The Problem With Identity (2)

Who am I and why does it matter?

I think people are fascinated with trying to be something, even if that thing is simply—relevant. I think about identity a lot when thinking about our country’s toxic nationalism. So many Americans are so terrible because they’re so AMERICAN! They love the flag, they love bald eagles, they love the 4th of July, they love (parts of) the constitution and they love the National Anthem. They feel warm inside knowing they live in “the land of the freeeeeeeeeee and the home of the braaaavveeeeeeeeeeee.”

Who are you? I’m an American!

That’s nice. You were born here. Way to go.

Our outgoing president gave lots and lots of people an identity and a home in his nationalist club. He’s the father of millions of kids who have been searching for a dad. He gave people a status and a spot on a winning team.

Being an American is to say, I am a winner! My team has been a part of two world wars and won both! Backing Donald Trump has become as much a part of a person’s identity as their gender. It’s weird. It doesn’t matter and it’s severed millions of relationships. Yet people spend years of their lives clinging to things because they need to know what flag to fly.

I used to feel this way. When I was young all I did was play sports. Then in middle…