Personal Narrative-My Identity

The search for an identity - a sense of self- is a life-long journey and a great dilemma. No matter who we are, each of us is born into our own unique time and place in which we can begin to construct our sense of self. Granted, through our sense of self, we are able to find a sense of belonging with the world around us, which in turn aids our survival. Many individuals may choose to change their identity in order to assimilate or adapt accordingly to the needs of the changes in the world around them, which may be rewarded with a greater sense of belonging and acceptance. Nonetheless, it is just as equally imperative to remain veracious to our inner identity, rather than opting to comprise in order to meet the needs of the changing world around

us. Either way, we must find a balance between change and uniformity, if we are to have the greatest chance of survival.
As humans, it is inherently important to have the ability to change and adapt to our environment. We change who we are – our identity- as a response to the change in the world around us. But for what reason? Perhaps, we change our identities in order to feel a greater sense of acceptance from the changing world around us. Undoubtedly, acceptance from others results in connectivity where we are able to share ideas and even explore further patterns of growth. This sense of authenticity within our relation with others not only produces a sense of belonging that is difficult to replicate, but also reinforces our ability to survive in a world that is rapidly changing. As a digital native, as a child of generation z, whose native tongue is computer speak, we are as alien to the rest of history as the white settlers were to the Aboriginal Australians. The real time dynamic of the multimodal platforms on which we have constructed our identities has been hardwired to a different paradigm. Our identities- the identities of generation z- have essentially been formed in accordance to change in our environment. The world has changed. So have we. However, in assimilating to our shifting environments in order to survive, we subconsciously compromise the identities we have built ourselves. The sense of belonging and acceptance we experience may at best be false, as it has come at the expense of not staying true to ourselves. Therefore, we must be able to understand when to acclimate and adhere to the expectations of a changing world, but also when to remain faithful to ourselves. Because it is only through such healthy balance, that we will be able to have the greatest chance of survival.
Notwithstanding, the process of attempting to change our sense of self in accordance with our fluctuating world can be wrought with difficulties. Consequently, people hang onto old ways – because creating new identities, new belongings, is difficult. Within the context of the notion of identity and belonging, Invictus challenges the viewer to view identity on many levels. South African society is diverse – both racially, and economically, and as Mandela discovers, his greatest challenge along with providing economic stability to his nation is to create a unifying, overarching narrative that informs a whole nation's sense of belonging. Accordingly, the revered ex-president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, provides the perfect template for the study of how we must change who we are in response to the vicissitudes in our environment if we are to survive. Mandela’s renegotiation of his identity is one of suffering and isolation and an exploration of the deepest heart of his own personal sense of identity. Through the negative experiences of being deemed a terrorist and serving 27 years on Robben Island, Mandela creates a new identity - one where he is seen as a survivor, stoic and identity shaper. Consequently, Mandela through the renegotiation of his identity perfectly exemplifies the importance of being able to attune and acculturate in accordance to one's changing world. Thus, Mandela teaches us that the world will always inevitably change, but whether we adapt and survive or stay uniform and suffer, is ultimately in our hands. Will we be the 'masters of our fates’? Will we be the 'captains of our souls'?

Reflecting back on my journey so far, my ability to assimilate and adjust my sense of self - my identity – has been the major constituent in my survival and acceptance of myself.

Admittedly, growing up in Australia, as a Muslim migrant and a part of the large Hazara diaspora, I have had to deal with social and political expectations of a completely different system of government and learn to have a relaxed attitude to way of life that is distinctly at odds with more traditional environment I have migrated from. At times I didn’t know who I wanted to be, where I belonged to. Did I want to identify as a typical western teenager or a traditional middle eastern teenager? Ultimately, these questions and complications helped me become the person I am today. As a consequence of being able to change my identity and my sense of belonging, I was able to adapt and assimilate to the expectations and values of Australian society. Granted, my interactions, encounters, and connections with those around me, has allowed me to have an unconditioned acceptance of myself and view myself as a functioning member of Australian society. However, while these changes have led to minor compromises of my inner values and frameworks I was brought up within, I have still managed to keep a healthy balance of changing in response to the changes in my environment and remaining true to myself. Because it is only through such poise, that we are able to feel a genuine sense of belonging and acceptance of

ourselves.

While it is an undeniable fact that our ability to be flexible and adaptable in response to change is an important element in our ability to survive, we must also consider the importance of remaining true to oneself as a survival mechanism. While our chances of survival are greatly increased by our ability to respond to change, the ability to stay uniform to oneself is a survival mechanism in itself, because if want can’t accept ourselves, how can we expect the world around us to?