Another aspect of a person's identity is to have similar beliefs in a common notion. Whether it's the music you listen to, the books you read, the food you eat, there are many qualities that unite a community together.
One of the most dedicated of these topics is the sports team. In retrospect, I consider it more of a culture. There are many different levels of fandom ranging from supporter to die-hard fanatic psychos.
Whether you watch the game on a TV at home with close friends and family, at the bar with new friends and family, on the radio, or live at the stadium/area itself. These supporters ban together into an community which creates it's own identity. An identity which gives you the feeling of belonging. You can watch the game 10,000 miles away, and if you spot another team supporter, you become instant friends, you are rooting for the same team, the same family, the same identity.
It's always the same goal in mind for these supporters of sport...whether you are a fair-weathered fan, or an over-obsessive fan...whether you have played the sport maybe once in the past, or have followed it religiously through newspapers, magazines and TV programs...we're all trying to make a community that we feel home at, no matter how far away from reality that it may be.
"The Sporting Life" - The Decemberists
Showing posts with label identity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label identity. Show all posts
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
National Disasters
Prior to coming to Drew, my thoughts on national identity have been mostly positive. It's a way for a people to embrace their culture, identify with others in their search for identity, and celebrate one's historical past. However many of these thoughts have changed after having to read for my classes in Irish History, the Fin de Siecle as well as my course in the history of disability. Yes, maybe some of these readings have been a little more biased than others, but it still opened my eyes to new ideas.
Nationality has been around for a long time. However the trend towards nationality has really established itself during the Fin de Siecle. In a time period of world warfare, it was important to have the support of the country to which you were fighting for. It is no surprise that some of the most concise descriptions of national identity has been found in Joseph Stalin's personal writings. In effort to making a socialist community, he made a list of requirements for such a culture to obtain a national identity: " a common language; a stable community; a territory; economic cohesion; and a collective psychology and character" (Davis 1995: 75).
In an attempt to create a national identity, they have in reverse created a black and white set of rules with no grey areas in between. By creating what it means to have a national identity, they have further created the ideal of the "other." If you don't fit into our national ideal image, then you don't belong at all. While we live in a time where it is more accepting for the "grey areas" there are still instances to where this "other" is still lurking around today. In today's wars and political debates, we continue to label ourselves with our many different national identities. We continue to see people as the other in a negative way. Yes I understand that NOT everyone will hold the same view points, history and culture for that matter. Not everyone will get along, such rivals and enemies will still be had. I just hope that one day we will be able to embrace our national identities and just appreciate how long it has taken us all to get where our identifies are today. How far we have evolved from black/white ways of thinking, and that maybe we could add a little color in next to the shades of grey.
As with many good ideas, nationalism was an idea which may had good fundamental origins (to bring a culture together and to celebrate one's history and beginnings) and in turn has turned into a national disaster.
Davis, Lennard J. 1995. Enforcing Normalcy: Disability, Deafness and the Body. New York: Verso. pg 75.
I couldn't pick between these two songs...so I'm adding both :)
"American Girl" - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
"Star Spangled Banner" - Jimi Hendrix
Nationality has been around for a long time. However the trend towards nationality has really established itself during the Fin de Siecle. In a time period of world warfare, it was important to have the support of the country to which you were fighting for. It is no surprise that some of the most concise descriptions of national identity has been found in Joseph Stalin's personal writings. In effort to making a socialist community, he made a list of requirements for such a culture to obtain a national identity: " a common language; a stable community; a territory; economic cohesion; and a collective psychology and character" (Davis 1995: 75).
In an attempt to create a national identity, they have in reverse created a black and white set of rules with no grey areas in between. By creating what it means to have a national identity, they have further created the ideal of the "other." If you don't fit into our national ideal image, then you don't belong at all. While we live in a time where it is more accepting for the "grey areas" there are still instances to where this "other" is still lurking around today. In today's wars and political debates, we continue to label ourselves with our many different national identities. We continue to see people as the other in a negative way. Yes I understand that NOT everyone will hold the same view points, history and culture for that matter. Not everyone will get along, such rivals and enemies will still be had. I just hope that one day we will be able to embrace our national identities and just appreciate how long it has taken us all to get where our identifies are today. How far we have evolved from black/white ways of thinking, and that maybe we could add a little color in next to the shades of grey.
As with many good ideas, nationalism was an idea which may had good fundamental origins (to bring a culture together and to celebrate one's history and beginnings) and in turn has turned into a national disaster.
Davis, Lennard J. 1995. Enforcing Normalcy: Disability, Deafness and the Body. New York: Verso. pg 75.
I couldn't pick between these two songs...so I'm adding both :)
"American Girl" - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
"Star Spangled Banner" - Jimi Hendrix
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