Four forms of existence and identity views categories I have learned so far.
Who’s my ancestor? Where are they coming from? What were their stories about?
First ‘existence and identity’ group, family line.
It’s a question every kid has. They just wanted to know where they come from. First, they want to know who’s their parents if they don’t have one. Later, they want to know about their grandparents, great-grandparents, and so on.
Some of them can track the record and found their ancestor at some point, learn the character of their ancestor, and general stories about them. Those who feel proud and fond of their ancestors will have some motivation to carry on the ‘duty’ of their ancestors the same way how their ancestors did back in their lives or they will copy some of their views and ways to create their own path.
I know very well some of the people in this category, mostly the Chinese race in my circle, who trackback their ancestors based on their last name. They don’t hesitate to help people who share the same last name with them, believing that they are a family coming from the same ancestors. They are bonded based on last name, family line.
Second ‘existence and identity’ group, races.
This view grows based on the races. Learning from history or their surrounding, looking at the people who share the same race with them makes a great impact on their race or general, stand stronger or better than the other races, they too, feel proud of their races and want to copy them, make a great impact in their life, their identity and existence. They are bonded and connected by their race.
Third ‘existence and identity’ group, nationality.
Unlike the first and second ‘existence and identity’ views based on their ‘first name’ or ‘races’, this ‘existence and identity’ view comes from the pride and love they had for their country.
Those who love their country and are proud of their country to an extent will do anything and sacrifice anything in order to protect their country when their country is in danger, or in a threat. This is an ‘existence and identity’ view in a group based on their country of origin. They want their country exists in great good sight, one of their identity. No matter what is the cost. This group is bonded and connected by their nationality.
Forth ‘existence and identity’ group, personal.
This ‘existence and identity’ is based on what we learned from society and biology in general. A husband, a wife, a mother, a father, a friend, a brother, a sister. When someone feels proud to be one of the identities in this category because they are doing good at it based on their beliefs and have no other interest besides being good in that role, they don’t really question another meaning of their existence, they are content with what they have at the moment. These people are connected and bonded with people around them.
Now, what about those who didn’t know about their ancestor, didn’t care about their race, nationality, or had a broken family…?
I know at some point, some of us learned that we are alone. Without friends, sisters, brothers, parents, without partners or kids, we feel alone and even when we have one of them be with us, we still do, sometimes, feel alone, no matter what the causes. Some didn’t even know who’s their parents, let alone their ancestors. Some didn’t care about their race or nationality knowing that everyone is just a human. These conditions and situations lead to what people face more in this period of time since they don’t share a deep bound feeling, interest, or lacking in four groups of existence and identity stated above so they tried to search for the meaning of their own existence, their own personal identity.
When one comes to question the meaning of their own ‘existence and identity’ no matter what is the cause… it’s going to be really tricky for them because,
When one’s lost or couldn’t find all these ‘existence and identity’ mentioned above bring any meaning in their life, loneliness and emptyness comes and grows slowly, manifest in anxiety, depression, other mental health, unless they learn to enjoy and be grateful with any tiny things they had around them.
In addition, here’s an article written by Andre Sevenius Nilsen which I found interesting. He elaborates on the paradox about the fundamental loneliness of existence. You might want to have a read.
Do you find any of these ‘existence and identity’ problems happened in your life…? What about religions and philosophers? Should they get into the list, too?
