COP SEMINAR - IDENTITY

IDENTITY

ESSENTIALISM

-       Some people are born with identity.

-       Something has an essence.

Contemporary view is that society makes us who we are.

-       Social class.

IDENTITY & ‘THE OTHER’

Who are we//how others perceive who we are

IDENTITY CREATION

WHAT MAKES YOU YOU?

-       Physical attributes

-       DNA

-       Clothes

-       Fears

-       Sense of humour

-       Skill//abilities

-       Religion//beliefs

-       Backgroung – family//up-bringing

-       Gender

-       Sexuality

HOW YOU EXPRESS YOURSELF?

-       Lifestyle choice

-       Conspicuous consumption

-       Physical appearance//body modifications

-       Profession//vocation

-       Job

-       Emotional availability

-       Social networking

-       Reality vs. projected identity

IDENTITY FORMATION

-       Jacques Lacan

-       The ‘Hommelette’ – pun   - No concept of self at birth.

-       Scrambled mix of information.

-       The ‘Mirror Stage’

-       Key point of identity formation.

-       Realization that you yourself are a thing.

-       Extended by the things you do off of your own back.

-       Rush of ego affirmation

-       Not the thing you think you are

-       Life is an attempt to return to that moment of realization.

-       All of our identity performances are manifestations to become something else.

SUBJECTIVITY

·      An illusion of wholeness.

-       Identities are a sham.

·      Informed by receiving views from others.

-       All attempts to receive affirmation.

=       Own subjectivity is fragile

WE ‘OTHER’ THE REST OF THE WORLD

·      Problems: relies on the assumption of opposition and radical otherness.

-       Secure identities at the expense of others.

·      In the same way we create our identity.

Cement unstable identity through the illusion of unity.

-       Shared fashions, belief systems, values, etc.