I'm primarily a naturalist. Professionally, in my hobbies, and socially most people just know me as a plant guy and hiker. But I'm an eco-Marxist and nature is pure dialectics for me, so that's where I'm most radical. There's no talking about plants without talking about politics.
this post was submitted on 04 Dec 2024
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Rad af. A real synthesizer
what a cool guy
No my primary identity is as a G*mer
I feel like if your politics are the primary part of your identity you might be putting the cart before the horse a little. The way someone views the world and the actions they take as a result are clearly a very important part of their person, but IMO those things should exist on top of a more innate self that isn't determined by macro-scale social phenomena. Not having any other foundation except your political identity might be a problem when the left fails again and again, due to factors outside any individual within the left's control. It also might hinder your ability to organize effectively because doing nothing besides party work probably will cause you to slowly lose your mind.
I do see a problem where, given the state of the world, for tons of people there is no horse to put before the cart anyway, and their political worldview might be the only thing that gives their life meaning.
I think this occurs for every revolutionary that makes the internal decision that they're willing to die for it and I actually don't think it should be discouraged if it's what it takes to win.
I do see a problem where, given the state of the world, for tons of people there is no horse to put before the cart anyway, and their political worldview might be the only thing that gives their life meaning.
how did you put a mirror in your comment?
a more innate self that isn't determined by macro-scale social phenomena
You think you just fell out of a coconut tree? You exist in the context of all in which you live and what came before you.
My primary identity is temporarily embarrassed millionaire
You gotta think higher, I'm a temporarily embarrassed billionaire
No I am primarily a fun...ctional alcoholic
Since it would be pointless to pretend otherwise, my primary identity is my job, since that's what I spend most of my time conscious doing
In which case my political identity is a compartmentalized and buried thing that I keep alive thru scholarship and keeping up with world events
I'm in survival mode, so self-actualization on my own terms is currently not on the table, end of the day I'm a worker
First and foremost I identify as a special agent of the FBI
Yeah I think someone else already said it, but being a leftist dictates how I approach life but not who I am. I guess its kind of like a moral compass? Idk that might be phrased poorly, but I approach my work, my relationships, and hobbies through a leftist lens, but leftism isn't any of those things, ya know?
the personal is the political
Yes, but yes. I feel like when I was angstier or more unanchored I identified more primarily with my politcs but as I've clarified what I want to concretely do with my life and taken steps toward that, the specifics of how it manifests itself in the "discrete" aspects of identity are more of what I think about.. but ig on a zoomed out level I feel my politics should (?) be a main takeaway
I think i'm just at a point in my life where I'm wrapping flesh around the political skeleton to make my identity stronger and be able to manifest the political in the ways that I can
Sorry for the odd metaphor lol
Also thinking about how this applies to the average comfy global northerner (maybe need a better term) is depressing af but a good summary of treat culture
My primary identity is petit bourgeois failson, only a select few know I'm secretly plotting to [redacted]
I'm not sure exactly what you mean by this? Like is it my priority in everything I do?
Doing right by my wife and kids and also our siblings and their kids and partners and our non-alienated parents are my primary priorities, followed by minimizing the harm I do to those around me as I do the things necessary to survive in capitalism. The things I determine to be helpful for those goals are definitely determined by my politics though. Like I want my kids to grow up to be good people (and consider contributing to that to be a significant part of doing right by them), and my conception of a good person is informed by being a communist.
I guess the answer is probably no- my primary identity is probably something like "middle-aged dad."
I think you caught my drift
It's reaching that point.
I don't wear hammer and sickles but I can't shut up about the kind Vladimir Illych
No my primary identity is reclusive author Thomas Pynchon 
Im a puppy woof woof
No, the material conditions and what I do with it are.
i don't think "shattered burnout who inexplicably hasn't died yet" is a political identity so, no
To my friends it's a large part of me yes, I am a ranter, but so are they.
