Nisadas

Moving on from my previous post, I was going to blog about something that crossed my mind while typing it last night. However, it seems Morquendi has beaten me to it on Nittewa.

My point being – what defines your identity?

I spoke to some friends of mine. Apparently, whatever the scholars say, most average people seem to equate identity with name, ethnicity, nationality or religion in most cases. And it would seem that many people will pass judgement on others based on these labels… a practice that has been carried forward throughout human history.

He hath disgraced me, and hindered me half a million; laughed at my losses, mocked at my pains, scorned my nation, thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies; and what’s his reason? I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, as a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed? if you tickle us, do we not laugh? if you poison us, do we not die?

– Shylock, from Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice

The labels we give to distinguish ourselves have hardly ever been used for a good purpose. But what bothers me is how these archaic labels still exist in our global village. Why is it that even at a time when we are so clearly able to see that the biggest differences among us are figments, we continue to revel in these labels, directing hate and passing judgement on those we feel are different from us?

Maybe a few hundreds of years ago, when travel between nations was rare and multi-cultural towns were exclusively sea-ports or trading posts, the labels had more meaning than they have today.

How do you define someone’s ethnicity today? DNA testing – or do you take their word for it? Does following a particular religion mean you have the right to put down the followers of another religion?

What about the people who are born into a race or religion they don’t like? Are these matters of personal choice or social custom?

What if you were born abroad, in a country different from that of your parents’ home – but were brought up in a totally different country? What would be your nationality?

Personally, I’m proud to be Sri Lankan. I’m proud of what my ancestors achieved in the past.

But I will not be defined by society’s whims or the ruins of my ancestors. Frankly, I’d rather just be me. I will define who I am by my actions. I’m thankful to my friends, who by being themselves and constantly challenging my beliefs, help me maintain my individuality. Maybe I’m being an idealist, but I would rather be an idealist seeker of the truth than a hypocrite defined by the company he keeps.