What Defines Us?

What defines us?

As humans we seek acceptance and validation, but sometimes society labels us. These labels can be something as large as social security numbers, IDs, phone numbers, credit scores, or something as simple as grades.

At birth we are given a social security number. One set of numbers that will follow us until the end. Some of us don’t even know these numbers, but they exist and stay with us our whole life.

Why do a few numbers carry so much weight when we have no say as to what they are?

Regardless if we try to leave a good impression on people or not, they will always form their own ideas of us. This concept holds a lot of value over us and it labels us within groups in society. These groups can be based on religion, race, ethnicity, beliefs, appearance, and more. All of these groups receive judgment and negativity. Can we ever win?

One set of beliefs can lead to negativity, like one mistake can lead to judgement. As humans we all face trials, mishaps, and other uncontrollable events. One wrong move can destroy our reputation in an instant.

You can be a CEO, and then calculate your business sales wrong, only to leave you in debt with a failing company. What happens if you miss a few bill payments and your credit score drops, will you be trusted for a loan ever again? Is it so bad to need something as simple as help? On the contrary, you can be a student with a high GPA, only to receive a bad grade and then be permanently affected. From that point on you are given a label, you will now be known as a failure, in debt, or a bad student.

But why must we defined by our mistakes, status, race, and beliefs?

Why can't reputations be driven by personality, or our treatment towards others?

You could be the nicest, most caring, person in the room, but if you look or believe in something different, people may not want to affiliate themselves with you. This is unfair since everyone should be given a chance to prove themselves no matter their lifestyle or past mistakes.

Worth, and reputation are formed in many different ways, and we must all bind together and recognize unity in our differences. How can we move forward when we are stuck in a realm of disapproval and rejection? Does disapproval define society, or us?