What is Identity

All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages. – William Shakespeare

In many parts of the world, blood is shed by people who clash over identity.

Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, author of ‘Identity and Violence: The Illusion of Destiny,’ destroys two fallacies about identity: the beliefs that an individual possesses one and only one identity and that this identity is merely inherited.

Multiple Identities

All individuals possess multiple identities. It is perfectly possible to be, at the same time, a father at home, a teacher at work, an amateur musician among mates, a Sunni in the mosque, a Muslim in society and a British person abroad. The same person can be a Birmingham City fan, can enjoy fast cars and prefer Pepsi to Coke. Another person can be a Christian and similar to the former in other respects. Yet another one can simply differ in gender and in the choice of soft-drinks.

The question, of course, is which of the above classifications constitute a person’s identity and which not? Clearly, one cannot seriously imagine bonding or arguing over Pepsi and Coke for long, which is why it is not an identity. On the other hand, religion, nationality, age, disability, sexual orientation, transgender, social class and language are far more important aspects of identity. Irrespective of these, one can also find common grounds with individuals of similar wealth, occupation, interest or political opinion, which adds therefore to one’s set of identities.

To be consistent in the weight we attached to our multiple identities is a difficult task. As parents of newborn babies, two individuals may find new bonds as they share joy and misfortune. But when asked to vote in an election or apply for a job promotion, they can find that their religious or ethnic differences matter much more than their parenthood.

Some identities are durable, some are only fleeting, without due consideration to their real importance. People can find solace in their shared humanity when striken by disease and natural disasters nature’s great levellers.

• What do you think?
• Does it matter ?