Type Casts: Identity by Association?

My partner and I have an ongoing debate about identity, and the possibility of being aware enough of how we’ve constructed our own identity to be able to change it. This gets particularly messy when we talk (oh so calmly) about “types” and what it means to be a member of a group or to identify as certain sort of person. He thinks it’s as impossible for us to stop being a “type” as it is for a table to stop being a table, or something like that. And while this may be true, I think there are broader definitions our society has created that we subscribe to, that hold us back and allow us to follow along a thread of what a certain “type” of person would do, without critically engaging with what we as unique individuals might ultimately want.

For example, and I over simplify, have you ever thought about whether you were a Ross or a Joey, or a Monica or a Rachel? What about Samantha, Miranda, Charlotte or Carrie? Do you know if you are a Joe Six-Pack, or a Soccer Mom? Jock, Punk, B-boy, Socialite? Are you known as the funny one, the smart one, the cool one? These are very real social types, ingrained in our daily lives; spend just a few hours in front of the television, or a few hours at the mall, and you’ll see it.

Each character, whether typified in The Breakfast Club or Sex and the City, fills a certain role, embodies specific physical and social characteristics, and can be identified by what they wear, what they eat, where they go, and the brands they identify with. We see brands become part of our identity, as we consume physical representations that reinforce our associations with that type we aspire to be (are you wearing Manolos, Nikes, Vans, or Crocs?). As professional athletes don their team jerseys on the court to distinguish themselves as a unit, so do the rest of us seek the uniform of our 'teams' to project the image we relate to. Does 'the Carrie' of the group drink Cosmos and wear Prada so that everyone knows they are 'the Carrie'? Sometimes, I think she does.

It is a small jump from what we wear to the cars, gadgets, and furniture we buy, and to where we buy it all. We are either the type that goes to the mall, to the designer boutique, or to the thrift store. Of course, on some level this is determined by our financial standing and geographic location, but to a large extent this is also a product of the desire to keep up an appearance. I eat/wear/watch/shop at blank, because that’s just what people like me do.

I believe that our consumer self-identification and our relationships to brands and styles goes deep. From very young ages we were taught the superficial differences between identities like hippies and yuppies, and depending on our parents' and families' leanings, we were pushed towards or away from one representation and the visual and associated cues that distinguish it. We learned 'what kind of people' shop certain places, eat certain things, and look a certain way. Even without judgement being suggested (though most often I would suspect that it was) we understood that our actions and appearances defined us in the eyes of others. It became necessary to cultivate affiliations of our own if others were to know what we were about, and maybe even if we were to understand ourselves.

By high school most of us began searching for self-expression, and we looked at the world around us for the possible identities we could gravitate to. And whether we tried on a few first to see how they fit, or knew early on that we were the artist or the jock or the popular girl, our attire, our friends, and our worldly associations began a fast gravitation to anything that would project it to the rest of the school, our families, and anyone who would pay attention to us. We could see on tv or in magazines, or maybe from our older siblings or parents, that the arty kids wore black Converse All-stars, jocks wore Adidas running pants, and the popular girls wore sweater sets from Banana Republic.

We continue to carry these associations and strict guidelines into adulthood. It's been said that fashion is a form of self-expression, but in fact it is an expression of the character type of we are depicting ourselves. When we think of ourselves as such a character, we also look to others associated with that role to mold our opinions and outlooks. We tend to listen to the same music as others in our group, watch the same movies and read the same books. Country music fans are as distinguishable by their attire as jazz lovers can be. If we want to appear as the type that would like indie rock there are clear styles by which to dress ourselves. It doesn't take a lot of thought or effort, just look around at a concert or a music video to get the look; or find someone with the same shoes and look what’s on their iPod. More than likely we don't do anything that self-aware; we are constantly, sub-conciously, looking to our friends and role models.

This is particularly dangerous and limiting when it also informs our beliefs. We look to our friends or others who portray themselves as having the same part in life, particularly celebrities, politicians, musicians, actors, and athletes. If we consider ourselves "conservative", we look to the conservative party lines to see what people like us think about the world around us. Likewise, if we are "radical", "charitable", or "liberal" we will look to leaders and media that are known to reflect those values to explain to us "our" take on things.

All of this is designed to make sure we feel accepted by people we value, but also to avoid having to make many decisions about who we are or formulate many opinions on our own. By associating with a "type" and subsequently spending our entire lives buying in to definitions and associations, one can be free from any real critical decision making.

I understand that simplifying the argument to this level of self-identification misses the fact that we are, in fact, complex individuals. We may sink into the role of “sports fanatic” during a play-off game, but are equally invested in being a “career-minded professional” on Monday morning or an “outdoor adventurer” on a holiday weekend, and a casual observer might not ever see a complete picture. But I do think that understanding how we play into these roles is important when it comes to how it influences our consumption habits and career decisions. A one- (or even two- or three-) track mind does not leave much room for seeing bold alternatives, seeing or shaking the status quo, or surprising ourselves.