Belonging Can Be Both a Blessing and a Curse for Individuals

2154 Words9 Pages
------------------------------------------------- EXPLORING ISSUES OF IDENTITY AND BELONGING. ------------------------------------------------- Key Ideas & Concepts 1. Familial and societal values and expectations define who we are. * Our parents are at the centre of our upbringing and teach us values, attitudes and beliefs that help to define us from our conception and birth. * Family expectations can either act as a burden on a child’s sense of self and abilities, or an opportunity to learn and grow. * In order to preserve their cultural identity, some parents tend to preserve their traditions and language by entrusting nuances of their national heritage onto their children. * There is often a tension between children’s desire to follow their own dreams and ambitions, and the hopes and expectations of their parents. Sometimes a compromise must be made. * Our actions and decisions are restricted by the expectations that our parents have of us, which then manifests itself into a vast change in our identity as we may not be following our instincts. * We construct a sense of ourselves through social interaction in our family from an early age. They set the examples for us to follow and we subconsciously adapt to share similar lifestyles and ideals. * Adherence to pre-existing guidelines that define social groups, and to the expectations of others, can often be the easiest and in some cases the only path to fitting in. * Especially during the teenage years, there is a need for others’ validation and adherence to social convention. 2. Establishing an adult identity. * Determining who we are and where we belong as adults is influenced by both our past and our present, by what we already know and what we yearn for in our lives. * Finding peers, friends and partners who respect and accept our presence
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