Branded

Humans tend to like branding themselves but it's a double edge sword. It can bring us belonging and community but also can constrain us and wedge us into boxes."I am this" or "I am that" are phrases never far from our lips and are often steeped in comparison so we can be identified with someone else or in opposition to them. 

Defining oneself outside of a clan becomes mandatory if we seek authenticity otherwise we risk becoming subject to its orthodoxy. It's not that everything which they espouse is wrong but we can lose objectivity and adopt ideas just to belong. 

I have always embraced free thinking as much as possible because it meant I could stay on the periphery and not succumb to ideas without having reflected sufficiently. It bought me time to analyze. We find ourselves much better in solitude without outside influence.

How I define myself has never been more devoid of societal pressure or influence because the internal work has been done and am in less need of a group to help tell me who I am.