In his
article, “Cultural Identity and Diaspora”, Stuart Hall talks about the two
different approaches to cultural identity, as well as the effect it has on the
people today. The first approach to cultural identity that Hall mentions is the
idea of culture as a collective essence where the people all share one history
and ancestry. The other approach is the idea that each individual history is
important in understanding one’s identity and one’s self. Each and every person
has their own story and their own history that is important to them and defines
who they are. If one is unable to understand their history or unable to voice
their story, then one’s identity would be lost. No one can shape your life
because your life is your story to tell; no one can tell you how to write your
story. Hall’s article reminds me of the phrase that I learned during the
retreats I have been to: “Know history, know self. No history, no self.” Knowing
your own history is important to knowing yourself. The past is essential for
the present to move on towards the future.
Question: Will knowing one's history actually change the person for better or for worse? Will knowing one's history help one determine his cultural identity?
Work Cited
Stuart Hall. "Cultural Identity and Diaspora."
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