Identity

One day I wrote on Facebook about a certain tribe and its behaviour. I had written in general terms and used stereotypes. I’ve forgotten exactly what I wrote, but it was political in nature.

Many people, including those I considered close friends, hurled abuse at me that day, saying they never knew I was such a fool. Others reminded me that my mother also came from that very tribe. I wasn’t surprised that some people were offended, but what utterly shocked me was how certain individuals I had held in the highest esteem tore off their masks and barked like godless savages.

They discarded every aspect of our friendship, or any relationship that existed between us, and acted as if their entire existence depended on that one post. It was as though, if I were not corrected about my comments concerning their tribe, their whole world would fall apart.

Sometimes, our humanity is tested most severely when filtered through the lenses of tribe, family, region, gender, and similar identities.

Who are you, really, as a person? Identity.