1.4.1 Who are You?

Does globalization enrich or threaten your identity


Identity: What is
identity
Your distinct characteristics and personality which is shaped by many factors.
identity? It is who you are.

Each person has a unique identity, but we also have identities within the groups and communities to which we belong. You might have an identity as a son or daughter, a student, a brother, a cousin, a Tim Hortons cashier, a Wal-Mart employee, a hockey player, a bass player, and a good neighbour. You also might have an identity as a member of your church, mosque, or synagogue.

You also have a unique personality and appearance.

Children in Peru
Children in Peru
Source: SuSanA Secretariat, Wikimedia Commons
What factors influence you? How do you show the world who you really are?
Think about...

  • your language
  • your traditions
  • your religion and spirituality
  • your participation in the arts
  • your clothing
  • your role models
  • your relationship to the land

Reflect


Identity is part of culture.
culture
Culture refers to the way groups of people live. A culture is created over time and shared by a group with generally an understood shared set of values and beliefs. Cultures are always changing. Some people call culture a "design for living" which includes standards for deciding what is, what can be, how to feel about it, what to do about it, and how to do it. (Goodenough:1961)
Culture has several definitions.

  • Culture is the "way of life" of a certain group of people.

  • You culture includes what you do every day, how you think, what you believe, and your view of the world.

  • Every community, cultural group, or ethnic group has its own values, beliefs, and ways of living. Although your identity is yours alone, your membership in a larger group is also an important part of who you are.