Linkpost on identity, kind of

Collecting some posts and perspectives on identity that seem connected...

Exhibit A: Ari Nielsen on identity. Talks about orienting to identity as a method for engaging with life. In this view (if I understand correctly) you view identity is a bundle of affordances. Like: Artist, paint a painting of a cat, sketch that cool sign you saw earlier, write a poem about Pringles. Whatever. Talks also about identity as a way of communicating with others about how you want to engage with them and how you want to be engaged with. Talks about how interpreting an identity as essential can make it a prison.

First, I is I. Then I is not I. Then I is I.

Re-embracing identity after its recognition as something entirely made-up.

Further VisionAri Nielsen

Exhibit B: Visakan Veerasamy on identity as empty (?) presentation. Talks about identity as communication, but also... as defense? That aspect ("malicious actors") is less clear.

Exhibit C: Jacob Falkovich. First half of the series is theories about why we "do" identity — motivations, incentives, game theory stuff, which is not that interesting to me right now. Second half is about how we do it to ourselves. Identity as a trap we keep ourselves in. Escaping the trap.

Predictable Identities: 23 – The Self

The sense of self is a useful model, but it doesn’t stand up to detailed scrutiny.

ribbonfarmJacob Falkovich

Predictable Identities 24: Anti-Identity

Start building your identity by identifying as someone who doesn’t have one.

ribbonfarmJacob Falkovich

Predictable Identities 25: External Control

Our identities control us, and outsiders can control our identities.

ribbonfarmJacob Falkovich

Predictable Identities 26: Academic Identity

“Scientist” is a powerful identity, and its power allows academia to subject its foot soldiers to misery.

ribbonfarmJacob Falkovich

Predictable Identities

A series by Jacob Falkovich.

ribbonfarmJacob Falkovich

These agree on their overlap by my reading: Treating identity as fact is a really bad idea. Treating identity as a prompt, for yourself or others, can be a good idea.

I'd like to compare and contrast these three with The Myth of Freedom, and all of those with Rays of the Sun and E-Mailing the Lamas From Afar. The Myth of Freedom seems like it could generate some interesting sparks.

Maybe later.