Dealing with Identity and Difference
Who am I? This question is fundamental to each and every person’s understanding of the world. We see the world only through our own lenses, which are shaped by our upbringing, cultures, and contexts. Not only does the answer to this question depend upon our own individual worldviews but also upon our own perception of what the question, itself, is asking.
Miroslav Volf emphasizes in the book, “Exclusion & Embrace”, that an individual’s identity is marked particularly by the social setting in which he or she is born and develops accordingly. Each person or people group is recognized as having unique identity and a distinctiveness from others. In addition, identity is shaped by the recognition a person or group does or does not receive from the social context in which he or she lives. In fact, receiving nonrecognition can inflict harm to one’s identity and even lead to a form of oppression.
So, what does this mean for us and the North Korean context? First, we have to know the answer to the above question ourselves. What are the lenses through which we see the world? Do we come from societies that emphasize individual achievement and freedom of choice? Or do we identify ourselves only by the group to which we belong?
Having a strong collectivistic culture, North Korean society is one in which individuals only matter based upon their importance to the group. It is also a socialist, communist society. Therefore, all property and economic resources are owned by the government. There is little to no individual choice.
This is in stark contrast to the extreme individualism of the West. And this is only one area in which our worldviews collide. Cultural differences like these lead to huge misunderstandings between socialist and democratic countries. Westerners, typically being democratic, may comment on Asian, socialist countries as being “stuck in the past”, while for Asians, the past is what defines their identity of who they are as a people.
A very light and simple example of this is the use of the word “my” versus “our”. Typically, Americans introduce people in relation to themselves by using individualistic pronouns. We would say, “This is my father, my sister, my wife”. But in Korea, when introducing others, the collectivistic pronoun is used. “This is our mother, our brother, and even our husband or wife!”
So, when we think of the question, “Who am I?”, we are usually thinking of our individual selves. We might think about how our parents raised us, what kind of home we grew up in, and perhaps our individual likes and preferences. But when North Koreans hear the question, “Who am I?”, they are not thinking about themselves as individuals but about who they are in relationship to their nation, their society, and their people group. Answers that would come to their minds may include their nation’s ancient history, their beliefs and values as dictated by society, and their identity as a collectivistic Korean people.
Seeing the different approach to this one small yet fundamental question opens the door to a world of countless perspectives and worldviews. It begins to bring to mind other questions that may lead us into a deeper understanding of others. If we do not seek to understand each other’s differences, then inevitably what will result is conflict.
Indeed, the future of our world will depend upon how much we deal with identity and difference. Miroslav Volf explains that ,“The ghettos and battlefields throughout the world- in the living rooms, in inner cities, or on mountain ranges- testify indisputably to its importance” (pg. 20).
How will you respond to those different from you, whether they or North Koreans or even your own backyard neighbors?
Our world is constantly shrinking. As travel and globalization increases, we become more and more bombarded by people who are different from ourselves. How you relate to the other will determine whether there will be peace or conflict in your life.
But instead of blaming the other for their differences, we need to first explore what kind of selves we need to be in order to live in harmony with others. We cannot control others, but we can control our own attitudes and behavior. Who do we need to be in order to live at peace with others? How are we to think about our identity and how it relates to others?
Our patterns of thought and behavior will need to be explored for us to know who we need to be in order to embrace those around us.