Identity and Consumer Culture

Identity

- Symbolic Idea. It is an image we build for ourselves through social interaction.

- Person's identity is dynamic and context-dependent.

- It is improved through communication with others and through different ways that a person interacts
within the cultural atmosphere and social relations.

-dentity is a difficult term to define or put limits for. It can be defined in a variety of ways. Basically, it is
how others define a person and it is also what makes that person unique and distinguished from others.

-identity is who you are, the way you think about yourself, the way you are viewed by the world and the
characteristics that define you.

Factors that affect Identity :

- Social relation of power

-Symbolic image of the world

- Physical Appearance

Physicality. In a way, appearance does affect our personal identity because physical appearance is the
first and most lasting impression other's get of you. People may make assumptions on your personality
depending on how you look.

-Family

Usually, the family environment plays a large role in shaping the identity of children as they grow into
adolescence and become adults. The way family members relate to one another and operate together as
a social group can shape a child's self-esteem, socialization, and cultural identity.

- Place

The bonds between place and identity can influence social formations, cultural practices, and political
actions. The place identity of a person can inform their experiences, behaviors, and attitudes about other
places.

Identity (Erik Erikson in the 1950s)

- A social category defined by membership rules, characteristics attributes , or expected behaviors.

- Socially distinguishing features that an individual takes pride in having.

Identity vs. Role Confusion

According to Erikson, an adolescent’s main task is developing a sense of self. Adolescents struggle
with questions such as “Who am I?” and “What do I want to do with my life?” Along the way, most
adolescents try on many different selves to see which ones fit; they explore various roles and ideas, set
goals, and attempt to discover their “adult” selves. Adolescents who are successful at this stage have a
strong sense of identity and are able to remain true to their beliefs and values in the face of
problemsand other people’s perspectives. When adolescents are apathetic, do not make a conscious
search for identity, or are pressured to conform to their parents’ ideas for the future, they may develop a
weak sense of self and experience role confusion. They will be unsure of their identity and confused
about the future. Teenagers who struggle to adopt a positive role will likely struggle to “find” themselves
as adults.

What Are the Components of Identity?

Everyone struggles with existential questions such as, “Who am I?” and “Who do I want my future self to
be?” One reason why may be that the answer is so complex.

Identity encompasses political opinions, moral attitudes, and religious beliefs, all of which guide the
choices one makes on a daily basis. Identity includes the many relationships people cultivate, such as
their identity as a child, friend, partner, and parent. Identity also involves external characteristics over
which a person has little or no control, such as height, race, or socioeconomic class.

People who are overly concerned with the impression they make, or who feel a core aspect of
themselves, such as gender or sexuality, is not being expressed, can struggle acutely with their identity.
Reflecting on the discrepancy between who one is and who one wants to be can be a powerful catalyst
for change and growth.