I always dislike introductions because it feels like applying labels to things too early. People have expectations (oh so you’re an artist? show me your work). Both self-imposed and not!
And can open the door to unhealthy idolization. As a side note, this is the same reason why calling yourself a writer vs someone who writes are two very different vibes (i dabble)
And of course, it’s first of many experiences, why do we feel the need to get it right at the start? When people are prompted, “describe yourself”, shouldn’t we be a little alarmed when they routinely describe something else? People who introduce themselves by talking about their job make me feel really weird. You’re just describing the means you take the keep yourself alive — what are the ends? What makes you feel alive?
Intersectional Identities
”A man may be regarded as the point of intersection of an indefinite number of circles representing social groups” — Cooley, Human Nature and the Social Order (1922)
Cooley imagined affiliations and interests as a system of coordinates, with each additional group determining one’s individuality and identity more accurately.
”These ‘reciprocally constructing phenomena’ that may empower one person with increasing self-actualization, burden others with exponentially debilitating oppression.”
See also: intersectionality
About Page
Source: About Andrew Kortina, Wide-Eyed
”It strikes me that these labels are more often conversation enders than conversation starters, attempts to reduce a vast complexity into a neat, little word, with the lossiest of compression algorithms.”
We cheer for the clothes, not the people. As Feynman said, “honors is epaulets, honors is uniforms”
Increasingly online
Will we ever get to a point where introductions become useless because we already know everything about each other? What about pre-stalking people on social media before meeting them? Is this just people projecting their identities?