My Identity
Essay Style
My nationality is what I consider to be the most important part of my identity. Some might think that being proud of one’s nationality is foolish as you can’t choose it. However, a person’s national identity is very important to many people and I would consider it to be central to be personal identity. Being of mixed-British ethnicity (Scottish, Ulster, English), I’d consider myself British first, rather than specifically English for example. To me, the sub-national identities of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are only something I’d identify with within the UK. I wouldn’t go abroad as an Englishman, I would be a Briton. When in Britain, however, I may identify more willingly as English, though I would still probably see myself as British first, English second. I acknowledge my Scottish and Ulster ancestry but I would still think of myself as being more English than either of those nationalities. I was born in, grew up in, and will live in, England so that is where I’d consider home within the UK. In terms of what it means to be British, I think I might fit with what it means to be a normal Briton. Character virtues that might be seen to be stereotypically British such as perseverance, righteousness, courage and dutifulness are things that I would rate as important qualities to have. There are other things that people would associate with being British, however, that I wouldn’t as easily identify with. Respect for the monarchy is not something I have; I really have no care for royals. Nor am I endowed with a few other qualities that one might expect a British person to have, modesty being one.
My moral and political outlook is another part of me that I would say is central to my identity. I would identify as being conservative in my views and have strong, if usually withheld, opinions and have clear sense of what is proper and right. Qualities that I would think to be useful or important for a person to have include decency, loyalty, conscientiousness, compassion, pride and integrity. I disapprove of immoral behaviour and try my hardest to be a good person.
My gender is probably the third most important part of my identity. Being male has affected my life mostly without me noticing. I haven’t known any different so it may be hard to detail how my gender fits exactly within my identity but I think that had I been born a woman, I would be a very different person so my gender has to be something that is at the core of my personal identity. Both physically and psychologically, my sex has determined myriad things about me, including, for example, my personal interests, hobbies, ambitions and wants. It has a much more passive effect on my identity but is, nonetheless, very important in relation to it.
Aside from these three main facets of my identity, there is a wealth of other things about me that collectively construct my identity. My interests in things like film, music, art, history and language together are very important to me and together form a very substantial part of my personal identity. These are things that effect what I do in everyday life so if they were different, I would lead quite a different life. The main pillars of my identity, however, are my nationality, my moral and political outlook and my gender, as they are the three things that I would say are most important in defining my identity.
Blog Style
My nationality has a big effect on how I see myself. Though I didn’t choose to be born British, it is something that I identify with and is probably the most important part of my personal identity. I would describe myself as British primarily; I don’t strongly identify as English, Scottish, Welsh or Northern Irish.
My nationality is an integral, unchangeable part of my personal identity
I would describe myself as patriotic and I take a pride in national success in things such as football or the Olympics and think that the country’s current international involvement in the form of humanitarian work, anti-piracy endeavours etc. is a good thing.
I feel national pride in things like international sporting competitions
In something like the Olympics, pride can be taken in both the personal achievements of individual athletes and in the collective success of a nation
The country doing good overseas is something that I am proud of
I think that on an international scale, one’s nationality is very important. The world has a plethora of different cultures and peoples, and it is important to have a part of the world and a community of people to identify with.
A country gives a home to people in the world
I think that most qualities that would be considered typically British are qualities I have, or at least aspire to have. Such qualities would include courage, dutifulness, righteousness and perseverance. I would also value loyalty, compassion, decency, pride, integrity and conscientiousness. These are all qualities that I would consider important in a person. I think that fighting corruption is a noble cause and find myself sympathizing with the protagonists in films like Serpico and The Untouchables.
John Bull, personification of Britain
Serpico (1973, dir. Sidney Lumet)
The Untouchables (1987, dir. Brian De Palma)
There are elements of Britishness that don’t sit comfortably with me. The monarchy and the royal family are often hailed as national treasures but I am really not a fan of royalty so this would seem to be a mark against my Britishness, though I’d hope the pride in people with inherited wealth, power and privilege is not central to being British.
Some ‘British’ things don’t fit with my personal identity
Also, there are some typically-British qualities that I don’t possess. It could be said that modesty is one of them. I am aware that I am generally not humble when I achieve something and I do like taking pride in doing things well. I don’t think that this an entirely bad thing as pride can help people succeed in doing things. People will work hard to get something done well if they can be proud of what they have accomplished. It can help motivate people and bring out their competitive side, which is usually a good thing.
I think pride can be a virtue
My gender is definitely very important in terms of my identity. It has effected me for my whole life and if I were a female instead of a male, I would be a very different person. It affects my life ubiquitously; everything from my physical appearance to my taste in cinema is to some extent determined by my sex. I think that it will continue to effect me into adulthood and when I encounter issues to do with family, my gender will determine a great deal my identity as a parent.
My gender has a substantial effect on my personal identity
During adulthood, starting a family will create a new element to my identity
Aside from these three main points, there are a number of other things about me that collectively add to my personal identity. My taste in film is something personal to me and comprises a small but important part of my identity. Similarly, my taste in music also fits into my identity, as it is unique to me and affects what I do in everyday life. My interests in art and my fondness for history determine the activities I pursue and are idiosyncrasies that distinguish me from others. I also have a specific enthusiasm for expanding my knowledge of the language (the English language. I find more fulfilment in improving my apprehension of English than trying to learn another language).
Collateral (2004, dir. Michael Mann)
The Slave Ship (1840, J.M.W. Turner)
My identity is comprised primarily of my nationality, my moral and political perspective and my gender, but many other elements of my everyday life such as my personal interests collectively make up my personal identity and determine the person that I am.
McGarry A2 