“Identity is the fact of being who or what a person or thing is”- Oxford Dictionary.
Recently, I conducted a survey to find out what identity means to different people. The majority of the respondents focused on our biological make-up; the way they look and speak. However, it’s also crucial to understand that the way we are born is only a part of who we are. The way we think, respond and act to a situation comes from the norms and values of the society that are indoctrinated into us from a very young age.
Now, the question that arises is, where do these values, norms and ideologies come from? Most of the time, it’s what we have learnt from our surroundings. For example, in schools we are taught to respect teachers and we are made familiar with the hierarchical system of our society. The cliché hierarchy in the society forces us to listen to the people in power because, they have the power to shape our behaviour, construct our thoughts and lead our lives.
The media can be compared to the mind of a newborn baby. Behaviorist psychologist describe it as a ‘blank slate- Tabula Rasa’ meaning that we aren’t born with any inbuilt mental content but our behavior is learnt through association with the environment. The content published on the media can construct beliefs and ideologies about an issue. For example, the negative portrayal of Islam may create a dominant ideology of it being a violent religion. Additionally, opinion leaders can heavily shape our opinion, which can result in bias response to an issue.
Therefore, if our identities are pre-constructed, should we accept or question them and if so, how do we change them?
Bazla Samin
Carshalton High School For Girls
