Identity on "Identity " by Peter Roberts

To set the grounds for the discussion of "The Roots of Caribbean Identity: Language, Race and Ecology" by Peter Robert we should first look into the term identity. Identity is by definition a compilation of  distinct characteristics of an individual  or a group of people which makes them unique from everybody else. Identity is often linked with nationality since people who share a certain region tend to share many characteristics. Still the concept of national identity will sometimes extend to the emotional or personal aspects to the point where it defines you as a person.

National or  identity defines a group of people which leave in a same region by the most predominant characteristics they share. By living in the same region these people have been exposed to the repetition of the same things in their environment, or society hence,  creating a concept of normality among them. This concept of normality will vary from one region to another varying drastically in some cases. This identity is imposed onto us by our political system in the same way w are identified by race, age and income.

To understand the concept of identity further Robert pinpoints three key elements of a national identity which are home, language and behavior and explain each one of them.

Home is a hard concept to define since it does not have a concrete meaning. Like political identity the concept of home indicates a link between an individual and a place. While political identity is given to us by the place where be are born or live in, the notion of home is far more personal and is characterized by a powerful sense of belonging. Home is often related to a place which give us the a feeling of security and confidence. Robert comments about the relativity of "home".

"home embodies a psychological factor of attachment"

Because home is about attachment if may related to the place of birth, residence, or any other place one shares an attachment with. He also mentions how "home" may appeal to an individual's compatibility to a place.

Language is also related most of the times to a person's national identity because languages are geographically determined. People who speak share a special connection since they ate capable of communicate between each. Language manifests as speech and speech will in times vary in accent... accents which are utilized to distinguish between ones and others.

" Language therefore establishes bonds between all communities of human beings but at the same time set up barriers between communities."

Finally as a puertorican I feel that behavior is one of the most important elements of a cultures identity as puertorican  I am related to a stereotype of loud puertoricans who love to party and are obsessed with music. I don't mind that but it pretty obvious i don't fit the criteria.

While identity is systematically efficient and practical, it often leads to the creation of stereotypes which people many times used unfairly and ignorantly on people.