identity and Identity

“Identity would seem to be the garment with which one covers the nakedness of the self, in which case, it is best that the garment be loose, a little like the robes of the desert, through which one's nakedness can always be felt, and, sometimes, discerned.” -- James Arthur Baldwin

Today, I've been thinking a lot about identity.  More specifically, the relationship between identity with a lowercase "i" and Identity with an uppercase "I."  Everyday, we set out to project an image about who we are.  Yet, we also identify with given cultural groups, regional groups, religious groups, and interest groups.  Our everyday identities demonstrate our "Who" to others, but it is our inner self Identity that is truly WHO we are.  Sometimes the two match; there are people who are an open book - the outside, projected identity is commensurate with the inner self Identity.  Yet, there are others who protect that inner self Identity from the full view of others.

 

What do I project?  What do my students, fellow GTA's, and University faculty members see in me?  In my intentions, in my academic performance, in the way I treat others in the department?  Most importantly, how can I check my words and actions so that my purest desires are accurately represented and transmitted to others?

I ordered The Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook and Evolve Your Brain: The Science of Changing Your Mind from Amazon.com this weekend.  I am very much looking forward to working through both of them, and hoping that they will not only cause me to be a better person, but a better and more sensitive educator and researcher.