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Vedika Sharma

Mr. Donaghrey

ENG3UZ - A

27 July, 2021

“The Why Factor” is a very compelling podcast channel and their episode on identity

hosted by Mike Williams is an immensely thought provoking conversation to listen to. Williams

discusses how one person’s identity does not have anything to do with their actual physical

continuity but rather their own personal values. He brings in a group of guest speakers which he

speaks to each individually focusing on their personal idea of identity and how their life

experiences have shaped it. This overall podcast episode embodies its focus onto what identity

truly is and what it can be and how its formation is unique for all individuals. A person’s

formation of their identity is rather a formation of their sense of self which has been created

deliberately.

One’s identity or rather their sense of self is not quite connected to their actual physical

being. This specific text is effective in developing the idea and theme of identity as it displays

how identity can be formed through certain factors chosen by an individual; it is expanding on a

different perspective of the formation of identity. “The relationship between thoughts,

experiences, desires and preferences is which really formed our sense of self” (3:47) We are

given the opportunity to incarnate our focus onto these factors, these factors are what form our

sense of self which in reality is our identity and how we portray ourselves to the public eye. “It is
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one of the most informative things in creating our sense of identity is always in response to how

other people see us. ” (4:21) We chose to take the action to be influenced by the opinions of

others, and we slowly incorporate their opinions into our desire or vision of public portrayal. In

the end we are choosing these factors, we are deciding upon the factors we are being influenced

by. And slowly as we are being influenced our way of portrayal begins to change which then

controls our said identity.

A person can have many factors about themself that can be a distinguishable aspect for

their overall identity. This text is effective in further developing this idea or theme of identity

because it displays how the factors that do end up distinguishing aspects of our identity are the

factors that we personally hold more value towards. “My national identity of being Nigerian was

so close to my heart because at the time there were only 3 black kids in my school” (7:35) Being

Nigerian for the author was an important aspect of her life that was significant to her sense of

self as it was something she desired for people to identify her with. She chose to bring emphasis

to this certain aspect into her known identity. If someone were to ask you in an interview to

introduce yourself, this would be a point that she would prefer to mention first; this would be

different for everyone of course according to what they personally value. In America the author

was also willing to be identified as a Black person. “I didn’t use the word Black when I was in

Nigeria, because black doesn’t mean anything in Nigeria” (7:56) At that time identifying herself

as someone who was Nigerian but also Black was not necessary and she believed she did not

need to emphasize or value it.

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Our identity is something that we form over time according to our surroundings. It is a

path that our mind takes revolving around what we value deeply in life. We portray ourselves

according to our current life situation and how we want ourselves to be portrayed at the time.

Our sense of self is forever changeable and the only way for it to be our true identity is if we are

individually deciding upon it.