IB Lit and Lang Blog 2: What's in a name?
My name is what defines me. I am who my parents named: Alexander Christopher Bondi. My life has been shaped by that one decision made at the time of my birth. Names in general have a very important place in our society because it shapes how others first perceive you. People get judged by their name all the time, whether it's because they've met someone with the same name as you or they dislike the name. You are always being stereotyped by the name your parents gave you.
As for my name, I was not named after someone, I was just given this name. But that doesn't mean my name doesn't have any weight. My first name has drastically altered my life. Because I was given the name Alexander, people believe that they must call me Alex, but then they feel awkward when I then tell them that my name is Alec. There are not many people called Alec, which causes them to want to call me Alex. There is implicit bias associated with my name that causes people to see all Alexanders as relatively the same. But, a person's name is special to them. I have my own reasons to make my name Alec, which is for the exact reason listed prior: there are a lot more Alex's. A human's desire to stand out shaped my decision, which led me to the name I still use.
Last names are more complicated, however. In terms of a first name, they are being compared to someone they possibly have never met before, but with the last name, they're compared to different family members, including fathers or siblings. Until they rise up and make a name for themselves, they live in the shadow of their father or older sibling. In school, for instance, teachers already have an implicit bias on the first day of school if they taught your sibling. They have a set expectation already laid out for you, and all they know about you is your last name. Another example is in the workforce. If a person pursues the same type of job their father did, they can be judged based on their father. They could have a great advantage or a terrible disadvantage based on their father's work ethic or character. Last names have a long lasting effect on a person's life.
Because of my name, I have been cut in half. The first half of me wants to be the person family and society wants me to be: have good grades, be involved in lots of different activities, etc. The second half of me is the half that wants to be me, it wants to be happy and do things that will benefit me in the short term. I feel like I must live up to the legacy presented by my last name, but at the same time, I want to be my own person. These two halves are both an advantage and a detriment. They build off of each other, allowing for the ability to be what society wants of me, but doing it in a way that is true to myself and also allows me to stand out. But on the other hand, I feel conflicted by my two halves, who are essentially polar opposites. The desire to do what I want to do can lead me to ignore what I need to do. My individuality constantly eats at what I must conform to in order to be what my family believes of me.
With my name, I am held to a certain level of accountability by the people around me. I am held at a certain standard of success which constantly works on my actions and the way I present myself to others. I must live up to my father's legacy, while at the same time making my own.
As for my name, I was not named after someone, I was just given this name. But that doesn't mean my name doesn't have any weight. My first name has drastically altered my life. Because I was given the name Alexander, people believe that they must call me Alex, but then they feel awkward when I then tell them that my name is Alec. There are not many people called Alec, which causes them to want to call me Alex. There is implicit bias associated with my name that causes people to see all Alexanders as relatively the same. But, a person's name is special to them. I have my own reasons to make my name Alec, which is for the exact reason listed prior: there are a lot more Alex's. A human's desire to stand out shaped my decision, which led me to the name I still use.
Last names are more complicated, however. In terms of a first name, they are being compared to someone they possibly have never met before, but with the last name, they're compared to different family members, including fathers or siblings. Until they rise up and make a name for themselves, they live in the shadow of their father or older sibling. In school, for instance, teachers already have an implicit bias on the first day of school if they taught your sibling. They have a set expectation already laid out for you, and all they know about you is your last name. Another example is in the workforce. If a person pursues the same type of job their father did, they can be judged based on their father. They could have a great advantage or a terrible disadvantage based on their father's work ethic or character. Last names have a long lasting effect on a person's life.
Because of my name, I have been cut in half. The first half of me wants to be the person family and society wants me to be: have good grades, be involved in lots of different activities, etc. The second half of me is the half that wants to be me, it wants to be happy and do things that will benefit me in the short term. I feel like I must live up to the legacy presented by my last name, but at the same time, I want to be my own person. These two halves are both an advantage and a detriment. They build off of each other, allowing for the ability to be what society wants of me, but doing it in a way that is true to myself and also allows me to stand out. But on the other hand, I feel conflicted by my two halves, who are essentially polar opposites. The desire to do what I want to do can lead me to ignore what I need to do. My individuality constantly eats at what I must conform to in order to be what my family believes of me.
With my name, I am held to a certain level of accountability by the people around me. I am held at a certain standard of success which constantly works on my actions and the way I present myself to others. I must live up to my father's legacy, while at the same time making my own.
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