What is An Identity?

While discussing the concept of identity this past week, it occurred to me how much more of a complex idea identity really is. So many people throw the word around casually, but when asked to define it, it was a much harder task than I would have predicted. In terms of one’s personal identity, I came to the conclusion that it is ever changing and never definite as it relies on numerous dependent factors. When asked what my identity was four years ago, I most likely would have rattled off some characteristics about myself that were exceedingly obvious. Traits like girl, fourteen-year old, freshman in high school, brunette, and short would have come to mind and my identity would have been minimized to reflect only surface level traits about myself. Now phrases such as eighteen-year old, freshman in college, Jewish, undecided, and independent come to mind. While some of these traits still do not reflect who I am in more depth, they do prove that one’s identity can change over time. http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/identity/

I also found it interesting which descriptions came to people’s minds first. Generally, people either started with obvious traits that others were aware of, or traits that made them unique. For example, I heard Günperi tell a group that one of the first things she would tell someone when describing her identity was that she was originally from Cyprus. However, after being asked if she was in Cyprus and was asked the same question, she said that she would probably state her political affiliation instead. I found this interesting that perhaps where someone is and who is asking can impact the specific identity that person chooses to portray.