6: Identity Crisis
“Who are we when there’s 7 billion of we?” – Professor Strangelove
Loneliness and depression are said to be two of the most common addressed in medical institutions in our society. Why is this so? The extreme role of media in our perceptions of self has created an identity crisis. It is difficult to maintain a cohesive identity within society when everyone seems to be following the masses. Many members in society are striving for the same identity, which deems the question of how are we different from one another? We try to be different but there is a strong competition with others within society to fight for identity. Sometimes it feels as though there are 500 people trying to be the same person, but we all can’t be the same person. This is where the identity crisis comes into play.
How do we deal with feelings of being just another somebody?
When our identity is feeling unstable, we try to find something secure to hold onto. Advertising offers an indirect solution to feelings of instability due to personal identity. Consumption often feels like the one thing we can control in our lives, and therefore advertising plays a big part in this control. We can control what we choose to buy, when, how, and why. Advertising gives us the means to explore many different options but showing us what products are out there and why they are right for us. Our control comes in when we are at the liberty to decide what exactly we want to buy and when. Even though we can control our consumption, identity will always be something that is ambiguous.
Our identity in western cultures is that we must be approved by everyone we met. When first meeting someone the average citizen of western society will ask what you’ve achieved, your schooling, your job, etc. It is no longer important on first impression to talk about your interests and hobbies, it is important to place yourself in a credible position in society due to achievements. I believe that this is where western society get the “better than you” mentality.
