Think of identity as a political revolutionary movement. It’s existence is necessary for it to challenge or topple the status quo. It is the vital catalyst for enacting this change. However, the very process of maintaining an identity is predicated on maintaining its uniqueness – shared identity of the ingroup is what binds together, and it is maintained by emphasising outgroup difference and separateness. What happens to the revolutionary when they start to win the revolution? An identity’s very existence is dependent on seeking out the differences. Identity unites the tribe in a powerful socially cohesive way, and yet, in creating a tribe it sets itself apart and, often, as exclusive and combative.
If it is the basis of “us” and “them”, then it serves only to divide. Continue reading Addicted to identity