At my work, no, because all these people suck.
my primary identity is "being a creative scrimblo"
"being a communist scrimblo" is just an emergent quality resulting from having the ability to remember things
I’m a creative so everyone just assumes I’m a communist anyway.
What the fuck even is an identity
A miserable pile of secrets
enough posting, have at thee
Are categories such as "man", "truck driver", or "Harry potter fan" apolitical?
Also, I don't know. I feel like I barely exist
It's all pretty integrated.
I have always been playful, and loved reading, exploring, all kinds of learning. Multiple moves and an emotionally repressive home environment during childhood, along with physical characteristics and some random fortune, made me a misfit. The culture that I internalized made me sympathize deeply with the wronged, the oppressed, the defenceless.
Very little of what I was born with is composed into my identity. Almost all of it is what I've chosen, or rather, put together and accepted for myself. The biggest descriptor there is someone who feels pain from experiencing the world as it is- whose dreams are cast to the margins by the modes of dominant society.
But I feel like this is right for me. I can trace what I was born into and my early memories, and square these with who and what I am today. Ever since I started calling myself an anarchist a handful of years ago, it felt more than ever like the world made sense, my place in the world made sense, and my path was clear. I don't put much credit in destiny or fate or any other metaphysical intention, but for lack of a better word for it, it feels like I've become who I was "meant" to be.
What exactly is a primary identity for the purposes of this question?
Sent from Mdewakanton Dakota lands / Sept. 29 1837
Treaty with the Sioux of September 29th, 1837
"We Will Talk of Nothing Else": Dakota Interpretations of the Treaty of 1837
If you assign/could assign "lenses" (plural) to the ways you interpret life et al. is the one you usually use your political one? Definitely an underdeveloped question feel free to interpret it as you think is the most conducive for discussion
I think all the facets of my identity are intertwined in such a way that it's difficult to interpret my life with multiple distinct lenses as such.
I think I still have some contradictions in my life which I see as more pressing or primary, or some facets of my identity that I spend more time thinking about than others, or facets of my identity that I might emphasize more in some situations or be more acutely aware of in other situations... But I don't think I could really rate those things on average, necessarily, and I think that's again because everything is so intertwined.
Sent from Mdewakanton Dakota lands / Sept. 29 1837
Treaty with the Sioux of September 29th, 1837
"We Will Talk of Nothing Else": Dakota Interpretations of the Treaty of 1837
Only on Hexbear
I am pretty liable to pop off about the scourge of capitalism to just about anyone who will listen. I have other facets of my personality but it is definitely a common one that anyone who meets me will probably find out about within 15 minutes.
i just casually drop lenin facts in my daily life but otherwise i'm not out there prothletising
Facts:
- Bearded
- Bald
- Berry Cute
For me no but it is a guideline for how I see and construct/conduct all facets of my identity
To help us understand your question more what is your primary identity then?
Something that guides all facets of yourself would seem primary, but for you it isn't primary. Since it isn't, knowing what is primary and why would inform your question
Good questions, helping me develop my thoughts on the matter.
When I posted I was thinking "if I had to choose a label for my identity, what would it be? Because it used to be my politics and isn't now"
Now I'm thinking that I identified with my politics to a somewhat unproductive extent, where, for me, it frustrated creativity in how to manifest them, and shedding this iron grip on my concept of my identity has helped me figure out ways to do things that have material impact aligning with my politics..
This discussion is actually really helping me reflect on some of the depressive thoughts ive been shedding
Hope this clarifies things a little
It should be, as it is the most important and influential part.
no
It intertwines with a lot of my sense of self, but idk there's a lot to me that has very little to do with my politics. I don't think people see me for my politics first, because most of the people I'm around irl are liberal/conservative and they'd probably avoid me if they thought I was really a communist.
No, I need sanity. But it sits next to everything else though.
Need to self reflect and listen more.
i'm basically not political outside of this site or talking about very major events (like today) with friends. it's mostly because this is the only place where people have views that i agree with, talking about politics on the wider internet (or worse, irl) just leads to an argument with braindead people.