I was watching a vlog on Youtube earlier about how most people tend to identify themselves by their nationalities first, rather than any personal aspects they may have. This is all well and good – I myself am a patriot and often call myself a Pakistani-Muslim before anything else – but when that’s established, what do you then identify as?
In our “formative years,” a lot of people struggle to place their identity, unless you’re one of the lucky few who’re resolute enough to have decided upon their debut from their mama’s womb. Other people work it out at some point or the other. Others still don’t figure it out until well into their lives and allow themselves to fall under the predictable mundanity of life as an alternative.
Which, you know, is alright too. Playing it safe has its own merits – and consequences – in life. Hell, sometimes going WITHOUT an identity is easier, particularly if you’re…well, less than favored by the mainstream media.
And then there’s the identity you’re labelled with. Oh, the virtues of scapegoating; what must it be like, to be so nonexistent?
Nothing good comes out of scapegoating. All you’re doing is backing an innocent man into a corner until they have no choice but to break and mould themselves to what society expects of them. Where does rebellion spout from, after all? Deviant behavior is often the product of society, rather than the ugly defect we all like to see it as.
But I digress. And as I lay on this couch, sneezing until my lungs spray out my nostril I don’t apologize for the image, I ponder my own identity.
I’m a Pakistani. A Muslim. A feminist, an egalitarian, sure. But I’m a loud and proud nerd. I’m a geek in the best sense of the word. I love my quirks, I love my Doctor Who, I love academics. I’m a fashionista. I guess I’m an eclectic – I devour everything in little bits and relish each and every bit of it.
…or maybe I’m just trying to find an identity.
Yeah, it’s probably the latter.
I should just go back to sneezing like a good girl.
BUT, readers, what is your identity? Leave a comment down below! I’ll get back to y’all once I figure out what my identity is.
Neiha Lasharie 
I like to define my identity in terms of my relationships with others. i.e., (in order) I’m a daughter, a big sister, a friend, a stepdaughter, a roommate, a school colleague, a cousin etc. I find that life is a little bit nicer when you define yourself like that 🙂
I LOVE that!
I think that it’s more of a role rather than an identity to introduce yourself as “the roommate or the daughter”. I think what Neiha is referring to, is that of an individual’s personal identity? Perhaps individuality? I see her as the smart, TINY but loud girl in my classes. I wouldn’t necessarily call her a nerd. A dork, maybe. Attempted joke. I guess you identify yourself at what you’re most proud of. I’m Stacy, Captain of the football team and a rock-star in the making. But again those are roles rather than identifiers. I identify as a jock and musician.
That’s interesting too, to think about. There’s a difference between your role and your identity, but I think you can make your role your identity as well, as long as it’s YOU that decides that role and not other people. I think identity is what you consider yourself, separate from social roles.