Identity issues

c entral to the concept of ethnicity is the idea that belonging to one group or .another 5omehow informs the...way. Others perceive us, but, perhaps even..more 'Importantiy, how we_5.ee__ourselves. The right to self-determination of identity has become a political adage in modern America. Consequently, minority ethnic groups .have long been.in a positiori_i;.CL-dic£.ate to other ^er£caiVS~"'how"they"wish to be referred to as a group.

However, controversy remains, because group._.identity. is nege-r clear-cut. For example, Native Americans do not necessarily think of themselves as belonging to the same group, for tribacuTtures~~h a cT"de veloped "along "separate lines for thousands of years before Columbus first set his foot on the American continent. The various tribes often had as little in common as citizens_of .nations"'"oii"'opposite sides pf a 'continenfl WfceWTseT^-people classified" Is""hispanics" come from a variety of separate cultures. It is not immediately clear what "hispanics" have in common other than often distant ties to one or more Spanish-speaking North American culture.

So who gets to name these groups? Should they even be referred to by the same name? And what happens when members of the majority group, people who have usually been thought of only as "white" Americans, start questioning the assumption that all whites can be subsumed under one label? What if we enter other dividers such as the concept of class into the equation?

Additional material

1 Identity

Mistaken identity, 6

Answers

1. The man has just put his children to bed and is creeping back downstairs so he doesn't wake them up.

2. The man has gone in to buy a surprise birthday present for his wife and has just bumped into a friend of hers.

3. The 'thug' has noticed that something is about to fall from the building site. He's about to push the businessman out of the way so he doesn't get hurt.

1 Identity

Introduction, 2

Answers

1. Sean Connery

2. Marilyn Monroe

3. Margaret Thatcher

4. Bill Clinton

AofTiCi^-wjytjtity

1 Identity

The gender gap, 3 Student A

1 Make notes on the following:

1. What Martians value

2. How they experience fulfilment

LIFE ON MARS

3. How their clothes reflect their value system

4. What they are interested in

5. What they take pride in

6. What most annoys them

2 Taste

Introduction, 2

Answers

1. baked beans: Nicholas

2. cauliflower: Melody

3. a bar of chocolate: Zena

4. /

   nuts: David

Martians value power, competency, efficiency, and achievement. They are always doing things to prove themselves and develop their power and skills. Their sense of self is defined through their ability to achieve results. They experience fulfilment primarily through success and accomplishment.

A man's sense of self is defined through his ability to achieve results.

5 Everything on Mars is a reflection of these values. Even their dress is designed -to reflect their skills and competence. Police officers, soldiers, businessmen, scientists, cab drivers, technicians, and chefs all wear uniforms or at least hats to reflect their competence and power.

They don't read magazines like Psychology Today, Self, or People. They are more 10 concerned with outdoor activities, like hunting, fishing, and racing cars. They are interested in the news, weather, and sports and couldn't care less about romance novels and self-help books.

They are more interested in 'objects' and 'things' rather than people and feelings. Even today on Earth, while women fantasize about romance, men fantasize about 15 powerful cars, faster computers, gadgets, gizmos, and new powerful technology. Men are preoccupied with the 'things' that can help them express power by creating results and achieving their goals.

Achieving goals is very important to a Martian because it is a way for him to prove his competence and thus feel good about himself. And for him to feel good 20 about himself he must achieve these goals by himself. Someone else can't achieve them for him. Martians pride themselves in doing things all by themselves. Autonomy is a symbol of efficiency, power and competence.

Understanding this Martian characteristic can help women understand why men resist so much being corrected or being told what to do. To offer a man unsolicited 25 advice is to presume that he doesn't know what to do or that he can't do it on his own. Men are very touchy about this, because the issue of competence is so very important to them.

Because he is handling his problems on his own, a Martian rarely talks about his problems unless he needs expert advice. He reasons: 'Why involve someone else 30 when I can do it by myself?' He keeps his problems to himself unless he requires help from another to find a solution. Asking for help when you can do it yourself is perceived as a sign of weakness.