February Blog

Predicting Identity

In the book, Communication: A Critical/ Cultural Introduction, the authors explain, “we argue that identity is the compilation of one’s experiences, as influenced by social, political, and cultural factors that frame and mark those experiences” (Warren and Fasset, 2015, p. 99). While identity is marked by one’s experiences, it is also what makes us who we are. If identity is marked by one’s experiences, can we predict what someone’s identity will be before it is even fully formed? I believe the answer is yes when certain lenses are used. Identity can be predicted by a person’s family background, their socio-economic status, and education.

A person’s family life has an incredibly profound effect on their life. This can be seen in Jeffrey Dahmer’s life. At one point, Dahmer’s teacher noted that “she sensed Dahmer felt neglected and alone (Sanderson, 2017). This was most likely due to his mother’s neglect. After Dahmer was born, his mother spent several years in bed due to illness. She was incredibly unstable and often sought attention from others. At one point, she even tried to commit suicide to get her husband’s attention. This behavior put a strain on Mr. and Mrs. Dahmer’s relationship and stirred up marital issues between them. It is quite evident that Dahmer did not have a stable family life when he was growing up. It is highly likely that this played a role in Dahmer’s future. In the future, Dahmer would go on to kill 17 people and become a famous serial killer.

While socio-economic status isn’t as evident in Dahmer’s life, it has quite an influence on Harper’s life. The authors of Communication: A Critical/ Cultural Introduction explain that Harper’s father worked quite hard and was a tradesperson (Warren and Fassett, 2015). Essentially, Harper would have been lower class during her childhood. After witnessing her father’s hardships and struggles, Harper was inspired to get a graduate degree. This would have improved her socio-economic status greatly. Only given this information, it could be concluded that her previous socio-economic status played a role in her future. However, if other data is considered, it becomes more difficult to rely on socio-economic status solely. A writer, Steve Hargreaves (2013), explains that 70% of lower income households will remain that way. He also notes that people remained poor because they had less to spend on job training or education. While socio-economic status is involved, it is also apparent that Harper’s father has given her a significant amount of support. Without this support, it is likely, that Harper would have remained in the same socio-economic status.

Finally, an individual’s education plays a significant role in creating their identity. One author, Carlos Andres Gomez (2013), explains that when he attended a Catholic school, he asked, “How can we not question what we read? Isn’t that the point of education?” Previously, he had not attended a Catholic school and he was taught to question things at his other school. The children at the Catholic school were likely to have been taught not to question the bible. This is one of the reasons Carlos didn’t fit into the Catholic school. His past education had determined what his identity and his views towards education would be.

Through these examples, it is evident that identity can be predicted even if it may not be correct. In Dahmer’s life, it could have been predicted that he would be troubled later due to his troubled childhood. It could have also been predicted that Harper would have remained poor. Fortunately, other factors influenced Harper and made it possible for her to get an education. Finally, based on Carlos’ education, it could have been assumed that he wouldn’t transition smoothly into a Catholic school. Even if predictions are incorrect, they can still be made. Through these predictions, we may be able to improve the future.

References

Gomez, C.A. (2013, November 5). “Fear: Beneath the Façade.” In Man Up: Reimagining Modern Manhood (pp. 39-61). New York, NY: Penguin Group.

Hargreaves, S. (2013, November 13). “Making it into the middle class.” Retrieved from http://economy.money.cnn.com/2013/11/13/making-it-into-the-middle-class/.

Sanderson, E. (2017).  “Serial Killer Files: Jeffrey Dahmer, Part 1— Early Life and Family.” Retrieved from https://criminal.media/serial-killer-files-jeffrey-dahmer-part-1-early-life-and-family.

Warren, J. T., and Fassett D. L. (2015). Communication: A Critical/ Cultural Introduction (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications Inc.