IDENTITY CRISIS
Online quizzes will not tell us what we want to know about ourselves, but life experiences will. My name is Scott Tyrion Lannister Hermione Granger Captain America Red Power Ranger Hunt. I suppose you can guess that this is not my Christian name, but these are the names I get when I take an online personality quiz. These well-known characters are pop culture identities. Each character is popular because he or she is someone we envy; we wish we could be these people.
Tyrion Lannister (magnificently portrayed by actor Peter Dinklage) of HBO's Game of Thrones, is a quick-thinking but morally ambiguous nobleman. Tyrion spends his time protecting the mythical world of Westeros from his power-hungry family, while fueling his penchant for prostitutes, money, and alcohol. Tyrion also has an excellent nose for bullshit. As soon as he gets a whiff, someone usually winds up in prison, dead, or missing a penis. Perhaps what attracts fans the most to Tyrion is his confidence. His entire identity is founded on confidence, despite the world despising him for his small size. Finding out that you are a living manifestation of Tyrion Lannister is quite an ego booster. It certainly is for me.
In his novel, A Portrait of the Artist as A Young Man, author James Joyce reflects on the meaning of identity. Joyce tells the story of a young man who leaves his conservative and strict Catholic lifestyle behind to pursue a career in writing. The young man has to create a new identity. He partakes in things that a religious lifestyle would never allow—drinking, having sex, and questioning his faith-- all for the sake of establishing his new identity as an artist.
Considering A Portrait of the Artist as A Young Man takes place in 19th century Ireland, it is a pretty safe bet that no one then had heard of Buzzfeed. Come to think of it, very few people would ever get to an educational level where they would take an actual quiz. During this time period, many people were identified through their job or social class. For example, Joe the Farmer would not be known for his wit or copious amounts of gold, while Timothy the Merchant probably bathed at least once a day and did not sleep outdoors. In a society like this, a person's contribution was his function. Irish farmers did not need pop culture to know who they were or what they wanted to be.
Similarly, Homer's The Odyssey is a harrowing tale of self-discovery through adventure. The epic poem tells the story of Odysseus, an unyielding warrior. During his journey home, Odysseus sees and experiences things that staying in his comfort zone would never have allowed. Yet, despite all of his defeats, Odysseus sees his exploits as thought-provoking. He knows that he was meant to take that path. Of what he learns, Odysseus offers an insightful reflection, saying, "Some things you will think of yourself, some things God will put into your mind."
With the help of the Phoenician people, Odysseus is able to return to Ithaca. Upon his arrival, Odysseus slays the men who had fought for his wife Penelope's affection. Reunited with his family, Odysseus once again rules his kingdom. He is at peace, even appreciative of his ordeal, saying, "A man who has been suffering through bitter experiences far enjoys his sufferings after a time."
My generation continues to revolutionize identity. Whenever I log into Facebook or Twitter, "Quiz Results!" are inescapable. Every pop culture icon from Maria Von Trapp to Walter White is becoming a quiz result. Are you fun, sexy, and outgoing? You must be Samantha from Sex and the City, or you could be one of the Real Housewives, but hold on to your polka dots and your tail, because you are Minnie frickin' Mouse. Want to save the world, but you are not much of a brooder? Take this quiz! Better send your resume and cape to The Avengers. You would not really fit in with the Justice League. If you are an asshole, but have a secretive sensitive side, then throw a few back with Rust Cohle on True Detective. Then again, I hear Don Draper is looking for new interns. You just have to be cool with misogyny. Man tears are okay, as long as you can swallow whiskey whilst mid-cry. Also sleeping with a woman who is not your wife and who is half her age is encouraged, but not a deal-breaker. A man has to have a code, am I right?
I could take every single one of these online quizzes twice, and the results will always be the same. These quizzes are so common now that they have become unoriginal. There can be no growth gained from these quizzes. Yes, we say we take these quizzes all in good fun. Of course we want to know which superhero or which United States president we are like. Who wouldn't? But some people really take their results to heart. Just because a computer decides you would make a great villain, do you have to be one in real life? We take online quizzes with the idea that there will be no real life consequences to our results. We spend most, if not all, of our education taking tests that will have tremendous impacts on our futures. For once, a test can be an escape. It is a test we cannot fail. This is a test written on the student's terms. Chances are, you will not want to bitch relentlessly about your grade once the test comes back.
With a test you can take in less than five minutes at your disposal, going out into the world seems like quite a hassle. The young man in Joyce's A Portrait of the Artist as A Young Man had to spend years in the real world to create a new identity. He had to love, wonder, and regret. He had to curse the world. Don't you think he would have avoided all of that shit if he could have just taken a quiz? Imagine if Odysseus had been handed a laptop. He uses this laptop to take every personality quiz in Buzzfeed's arsenal. His results tell him that he is a brave conqueror who will do whatever it takes to protect his family. With news like that, who needs a grueling, ten-year expedition? Thrilling literature that moves us to venture out in the world for the sake of self-discovery would not exist. I cannot imagine a world I would like to live in less.
A computerized formula cannot replicate the warmth of a hug or the sting of a tear. A computer cannot get drunk for us. It cannot wake up the next day in a stranger's bed saying, "What did I do?" The hangover will pass, but the adrenaline you get from doing something crazy will be remembered fondly. You will want to do again. Emotions such as wonder and sadness are what make us human. If we cry over losing a friend, we are reminded how much that individual meant to us. There is a void that this person left behind which can never be filled. Laughing tells us we do not always have to take life so seriously. Emotions are what separate
Scott Hunt is a senior English major with a concentration in Writing. He loves his family, friends, puppies, and Liz Lemon.
