Who You Are

Our identity is obtained mainly by our place of birth. It is our country what unifies everything that makes up a culture. Being part of a culture consists of explaining your beliefs and way of being. Culturally we are all divided in various groups that give us uniqueness. Within a culture are various aspects that serve as a barrier in cases where people are enclosed to only understand their ethnicity. Peter Roberts explains his view of a human’s identity in this writing were we can try to picture ourselves.

Throughout the first paragraph he explains the concept of language as a barrier between cultures. I agree with this point of view since living in an island and not having English as our first language has shown discrimination in many occasions. Being mainly Spanish speakers bonds us, but at the same time segregates us from those non-Spanish speakers. Being able to speak two languages is something not many share, but it’s a privilege since communication is the key in life. Knowing about other cultures do not change our identity, but only builds our understanding to others.

It is explained that the unknown appears to be abnormal. What’s different isn’t supposed to be judged, but understood and respected. The importance of a vast linguistic knowledge gives every human being the capability to understand the cultures around the world. It is very interesting to see how other communities act differently. The identity is given from your hometown and can’t be changed; it doesn’t matter where I go, I’ll always have my beliefs and customs as a true Puerto Rican. 

The othering made by other groups is an act of disrespect and lack of knowledge. As the essay states, only the direct contact with foreign cultures will build in you the understanding and knowledge needed to recognize that group’s own identity. All human beings are equal, but each has a set of characteristics given by their culture that makes him/her unique. Identity in general is built in an individual majorly by the culture of a certain group, but the experiences are what mainly make each of us a different person. The Caribbean has a vast diversity since different groups colonized in this area. Some islands are from France, others from Spain, but our identity as a whole is given due to our physical appearance. The geographical location is what makes the Caribbean a whole, while aspects as language make each island a unique entity.