The Trouble with Identity

And how to move beyond

Illustration by the author

With most of society stepping away from collectivist narratives, the concept of identity came to the forefront of the 21rst century.

If we are not god’s children; if we’re not united workers; if we’re not one people under one leader, then we’re all distinct individuals. But what distinguishes one individual from the other? Physical traits? Well, it’s true that humans vary slightly in their physical attributes. However, to any other species on this planet, we look just as identical to each other as chimpanzees all look the same to us. We have simply evolved to notice micro-differences among ourselves that are invisible or irrelevant to other species.

Then, surely individuals are separated by what they carry within their brains. That internal sense of separation from others and from the environment is called: the ego. Individuals who cater excessively to that sense of self are labelled egoists. Yet, the ego is not intrinsically bad; it was actually quintessential for our survival. The understanding of how our bodies are separate from nature, the urgency to pass on our genes and the motivation to feed ourselves and our families are all to thank for the existence of human life today.

However, the ego is not a program for happiness. At present, it is more of an impediment. Even though raw survival is not an issue for millions of people in the 21st century, the ego pushes them to chase the same evolutionary gratifications: short bursts of pleasure to be repeated ad nauseum to avoid feeling dissatisfied.

Identity is a wall of protection around the ego. How do I know I am different from everyone else? Well, I have this awesome tattoo that symbolizes this and that. I have this unique haircut that perfectly communicates who I am. I am pansexual and in an open relationship. I love both Korean and Mexican food even though I am a natural born American. I have Bulgarian ancestry. I am vegetarian but I plan on becoming vegan soon. I am addicted to hot yoga and I hate the atmosphere of a gym. I love the art of Hokusai. I prefer Beethoven over Mozart and the Stones over the Beatles. I am enthralled by the words of Ernest Hemingway but I don’t care for F. Scott Fitzgerald. I support team A over team B in sport X. All combined, these idiosyncrasies constitute…