Banaji's research suggests, it can influence our decisions and behaviors in ways that may not be overt but are nonetheless very impactful (Vedantam).

Alexis McGill Johnson with NPR highlights how unconscious bias is a deeply ingrained issue that goes beyond a single afternoon of training (Chang), as many companies hold so they can tick the box on D.E.I. Breaking these biases requires a long-term commitment and the development of counter-stereotypes. Addressing unconscious bias and becoming more self-aware can help us make fundamental changes in our brain's processes and enable us to override these biases. This is highly important as unconscious bias is not only about overt acts of hatred but also about subtle favoritism that can reinforce patterns of privilege and disadvantage in society (Vedantam). Reflecting on the impact of single stories and stereotypes, it’s important to consider personal narratives. Most of us at some point have encountered a single story or stereotype either directed towards us or at others around us. Having already shared a moment where I witnessed a single- stories impact play out I can share that, personally, as a white male in America I haven’t had any stereotypes have a strong impact on my freedom or my ability to go about my day and through my life. If I had to pick something I personally experienced it would be people assuming all Christians are bigots due to the many far-right Christian groups. It is important for me to note that this doesn’t impact my life in a meaningful way as white Christians hold a lot of power in our society, being the majority. And it is hardly comparable to what POC’s, LGBTQ+ and other marginalized minority groups have to deal with in America and other white western societies. Overcoming single stories and stereotype threat requires a multi-faceted approach. We have to keep raising awareness about the existence of implicit and unconscious bias and spark curiosity about the subject (Chang). Short term education and training, although a starting point, are unlikely to create long-lasting change, as these biases are deeply rooted. Instead, long-term commitment, the development of counter-stereotypes, and systemic changes are necessary. We

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help