Self Identity vs Identity: What is Identity?

I have received an email, asking about the definition of ‘Identity’ and ‘self-identity’.

A sense of identity is very essential for an individual. For a newborn baby, it is nothing; but that baby begins the journey of revealing his identity from his adulthood. 

He can distinguish himself from another human being. He may have an identity, given by his parents but he never creates an identity for himself.

He can identify himself in respect of his parents, society, friends but no one knows him as ‘Him’. This is the hard truth of every human being. From the years of infancy, we are imitating the people around us; surprisingly nobody bothers about it. 

Nobody is telling this is wrong. You are an entirely different entity. 

Self Identity and Identity

We are relating us in terms of institutions. ‘I am a student at ABC School’ and ‘I have an identity card’. 

Later, in middle age ‘I work for CDE Company’ now ‘I have a business card’. This is the paradox of identity. We cannot relate me with who I am. we need to relate ourselves in terms of social institutions. 

You cannot bring out our creative force against all this because there is a strong chance of rejection which means lack of identity.

The second kind of identity is social stands. Am I equal to the other members of society in terms of materialistic interest? If yes, then we are happy. 

If not, then there is a chance of a rejection; so we work for our self-identity. From the above two situations, we can well understand that the fear of socially inferior or rejection leads us to form an identity for ourselves.

•    Now, what is an identity crisis?

Just answer one question: Are you really behaving like what you are (in the society)? The honest answer should be ‘A Big No’ because again we are acting; we are trying to create a good impression in society. 

We are always putting a mask of a fake identity. 

It is a paradox that on the one hand, we are trying to create our identity but on the other hand, we are creating or enlarging our fake identity. Sound interesting?

•    What is identity? Is there any perfect definition of self-identity?

First of all, you cannot define a self as ‘Self’; you need to take reference of any social member or institution. Moreover, why are you creating a self-identity? Because of our ‘society’. So how can a self be the ‘Self’ without society and if you identify as a social member then what is the need for ‘self’ identity? We are nothing but a ‘part’ of a large society, a large ecosystem. 

Self Identity comes from that time when a human being tries to identify himself as superior to other entities of society, a part of Humanism.

Now, if you define self-identity in terms of social status; then I must say, I want equality and I am not discussing social pre-eminence and dominance. 

I am excluding the ranking in the industry (boss, manager, workers) because I think it is an identity only for that particular industry because a worker from A industry could be the manager of B industry and in future s/he could be the head of his own C industry.

So, my conclusion is this:

‘Identity’ is important but in terms of society as ‘Us’ not as ‘I’. You have to be a small member of a large group and create universal brotherhood among all ‘human beings’.   

Now, if you have different critical thoughts or different interpretations, then we are eagerly waiting to hear from you. Please share your thought in the comment section.

Thank you,
Aim for Cent