Member-only story
Nonfiction
The Weight And Wings Of Our Identities
How are identities formed and how do they shape us?
I have realized that identity can be a double-edged sword. You’ve got to internalize the feeling that you are a writer, cellist, runner, photographer, or whatever before the world can accept you as one. At the same time, identity renders you fragile; you will feel each setback and detour like a whiplash and if left unchecked, the cracks in your self-esteem may just bring you down.
Where do our identities come from?
Our immediate surroundings shape much of who we are.
“We’re so surrounded by it that it’s impossible to see. Many things we think are true are really just our local culture. We can’t see it until we get outside of it.” — Derek Sivers
In Asian families it is common for aging parents to continue to live with adult kids as the latter embody their role as dutiful children by caring for them in their golden years. Similarly, it is common for parents in these cultures to take on emotional and financial liabilities to secure the future of their kids.
If you were living in Palo Alto in the US, it might be nearly impossible to want to be anything other than an entrepreneur for at least some part of…
