In order to understand how identity and perception changes we first need to analyze ourselves. Think on this for a minute, how has your identity changed your perspective towards yourself, the people around you, and the social issues in the news?Keep thinking, dig deep and really think critically. Whatever answer you came up with is the perception you have towards yourself, your family and friends, and the current events. Being a girl means I’m looked at in a different way than a boy. Being a college student means I’m looked at differently than a 9-5 business woman, even though I still work 30+ hours a week. Being one of seven kids not from a mormon, but a broken/ blended home means I’m looked at differently than an only child. But why? These are things that I don’t have control over, right? Sure I could choose to change genders, not go to college, “leave” my family. But in the end, my identity is NOT others perception of me. I can only control my actions and reactions to others actions, not the actions of others. So why try to change the way I am perceived? Why not try to change my identity?
“Identity and Perception as Performance”
I recently attended a lecture in which David Brooks, New York Times Columnist and Author, said something to the affect of how people are currently seeking “resume’ reviews” instead of “eulogy reviews”and it struck me deep. Earlier that day in my Communications 160: Communications and Culture class we’d been discussing identity and perception. It made me think about how that theory is what we, as americans in a “civilized” society, has been perceived. And how that is now the major identifier. Resume’ reviews are words/phrases used to describe someone on paper, the resume of your life, designed by themselves. These words are structured in a way that makes someone feel good about themselves and their accomplishments. While Eulogy reviews are the words/phrases used to describe someone and their actions after their passing. The words are always kinder, generally positive and overall not claimed by the deceased.
My “goosebump moment” to leave you with is this, if you could rewrite your identity, perception, or “review” which would you chose and why? What about the way you see yourself, how others see you or how the world sees you says, “Can I have a redo?”
I recently attended a lecture in which David Brooks, New York Times Columnist and Author, said something to the affect of how people are currently seeking “resume’ reviews” instead of “eulogy reviews”and it struck me deep. Earlier that day in my Communications 160: Communications and Culture class we’d been discussing identity and perception. It made me think about how that theory is what we, as americans in a “civilized” society, has been perceived. And how that is now the major identifier. Resume’ reviews are words/phrases used to describe someone on paper, the resume of your life, designed by themselves. These words are structured in a way that makes someone feel good about themselves and their accomplishments. While Eulogy reviews are the words/phrases used to describe someone and their actions after their passing. The words are always kinder, generally positive and overall not claimed by the deceased. My “goosebump moment” to leave you with is this, if you could rewrite your identity, perception, or “review” which would you chose and why? What about the way you see yourself, how others see you or how the world sees you says, “Can I have a redo?”
No comments:
Post a Comment