Singular Identity

In reference to our identities, Amartya Sen, in Identity and Violence, wrote that "Life is not mere destiny". Rather it is a choice that we make to identify ourselves as one thing or another. Because we are born Korean, say, we are not destined to embody all that is Korea...because we are also a man, a Catholic, a soccer player, a vegetarian, a lover of potato chips and Coke. He writes about this idea of singular versus plural identity in terms of violence and violent behaviors. He avers that just because we are born to a seemingly violent identifying culture (read: Micronesian here in Hawaii) does not necessitate or *excuse* violent tendencies.

And this makes me think: how do I identify myself? And is that the same as how other people would identify me?

And furthermore: are there times in my life when I identify more with one singular identity than another?

Am I no longer a frisbee player? Am I just Jewish? Or just an epidemiologist? Or a brunette? Or a silly blogger?

No, of course not, I am never just any one thing. Though sometimes, I feel stuck, or tripped up, or excited by a singularity, I find that the more I remember that I am a compilation of many, many identities, the more connected I feel to the world.

And so should you.