The article “Can we choose our own identity?

” by Kwame Appiah outlines the many

labels that people use to describe their identity. It explains the faults surrounding the ability to

choose one’s identity, but also claims that identity can only be created personally. Labels lose

meaning when they are used incorrectly. On the other hand, people should not let the societal

definitions of those labels confine their identity. This article connects to the theme of identity

because it shows how identifying labels can both be restricting and liberating. This is important

when considering the identities of others.

Labels can sometimes restrict identities because they often come with many societal

expectations attached to them. In the article Appiah writes, “Labels always come with rules of

ascription. When we apply a label to ourselves, we’re accepting that we have some qualifying

trait…” (1). The labels that make up our identities come with their own rules and assumptions.

Some may feel that these constrictions may limit what their identity can evolve into and that they

are being put into a box. Restricting labels force some people to lose a sense of identity because

they do not want to conform to societal standards. Kwame Appiah states that, “Given that we

connect these labels with our behaviour, it’s natural to expect other people to do the same. And

that means we’re going to have to tell other people not just which labels they can claim, but what

they must do if they are to fit our labels” (1). Labels can allow outside influences to control the

identities of individuals. Humans categorize things to understand them better, but that is not

always beneficial. People often feel that they have control over the identities of others and try to

dictate who they can and cannot be. The labels that make up personal identities can cause some

the feel confined and as if no socially acceptable labels describe them.

 Liberation of ones identity can be achieved through the perception and creation of labels.

These labels can allow some to design an identity that best suits them. Appiah writes in his

article, “Identities, for the people who have them, are not inert facts; they are living guides” (1).

The labels that people assign to their identities are often not a concrete definition for their being,

but a guide to help them better understand themselves. People may have the mindset that the

labels they identify with now, might not be the same in the future. Appiah states, “Because

identity, in the sense we typically use it these days, is a social category — something shared with

vast numbers of other people — everything is up for negotiation and nothing is determined by

individual fiat” (1). Identity and the labels that create it are not limited to a singular view as

many people have their own opinions on what labels mean to them. Each and every person has a

unique perception. The labels that have been created really have no true characteristics and can

be altered to fit ones identity. Labels can be liberating because they can expand on a person’s

identity.

The article “Can we choose our own identity?” exemplifies the theme of identity as it

effectively shows that identifying labels can have opposing effects — they can be restricting or

liberating. Labels can be restricting because they can emphasize societal standards that many

may not feel comfortable with. Contrary to this, they can be liberating because they allow people

to form an identity that best suits who they are.