Stanisland Magazine

We perceive ourselves based on the influence of groups we are a part of. This leads us to a change in how we think and behave in more ways than one.

There was a temptation to start this essay off with something like, “What is identity?” A cheesy, corny passage to appear as some sort of philosophically gifted student of life. The truth is, none of us is qualified to understand the fundamental metrics of life’s true quantum, even though many of us act as though we know it all.

Philosophers and thinkers regularly ponder the idea of identity and often come up short, treading a thin line while egocentrically conveying to their audience that they have all the answers—even the open ended ones.

Identity is like a stress ball that, although malleable, retains its form. Some of us navigate our teenage years and young adulthood, switching between cultures and tribes, bending to find our identity. And by venturing into the vacuums of tribalism, we are merely stumbling into a world we feel we are a part of, influenced by listening and observing and becoming. In short, our minds are never truly our own.

Read: Leaving Social Media Is The Best Decision You Can Make

Much of this sense of belonging can be put down to a few things—one being our fear of loneliness and division. So much so, that both modern and ancient peoples adopted animals into their lives, not only perform tasks such as hunting and to keep watch but for companionship and love.

Which came first? Nobody knows. But bonding with animals (in particular, dogs) is a responsive expression to the fear of loneliness, an act of companionship. These are the depths we are willing traverse, in order to find acceptance and harmony.

We Are Constantly Looking for Ourselves

Identity has evolved many times—from fragrances to clothing, flags, housing, food and now electronics. And to some degree, embracing such items will categorise people into certain tribes.

Probing outside the norms of internationally accepted parameters has moulded a number of people into identity centric communities. This conduct is profusely evident in the fast succession of social trends.

Should we change to fit national, patriotic narratives of society until the correct definition is satisfied? Should this happen without cultural and ethnological interjections, which can skew true understanding? Is this paragraph as undefined and undetermined as identity itself—like a cyclical comfortable road going round in circles? Yes! And No! And Maybe! And yes and no!

We are often lost in the idea of what identity means to us, sometimes feeling indifferent within our circle of friends and family. This is because individuality can be manipulated by various influences, a force more prevalent since the advent of social media. From pop culture to politics, these unseen elements have been altering our state of consciousness in a manner akin to propaganda.

Forced Into Tribes By Nationality

What it says in our passports or the boxes we tick on surveys are now optimised to make us think of who we really are. Even if ethnicity were not a consideration beforehand, adulthood’s relentless probing of origin through administrative checks can prompt us to feel irregular.

Formal documents can feel like they’re pigeonholing us, causing unconscious friction with other groups. Regardless of your skin colour, your identity is a mould from your background, underlined more, if like me, your skin colour is not white.

We talk about identity so much, but lack the answers for a conclusion to be satisfied by any definition. This could be because the thread of its dominion lies in the fact that we share much of the same ancestry, history and DNA. Like the rest of us, many are unaware, also weighing the state of an unspoken existential crises.

Maybe there need not be an answer to what identity is, and how it may help us navigate the world. Identity, quite simply—is. Something that exists out of the ether, intangible and melodious. The spirit of community togetherness and cohesion that builds family and friendships. Asking ‘why?’ might be better than the answer. Because this paradox bonds us through journeys and stories that came from them and their discoveries.

The truth is, identity is as fickle as the influences that attract us to the various constructs of its manifestation—especially so when it comes to social media trends. To ponder the mysteries of life, our identity and form close bonds with others who share the same curiosity is an identity, too.