Nam Dang
Seminar 126G
Prof. Teddy Chocos
March 05, 2016
In summary, Wesley Morris wants to show the readers about people identity was shaped
in many different form. After decades, people can identify themselves based on many influences
such as the malleability of racial, gender, sexual and reputational lines. However, there is a large
population who still can not find a great form to fit in society nowadays. It is hard for those
people because they stuck in outdated thinking and are limited by social judgement. The gender
or color-skin play an important in shaping their identity which makes their lives are seemed to
contrary to natural law. It means that some people are born in the form that they don't want but
still have to raise themselves to survive in this society.
After reading the article “The Year We Obsessed Over Identity”, the author is successful
in expressing his emotion about the shaping identity. In the movie “The Intern”, there are tons of
great guys who really wants to marry a successful woman like Anne Hathaway but this woman
refuses all the chasing to stick her life with her betrayed husband. She can not face the divorce so
she also accepts an unfair relationship to herself. The author brings up a movie quotation “Don’t
you dare blame yourself or your career.” It sounds a little bit unfair for the woman in this case.
All this successful woman wants are a great life for herself and her family but behind everything
that she tries hard is the betray from her sweet husband. The article speaks up for the woman that
she deserves something better than this situation. The author also comes up with the idea about
breadwinner: “men have been overly sensitized and women made self-estranged through
breadwinning.” In this case, men who is well known as the family's backbone live mostly based
on feeling and emotion. Men “have been overly sensitized” who always put feeling and emotion
on top of everything but women who always have to try hard to present herself as a breadwinner.
Another quotation which the author wants to discuss about:” After centuries of women
living alongside men, and of the races living adjacent to one another, even if only notionally, our
rigidly enforced gender and racial lines are finally breaking down. There’s a sense of fluidity and
permissiveness and a smashing of binaries. We’re all becoming one another. Well, we are. And
we’re not.” It means that after awhile, people know how to deal with the gender and racial lines
problem. Some people try hard to live with social judgement however, there are still some people
who can not handle or suffer anymore. Race and gender strongly shaped people identities. It
shows that the appearance is really effected to the way people treat each others.
After reading this article, my point of view is linked to the Liz Prince’s opinion. Through
the graphic novel Tomboy which was written by Liz Prince about herself on the way shaping her
own identity. Liz Prince briefly describe her childhood until she grows up and make decision
about her identity. She goes along with “Tomboy” personality for awhile and gets many trouble
from social judgment. It is very unfair for her that she can not do what she wants like things that
boys can do. She loves to dress like boy and plays boy toys but she can not because she was born
in girl form. This gender problem is similar to the color-skin issue which mention in Wesley
Morris’s article. In Morris’ article, the author brings up the story about Barack Obama who tried
very hard to become president of United State. Because of black skin, Obama had some trouble
about living and raising himself in this society.
There are some important term and vocabulary from this article:
1. Breadwinning
2. Soul-baring bestie
3. Transparent
4. Transracial
5. Racial reassignment