Issue

　　It is primarily through identification through social groups that we define ourselves.

　　Sample Essay

　　As primarily social animals, human beings naturally seek out different groups to which they feel they have a certain sense of belonging. But there are two different aspects of this issue involved: identifying oneself with a social group for its social implications and identifying oneself with a social group for internal needs. A person can have two different identities, one that involves an individuals self-perception and the way that others see that particular individual. There is a natural dichotomy between the two sides of ones personality that is usually displayed between the different types of social groups with which an individual may identify oneself.

　　Self-definition can either be honest or dishonest. A person may join a social group because he or she thinks that the people that belong to this type of group are the same as he or she, whether it is true or not. The important detail to the individual is that he or she would like to be the same as the people that belong to this particular social group. As one example, consider a person who grew up poor and poorly educated, but became wealthy through the luck of the lottery or an inheritance from an unknown but wealthy relative. This individual then joins a wine-tasting club and buys season tickets to the local Philharmonic Orchestra and opera house. Although this individual knows nothing about wine, orchestras or opera, he or she is seeking to identify him or herself as a culturally literate person simply because the person is now wealthy. Through joining these social groups, the individual is seeking to define him or herself as socially elite, although the only difference now is that the person has great wealth and in reality probably does not fit in with the other members of the groups. In this case, ones self-definition by identifying with social groups does not match up with how society still identifies the individual.

　　On the other hand, there are individuals that very clearly demonstrate who they are by their identification with certain social groups. At a very basic level, younger people may join gangs based on a sense of identification with certain gang members or gang ideas. By displaying different identifying tattoos or certain colors, these people clearly identify who they are and what they stand for by the particular to which they belong. Certain religious groups also give a clear identity to their members. Joining an Islamic fundamentalist group such as the Taliban or an Orthodox Jewish organization indicates a certain identity that is common to all of its members. Political organizations such as Greenpeace and the National Organization for Women also make a certain statement about the identity of an individual member. In all of these cases, an individuals self-perception and how others view that individual are probably very similar. These types of organizations speak to a persons very fundamental values and joining one is probably that persons way of saying to the world this is who I am.

　　Joining other types of groups may or may not indicate a persons self-identification. Being a Republican or a Democrat, for example, may just be a matter of whichever party your parents belong to. Spending time with a particular group of friends may only mean that you like only one of the people in the group or you have nothing better to do, it may have nothing to do with your self-identification. People that belong to these groups do not necessarily belong to any one social group for identification purposes; it may be only a matter of convenience.

　　It depends on the individual and the particular social group under discussion as to whether we primarily identify ourselves through association with social groups. Once the individual or the social group has been identified, a determination must still be made as to whether the individual has joined for self-identification purposes or to impress upon others a certain image of that individual.

　　我們主要通過與社會群體的認同而來界定我們自身。

　　作為具有顯著社會性的動物，人類自然會去尋覓某些他們覺得與其存在某種歸屬感的不同群體。但這個問題涉及兩個方面：基于某一社會群體的社會含義而認同該群體，以及出于某些內在需要而認同某一社會群體。一個人可以擁有兩個不同的身份，一種身份涉及到個人的自我感受，另一個所涉及的是他人對這個特定個人的看法。在一個人性格的這兩方面之間，存在著一種自然的兩分法。個人的性格一般就體現在這一個人所可能認同的不同社會群體之間。

　　自我界定可以是誠實的，亦可以是不誠實的。一個人之所以加入某一社會群體，可能是因為他認為屬于這一群體的那些人與他相同，無論這是真還是假。對于這個個人具有重要性的一個細節是，他希望與屬于這一特定社會群體的人們相同。例如，我們不妨考慮一下這樣一個人，他出身貧窮，沒能受過良好的教育，但通過彩票的運氣或由于繼承了一位無名但卻有錢的親戚的遺產而一夜暴富。此人然后加入一個品酒俱樂部，并購買當地愛樂樂團和歌劇院的季票。雖然此君對酒、樂隊或歌劇一竅不通，但他卻竭力將自己表現為有文化修養的人，僅僅因為他現在很有錢。通過介入這些社會群體，此人力圖將自己界定為社會精英，雖然現在唯一的區分是，這人極其有錢，而實際上他與這些群體內的其他成員格格不入。在此情形中，通過認同某些社會群體而來進行自我界定，這與社會如何看待這個人仍然相去甚遠。

