tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3887334906491877215.post2551140876594110302..comments2010-09-30T20:52:40.222-07:00Comments on Ruminations: An Identity CrisisUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3887334906491877215.post-36265239845492932772009-07-03T22:52:37.198-07:002009-07-03T22:52:37.198-07:00Very thought-provoking indeed!
Do you know that ...Very thought-provoking indeed! <br /><br />Do you know that MacDonald’s in India is very Indian catering to the Indian tastes, while MacDonald’s in Italy and America are each completely different catering to local tastes in those countries?<br /><br />Yet, I get a feeling that MacDonald’s is not the important theme here, you are trying to catch the essence of something larger… You say in your article, “It is a fight for individuality…a struggle to be identified for its difference.”<br /><br />I wonder what would you say, if asked “What is the difference between MacDonald’s and a Country (lets take our own nation for example) – India? One has a logo and the other a flag – both pictures, so one and the same, right?<br /><br />No, no, here you will argue that I am comparing pears with apples! No comparison! Completely illogical!<br /><br />So why do you confuse brand and identity?<br /><br />When you speak of a brand, you mean a product. And when you mention Identity – eg. being tribal, Indian, gay, you need to be careful for you are actually treading into an area closely associated with people’s lives.<br /><br />A brand brings a feeling of false pride. Whereas, an identity brings with it not only a feeling of genuine pride, but also a demand for the freedom to live with dignity<br /><br />Like the identity of being a woman for you, brings with it the baggage of past – atrocities, repression, movements, liberation, perhaps… the same goes with other identities – being tribal, being gay, for instance.<br /><br />For the moment a human being is discriminated against, or worse persecuted for what he is, his identity (here you may want to call it a label?) is created – be it a criminal, black, Mexican, Indian, woman, Jew, black, gay, Moslem…<br /><br />So next time, your mind tries to play a game of words, please think twice! <br /><br />For you could be robbing some innocent teenager reading your article, of his sense of dignity and pride at what he is!<br /><br />Next time, for a change, please don’t compare apple with pears!<br /><br />Regards<br />SureshAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com