Urban Identity
Cracking and itching, it's doing its best to pave its way through the concrete jungle. And just like the mythic creature of the gloomy and bloomy orchids, it evolves and transforms into something quite grotesque, the miserable shadow of once present essence. Or maybe the writer is just being too dramatic? Nevertheless, in the cacophony of sound and light, the urban identity stands strong but transparent, ready to change its shape with the first call of the wind. Just like the puzzle, its nature is yet to be discovered, consisting of many pieces hidden behind the bricks.
Soap California for Jaded London 5AM by Polina Boyko. © All rights belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.
Emerging from love and passion, identity following us everywhere we go stands for a complex and multi-dimensional concept that refers to how individuals or groups perceive and define themselves. Covering many areas, starting with personal traits and social roles and ending with cultural affiliation, it entails many entities and can never be stable. However, the main staples of identity can be seen through lenses of social, personal, sexual and cultural identities. But in this talk, we will focus solemnly on one that emerged from the essence of globalization and urbanization - urban identity.
Belonging to the allure of the urban space where one lives, urban identity is indeed a fresh concept, only finding its place between the pillars of postmodern philosophy. Even though new - it is crucial for understanding one's identity and can play an immersive role in our lifestyles, fashion and even well-being.
Diversity and multiplicity of cultures are two main features of urban identity. As someone who grew up in one city, moved to another and studied in a third, I find the concept of urban identity fluid but extremely stoic—something omnipresent no matter how and no matter where.
The rich tapestry of surrounding streets is indeed reshaping in its openness and adaptability. It's letting oneself strive for fluidity and paradoxical constancy. In this way, urban identity is both a journey and a homecoming. Revealing itself as each day passes and refilling oneself within each hour. The pace of life fostered by urban speed isn't monotonous. It's wild and breathing, ready to attack while you fall asleep. Being the core of "hustle culture", postmodern urban areas have the power to shape not just how people live but also who they become. From early-morning commuters to late-night revellers, urban life pulses with constant activity. And you can't wait to take your chance and jump in it. Offering a degree of liberation and anonymity, cities inspire us to create, to change and to show. The freedom to blend in or stand out is immersive, and losing one's chance is undoubtedly tragic.
Urban environments are often described as places where people go to "reinvent themselves", which doesn't seem to surprise as where else, if not amidst concrete jungles, can you feel the long-forgotten legacy of wild spirit and begin your own race for living and being? Provides a safe space for individuals to experiment with new versions of themselves, free from the scrutiny that might accompany change in smaller, close-knit communities. It defines self-identification, creating a challenge to one's imagination.
Inhabiting the cities within our behaviour, holding the grip as tight as possible. Sometimes, it's hard to look around, but nevertheless, we, as fellow beings, feel our fragility in front of the chaotic waves of urban life. Crafting identities and overlooking the obstacles just to live through another momentum.
Communities found within urban space create a unique pattern of belonging. While seeking and fostering individualism, it also fosters a sense of collective identity. The force of collective urban experience showcases how the matter of living and being a citizen can expand beyond simple matters of practicalities leading your way to the unconscious parts seeking to belong somewhere and not just on a physical level.
And while changing our motives like a pair of gloves, with each bought on-sale ticket and sweet memory of past lives, we bring to the table the mosaic of narratives all brought up in the set of concrete blocks. Free to explore but never free enough to go - we are withholding from the ground just to fall into the same old beaten roads. In it, there is beauty. In it lies urban identity.