　　另一方面，有些人則通過他們與某些社會群體的認同而明白無誤地來表明他們是何種人。在某個甚為基本的層面上，青少年會基于他們與某些幫派成員或幫派理念的認同感而參加某些幫派。通過展示與眾不同的認別性紋身圖案或某些顏色，這些人明確表明他們是誰，以及他們代表著什么。某些宗教團體也會賦予其成員以某個明白無誤的身份。加入諸如塔利班一類的伊斯蘭原教旨主義團體或者正統派猶太教組織標志著其成員普遍共有的某種身份。像綠色和平以及全國婦女組織等政治團體也在就某個個體成員的身份作出某種陳述。在所有這些情形中，個體的自我感受，以及他人對其所形成的看法，二者可能甚為近似。這些類型的組織訴諸于一個人極為基本的價值觀，而加入這樣的一種組織可能就成為這個人向世界表明我就是這樣一個人的一種方式。

　　加入其他類別的組織可能表明，但也不一定表明一個人的自我認同。例如，成為共和黨還是民主黨成員，這可能只與你父母屬于哪個政黨有關。與特定一群朋友在一起，這可能只意味著你只喜歡該群體中的一個人，或者因為你除此之外無所事事。這與你的自我認同毫無關系。屬于這些群體的人并非必定出于認同的目的而屬于任一社會群體。這可能只是一種權宜之計而已。

　　至于我們是否主要通過與社會群體的聯系而來表明我們的身份，這取決于個人以及所涉及的特定社會群體。即使個人或社會群體得以被判明，我們還有待于去確定，一個人加入某一社會群體，究竟是出于自我認同的內在目的呢，還是為了將其個人形象烙在他人心頭。

　　Issue

　　It is primarily through identification through social groups that we define ourselves.

　　Sample Essay

　　As primarily social animals, human beings naturally seek out different groups to which they feel they have a certain sense of belonging. But there are two different aspects of this issue involved: identifying oneself with a social group for its social implications and identifying oneself with a social group for internal needs. A person can have two different identities, one that involves an individuals self-perception and the way that others see that particular individual. There is a natural dichotomy between the two sides of ones personality that is usually displayed between the different types of social groups with which an individual may identify oneself.

　　Self-definition can either be honest or dishonest. A person may join a social group because he or she thinks that the people that belong to this type of group are the same as he or she, whether it is true or not. The important detail to the individual is that he or she would like to be the same as the people that belong to this particular social group. As one example, consider a person who grew up poor and poorly educated, but became wealthy through the luck of the lottery or an inheritance from an unknown but wealthy relative. This individual then joins a wine-tasting club and buys season tickets to the local Philharmonic Orchestra and opera house. Although this individual knows nothing about wine, orchestras or opera, he or she is seeking to identify him or herself as a culturally literate person simply because the person is now wealthy. Through joining these social groups, the individual is seeking to define him or herself as socially elite, although the only difference now is that the person has great wealth and in reality probably does not fit in with the other members of the groups. In this case, ones self-definition by identifying with social groups does not match up with how society still identifies the individual.

　　On the other hand, there are individuals that very clearly demonstrate who they are by their identification with certain social groups. At a very basic level, younger people may join gangs based on a sense of identification with certain gang members or gang ideas. By displaying different identifying tattoos or certain colors, these people clearly identify who they are and what they stand for by the particular to which they belong. Certain religious groups also give a clear identity to their members. Joining an Islamic fundamentalist group such as the Taliban or an Orthodox Jewish organization indicates a certain identity that is common to all of its members. Political organizations such as Greenpeace and the National Organization for Women also make a certain statement about the identity of an individual member. In all of these cases, an individuals self-perception and how others view that individual are probably very similar. These types of organizations speak to a persons very fundamental values and joining one is probably that persons way of saying to the world this is who I am.

