First Class

What were your impressions of the first class? Are we our Name, our Family, our Sex, our Nationality or our Location? If not, then what is responsible for our identity? Do we have an identity apart from our community?

My impressions of the first class were that we will be having very deep, interestring conversations, in which we will discuss ideas that my classmates and myself might disagree upon, with each, and that these discussions will change our points of view, and that we will learn new things, and think about things we've never thought about, or have rarely given a thought to before. I think that usually people are very aptly named, and can become their name, but it isn't always a defining factor of one's personality. I think we are our family, from either our genes or the influences tehy have upon us, or both. For example, my sister and I are very different people, but we do have some similar traits, and I wouldn't be who I am today without her. I don't think that we're our sex because I find that what each gender is "supposed" to like doesn't usually happen. I love baseball, to the degree which is normally considered a "guy thing." I know some guys love to shop, which is considered a "girl thing." People are limited to their gender. Gay men and women often act like the oppposite sex, and transgender people change their gender, but may still like things from both genders. I believe our nationality does define us, on a spectrum that is between very little to the person that we are. It can affect the way we dress, the way we speak, even the way we think. It can affect our religion, which is another thing to help define us. Our location also makes up a part, big or small, of who we are, affecting us in the same way our nationality does: in the way we think, speak, and dress. One's identity is linked to their community, or communities. They don't have to be big communities, they can be a community of one, but those around us, and where we live affects {is it affects or effects?} who we are.We don't have to be the same or share the same identity, but I don't think we have an identity apart form our communities.
I am so excited for ToK this year!