I found our discussion in class on Tuesday to be very interesting. It made me rethink what the meaning of identity really is. I always thought that a person's identity was truly defined by who the people you know think you are; who you appear to be to the world. You could be a completely different person depending on the group of people you are around. For example, in high school I was always the quiet girl who talked to two or three people. Honestly, classmates probably wondered if I was mute. But, then I would go to color guard practice and turn into this loud and outgoing person.
Now, because of the reading, I realize that your identity is not how you are perceived by the world, but it is really the things that you are born with, your culture, and your personal choices. The things that your parents decide for you; your name, your religion, the elementary school you attended, etc. are the basis of who you are. These things all affect how you grow up. For example, the friends that you made at elementary school were affected by your parents. They didn't chose your friends for you, but since they decided where you went to school, their decision determined the group of people that you would chose your friends from. Culture also plays a huge part in identity. Culture and society gives people an idea of what the "norm" is. It affects how people act when they want to fit in with the people around them. Personal choices are probably the biggest component of peoples' identities. Our personal choices are what make us all unique. You decide how you dress, what music you listen to, what shows you watch, your friends, etc. and these are things that really identify who we are. You can redefine your identity just by changing your personal choices.
