Changing Identity

I find it helps to see more clearly if I stand back. To let go of preconceptions, opinions, likes, dislikes. Detachment gives an objective view. Those that move away from their home or have moved into a new community often have a different way of seeing to those who have grown up and lived there all their lives. Through the ages locals in communities have struggled with new comers and their new fangled ideas bringing about change. If you place your identity in a person or in objects then what happens if they are taken away?

Exposure. A feeling of dissociation, of being excluded. Loneliness and loss.

If I take my haptic hat off, what is left?

What now defines me?

Vulnerability in a culture where that is seen as weakness can be difficult to manage on a day to day basis. We are expected to be strong, to maintain a stiff upper lip, to be able to manage, not to rely on others, we are proud and defiant. We are frightened of the unknown. We have forgotten what its like to learn to try things for the first time, like our children. We expect to be able to buy so much readymade, off the peg, we expect to borrow our identity from the culture around us. But aren't we supposed to lead the culture around us? Shouldn't we be expectant rather than expect?

Do we really know what it is that we want while we hide at home with our in-house entertainment systems spoon feeding us popular culture?

This is fundamental to change in communities, people invest in communities for lots of reasons, physical: to have a better quality of life, work: to have more opportunities, relationships: with the people you want to be with.

So if your job changes, or the local authority rebuild some part of the physical landscape or your key relationships begin to waiver then you start to feel threatened and may become defensive even aggressive. Some will see differently and see opportunity, others will not.

Which are you?