Chapter 6: Issues of Subjectivity and Identity

The topic of identity is a very interesting one. Everyone has an identity, both social and self, so everyone can readily relate to this idea. I really liked Gidden's idea of the identity project. Our identities are certainly changing and reshaping constantly depending on our situation. For example, I don't view myself now as I did when I was younger. Things change and therefore so does our self-identity. Our social identity changes also. As we go through different social situations, our social identity rightfully adjusts itself. If we were to have but one identity for our whole lives, it would have to be constructed at birth. We are social beings and so our identities are socially constructed. This follows the idea of the sociological subject which I obviously agree with. The postmodern subject is also a very intriguing idea. I believe that people have multiple identities. I am a softball player here at Juniata, a tour guide, and an intern. All of these activities require me to act like and essentially be different people; to have different identities.