Identity’s Toxic Relationship With Society
Identifying identity is a trying task in its own. Of course, it can not be narrowed down or oversimplified. Most people are not exactly the same, in fact, almost none are. Yet, we rely on our identities to find people to connect, share, and even identify with.Who we are and who we want people to see depends too much on society in this day age. With such a strong influence on the way we perceive ourselves society’s use of labels and pressure for assimilation eradicate the individuality associated with identity. Labels like “mentally challenged,” “homo,” and “slut” have been created, and almost forced onto us by society, keeping us from properly identifying ourselves. One woman spends a whole essay
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In Document C, Liu describes his relationship with the labels associated with having assimilated. He states “that I have been described as an ‘honorary white,’ by other whites, and as a ‘banana,’ by other asians.” since he had adopted the white american lifestyle, yet fit the profile of an asian man (Doc C). People spend years trying to create a self image that others will accept and “like,” but often find themselves caught in the middle like Liu. As Mukherjee says “The price that the immigrant willingly pays, and that exile avoids, is the trauma of self-transformation.” which for several americans can mean irreplaceable time spent trying to meet society’s unreachable standards (Doc E). Truth be told, there is genuinely no way to make everyone happy. In fact, “There is usually, in the portrayal, a strong whiff of betrayal: the assimilist is a traitor to his kind.” (Doc C). While few people intentionally betray others, it is the wrong way to look at assimilation. The past can not be changed, but as people we tend to change the present so that we and several others are accepted. Albeit, when Billy Joel said “don’t go changing to try and please me” he had a point: americans today lose themselves while trying to impress and join
Through the personal stories of his hair, love life, and behavior, Liu is able to show the effects of his assimilation. The second section deals with Liu’s struggles to conform to white stereotypes as an Asian American. With his personal anecdotes, he establishes himself as a more credible source to speak on the subject of assimilation. The second section uses narration to provide evidence about Liu’s definition of assimilation.
Our identity is comprised of inner qualities and outer representations of self. It consists of innumerable defining characteristics that make up the whole of who we are in any given moment. These fragments of self include our sexuality, gender, and sense of belonging to a particular culture, nation, religion, family, or some other group. Our identity includes our looks, personality, beliefs and fears. Each individual in society assigns themselves a particular role, whether it be as a mother, brother, retiree, performer, sportsman or as a part of their occupation, a doctor or lawyer. Often one’s entire sense of self is consumed by
Identity can mean different things to different people, but for most people, it’s about one’s personality and experiences. The 21st century has seen young people in various parts of the globe have a preference for some desired identity, which they deem superior, rather than accept their own identities. For example, in Goin Gangsta, Choosin Cholista: Claiming Identity, Neil Bernstein makes a case on how a number of people have claimed ethnic individualities other than their own and this is not an evil obsession (Bernstein, 1995). In this essay, a girl named April and her friends (and by extension most young people) believe that “identity is not a matter of where you come from, what you were born into, or what colour your skin is, but it’s everything
Identity is one of the main questions throughout all of our readings, because it is hard for people to accept who they are in society. Accepting their identity as a minority with little if any freedoms
In the article “Being an immigrant in the United States today means..,” an interview from one of the many immigrants here in the United States stated that they “try our best to look American” because of the worry that anytime they might have to prove their citizenship and documentation just for being Indian. Similarly, in the prologue of the book The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan, the narrator describes the journey of a woman across the ocean towards America while saying, “Over there nobody will look down on her, because I will make her speak only perfect American English!” Both these scenarios describe how immigrants are not being fully accepted by American society. It shows that different ethnicities and races are still widely separated no matter the country both live in together. The fear of being frowned upon by Americans and fellow Chinese civilians in America by the woman and the fear of getting picked out because of the color of their skin by the interviewees prove that these people have to live with the pressure of perfecting American ways and culture.
To what extent do you believe identity is a result of free choice or determine by factors out of our control
People live day to day struggling with identifying who or what they want to be. People allow parents, peers, friends, and even the media dictate what makes them unique. Identity is something that makes one person different from the next. Though it may take longer for certain people to understand that, it is a conclusion that one has to come to in time. People allow norms to stop them from being exactly who they are. We were all given a different identity so we could fully embrace the world head on. The time has come for people to stop letting outside forces like names, race, social identity, handicap, and gender determine who they are. One should identify who they are and never let any opposing forces get into the way of what they have to offer the
As a person goes through their life, they encounter many choices and options. The most obvious ones are what they will wear, eat, or do for each day of their life. Everything that they do, even the most simple decisions, can and will impact them and who they are as a person. This will become a part of their identity. However, as the social beings humans are, their identities can be effected by those around them, virtually and physically. Most especially, every person’s identity is affected by the opinions and thoughts of others which can be expressed online, through verbal comments, and body language. This causes each person to question themselves and attempt to view themselves from the eyes of others. And when people question their identities
When you search the phrase “identity in America” in Google, the first result is a short passage that reads, “Since the United States was founded in the 18th century, Americans have defined themselves not by their racial, religious, and ethnic identity but by their common values and belief in individual freedom.” While this is true for some Americans, it is undeniable that cultural legacy, family background, and today’s social norms can greatly influence a person’s identity. Shaped by these influences, people identify differently as individuals, or with many categories instead of identifying with only one piece of themselves. Unfortunately, no matter how a person identifies individually, society still seems to view them with prejudice, or simply
Nguyen does an excellent job of show the reader that it’s not easy to be an immigrant. She demonstrates to the reader, through her own personal experience, that turning into an American is more that wear American clothes, and speaking English. She makes the reader realize that the process of Americanization can be harsh at time. Americanization can leave a person confused about their identity, in terms of culture and religion. She gives her first-hand experiences to prove that coming across new religion and culture can cause a lot of discomfort. Her message resonates with various examples throughout the American history. She also show that although assimilation is hard, but the promise of the American dream is alive and true to its mark. Anyone
Since the pursuit of authentic identity relates heavily with society itself, one can argue that identity exists to the extent of
Humans are bound to make mistakes during these critical decisions that affect both relationships and them as individuals; as a result people are regretful about their identity. Sooner or later people arrive at a point in life where they want to reassess themselves, indicating the theme of Rethinking Identity that is associated with search for an identity, which
There are various kinds of identity (individualized or shared) that people are expected to possess. (Hollinger, 2004) namely; personal identity which is known as a
Identity in a sociological sense is more than individual genetics or individuality. Self identity is made up by many characteristics including; our personal experiences, beliefs, socio-economic status and other factors. Society plays a huge role in determining identity, although true identity generally isn’t a true reflection of an individual’s self identity. Over the generations there have been
In recent years, identity has been open to discussion and reflection. One's identity has now been subject to change. There are still major cultural categories of identity, for example: