If one were to be completely un-identified, there would be some advantages as well as some major drawbacks. By not having an ethnic identity, one could break through the barriers of racial and ethnic discrimination. No longer would ethnicity or race be a factor in decisions regarding this individual in the social world as well as in the career of said individual. No prejudice would be placed upon one who is un-identified and they would shed a factor in being judged by others. However, by being un-identified, this person would lose a community full of support and acceptance. An overbearing sense of loneliness would begin to take form as this individual without ethnic identity discovered how individual they really are. Individuality is celebrated in our world, yet community is as well. Without identity, there is no community.
Monday, February 17, 2014
Judgement is an unstoppable aspect of human nature. We judge others based off appearance, personality, race, ethnicity, and many other things that help form our perception of the world around us. Because of this, I believe that it is impossible to be completely un-identified in the modern world. Although race relations have improved to a level never seen before in the United States, there is still a presence of judgement and identification based of race and ethnicity. An individual may view themselves as having no ethnic identity however it is not completely up to them. The world around us forms the majority of our ethnic identity because it is them who attach stereotypes and identifiers to each ethnic identity. Even though one may believe they are above ethnic identification, others attach identity regardless.
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I agree with you Ben. I think it is impossible to be unidentifiable as far as in an external environment, but that it is possible as an individual to decide you don't identify with an ethnic group.
ReplyDeleteI had never thought about the correlation of identity and community. What do you think the lack of relation would look like? Do you think it would cause everyone to become the same based on the lack of pride in taking an identity? Or would it cause everyone to become extremely different based on a lack of community?