We are constantly trying to assert who we are through these blogs.

We are always something. American, English, Christian, Agnostic, Democrat, Republican, New-age, Goth, Punk, Hipster, Hippy... if you're not a Goth, Punk, Hipster, Hippy or whatever, you'll be having a laugh at parties telling everyone how sad/boring/independent/freaky you are.

Always saying, I am this / not that... etc.

Why do we have such a need to identify ourselves?



To put ourselves into groups? Mm, many people need a sense of belonging. That can be dangerous. Irish Catholics V. Protestants; Whites V. Blacks; Anti-semites V. Jews; Turks V. Greeks; Americans V. Whichever Country Has Too Much Oil For Its Own Good...



I'm always cautious about defining myself. I've decided that I'm atheist, for instance, but that is certain.

I have no political sides because nobody seems any much better than the other, and I know that nothing is black and white in any case. I'm quite liberal, but then I think sometimes people are so stupid their racist, petty opinions should be oppressed.

I'm not English. I was born there, but I'm not English. No, not Spanish. I'm me.



The roleplaying game D&D has Good, Evil, Lawful and Chaotic (The latter two are your alignment regarding laws, rules and tradition - whether you work for or against society) as something which you must define for your character when you create him or her. This means, say, that a Holy sword will burn your hands if you are evil and try to pick it up.

Orcs are evil. The Monster Manual says: Orcs are barbaric humaniods blahblahblah whose god teaches them that almost all things are the rightful possesions of the orcs, having been stolen by the other races, and that to survive, they must conquer as much land as possible. So: Evil = mislead. Great. (I remember a quote on the internet from someone's game: "You're Evil, so if you don't tell me what I need to know I can cut your balls off." That was a paladin talking there - supposedly the epitome of Good.)



Well, maybe we need to define ourselves... but there is a risk.

I remember my sister talking about what she had said to a friend. (...They're Goth...) Her friend, apparently, wanted to wear pink. My sister's answer was: "Goth! Pink! NO!" in a way she thought was very funny. The lesson was learnt. Her friend did not wear pink. It was a friendly joke, of course, but it still affected her.

My sister says Goth is just a name for a particular style (being romantic, haloween-ish, and wearing black a lot mostly), and not a cult group.

But if the girl had just said, I like black, don't want a suntan, and read poetry, she would wear pink as well.



So we define ourselves. Then the definition defines us back.



I think we still need to have an identity. But don't make major generalizations, because there can always be an odd one out. Or, if you make a major generalization, keep flexible, don't let it define you - don't give in to peer pressure - and don't sign up for anything.

Be yourself. Let the various names that could be applied describe you if they fit, but don't stick to them, do what ever you feel like, experiment, find what's best. Don't change in order to fit in or fulfill people's expectations. Don't be or do what society says you "should". Just be whatever you happen to be.. at the moment you are in.

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