I am a Generation Y writer, leader and entrepreneur from Rhode Island, currently living in Boston, Massachusetts. With my Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, I provide self-improvement and personal development on my personal blog, DaveUrsillo.com
Does our family tree and history dictate how we embrace the individuality of our heritage? What’s the proper way to own our cultural and ethnic backgrounds, without being buried in labels based on physical, skin-deep characteristics?
Our skin color, ethnicity, racial background, and family heritage is certainly a part of who we are, but none of the individual or combined physical traits wholly define us. Unfortunately, as human beings, skin-deep characteristics are often the first similarities and differences we observe among our peers. And because we each possess a natural “want” to discover an individual identity and embrace a sense of belonging amongst others like us, the physical traits that define us are most often used to characterize “who we are.”
From our youth, we grow up with a natural longing for identity. I think that this is a very natural human characteristic shared by most (if not all) of us. We strive to “fit in with the crowd” and associate either with those who are like us, or those whom we wish to be like. For many, achieving an identity – a sense of Self, an understanding of who we truly are – is a lifelong mission.
Although it is natural to identify with others around us who share similar traits like our physical characterizes, skin-color, ethnic heritage, and so on, over-identifying with our unique heritage ultimately limits our social experiences. We become “owned” by our heritage, rather than it being but one component of who we are as completely unique persons.
As human beings, why do we long for identity?
Humans are very social creatures. Unlike most mammals on our planet, as newborns human beings are incredibly dependent upon their mothers for care. In fact, newborn children are totally helpless and wholly reliant upon others to survive. It’s always remarkable to me to watch videos of newborn animals like giraffes and horses immediately stand upon wobbly legs as soon as they are birthed; it gives you a true appreciation for how helpless newborn human beings are by comparison.
Humans need humans to survive. However, as we grow older and our individual senses of Self begin to develop, we begin to desire a specific sense of belonging among others like us. Belonging to a group provides a great sense of personal comfort through social acceptance. It’s as if when we belong to a big group of others like us, our existence feels validated. We also feel safe and protected amongst a group of our peers.
Nevertheless, when we limit our social interactions to those who share our skin-deep similarities, we restrict our personal growth and, in essence, become “owned” by our heritage. To search for belonging among our peers on the basis of skin-color, ethnicity, and race does little to nurture our individuality as human beings. Within each of us, we possess a unique variety of personal traits like passions, hobbies, talents, gifts, as well as personal shortcomings and weaknesses. While our race, ethnic background and national heritage do indeed contribute to who we are, identifying alone with such “skin-deep” differences is a rudimentary, overly simplistic method of searching for self-identity and finding a sense of belonging amongst peers.
What steps do you take to step outside of your comfort zones, to explore your inner self, and overcome the natural lure to be “owned” by your heritage?
Skin-Deep: Owning Your Heritage