　　Joining other types of groups may or may not indicate a persons self-identification. Being a Republican or a Democrat, for example, may just be a matter of whichever party your parents belong to. Spending time with a particular group of friends may only mean that you like only one of the people in the group or you have nothing better to do, it may have nothing to do with your self-identification. People that belong to these groups do not necessarily belong to any one social group for identification purposes; it may be only a matter of convenience.

　　It depends on the individual and the particular social group under discussion as to whether we primarily identify ourselves through association with social groups. Once the individual or the social group has been identified, a determination must still be made as to whether the individual has joined for self-identification purposes or to impress upon others a certain image of that individual.

　　我們主要通過與社會群體的認同而來界定我們自身。

　　作為具有顯著社會性的動物，人類自然會去尋覓某些他們覺得與其存在某種歸屬感的不同群體。但這個問題涉及兩個方面：基于某一社會群體的社會含義而認同該群體，以及出于某些內在需要而認同某一社會群體。一個人可以擁有兩個不同的身份，一種身份涉及到個人的自我感受，另一個所涉及的是他人對這個特定個人的看法。在一個人性格的這兩方面之間，存在著一種自然的兩分法。個人的性格一般就體現在這一個人所可能認同的不同社會群體之間。

　　自我界定可以是誠實的，亦可以是不誠實的。一個人之所以加入某一社會群體，可能是因為他認為屬于這一群體的那些人與他相同，無論這是真還是假。對于這個個人具有重要性的一個細節是，他希望與屬于這一特定社會群體的人們相同。例如，我們不妨考慮一下這樣一個人，他出身貧窮，沒能受過良好的教育，但通過彩票的運氣或由于繼承了一位無名但卻有錢的親戚的遺產而一夜暴富。此人然后加入一個品酒俱樂部，并購買當地愛樂樂團和歌劇院的季票。雖然此君對酒、樂隊或歌劇一竅不通，但他卻竭力將自己表現為有文化修養的人，僅僅因為他現在很有錢。通過介入這些社會群體，此人力圖將自己界定為社會精英，雖然現在唯一的區分是，這人極其有錢，而實際上他與這些群體內的其他成員格格不入。在此情形中，通過認同某些社會群體而來進行自我界定，這與社會如何看待這個人仍然相去甚遠。

　　另一方面，有些人則通過他們與某些社會群體的認同而明白無誤地來表明他們是何種人。在某個甚為基本的層面上，青少年會基于他們與某些幫派成員或幫派理念的認同感而參加某些幫派。通過展示與眾不同的認別性紋身圖案或某些顏色，這些人明確表明他們是誰，以及他們代表著什么。某些宗教團體也會賦予其成員以某個明白無誤的身份。加入諸如塔利班一類的伊斯蘭原教旨主義團體或者正統派猶太教組織標志著其成員普遍共有的某種身份。像綠色和平以及全國婦女組織等政治團體也在就某個個體成員的身份作出某種陳述。在所有這些情形中，個體的自我感受，以及他人對其所形成的看法，二者可能甚為近似。這些類型的組織訴諸于一個人極為基本的價值觀，而加入這樣的一種組織可能就成為這個人向世界表明我就是這樣一個人的一種方式。

　　加入其他類別的組織可能表明，但也不一定表明一個人的自我認同。例如，成為共和黨還是民主黨成員，這可能只與你父母屬于哪個政黨有關。與特定一群朋友在一起，這可能只意味著你只喜歡該群體中的一個人，或者因為你除此之外無所事事。這與你的自我認同毫無關系。屬于這些群體的人并非必定出于認同的目的而屬于任一社會群體。這可能只是一種權宜之計而已。

　　至于我們是否主要通過與社會群體的聯系而來表明我們的身份，這取決于個人以及所涉及的特定社會群體。即使個人或社會群體得以被判明，我們還有待于去確定，一個人加入某一社會群體，究竟是出于自我認同的內在目的呢，還是為了將其個人形象烙在他人心頭。