What is Identity?

Page 109 of the textbook provides a historical account of identity - in ancient Greece, the etymological root of the term actually meant SIMILARITY rather than INDIVIDUALITY. The word referred to in the ancient context was that which connected various people, such as the people of Athens identifying themselves with the "Athenian Identity". Under this ancient definition of the term, as an MBA student at San Jose state University, I would identify myself with other students at San Jose State University (we share the same University) or as an MBA student, I would identify myself with MBA students in other universities (we are in the same discipline).

It is interesting that the term Identity when used in late eighteenth century Europe, started being referred to an individual self exhibiting Uniqueness rather than Similarity. This is the meaning of IDENTITY that we generally know and use today.