I received a copy of the game Skyrim as a present for my 13th birthday. The game promised that I’d get to play as a warrior that fought dragons and creatures alike using awesome weapons and magical abilities. However, when I first opened the game, I was instead greeted with a menu that contained a list of choices and a question:
“What is your character’s race/origin?”
The options were clear and distinct from one another, and the consequences the player would face for making those choices were made clear from the beginning. If you were a lizard, you could breathe underwater; If you were the cat, you could jump higher and move faster; If you were the elf, you were better at magic. Remembering my time playing Skyrim while watching Amara Pope’s TED talk on hybridity had me wishing “If only it were that easy.”
I know that my hybrid identity is much messier and less clear than the identity of my character in Skyrim. I, much like everyone else, am comprised of so many different global and local aspects that cannot be simplified into one question on a menu screen.
“What are the global aspects of your character?”
I would consider my interests and passions as more global aspects of my being than local. Being raised during the exponential rise of the Internet, I found myself learning to like so many things and participating in so many communities that I wouldn’t have been able to do in any other time. I learned about popular artists like Queen and how to play the guitar on Tabs; I started getting into video games like Skyrim because of YouTube videos; and I was able to connect to and get inspired by so many artists on Tumblr. The Internet and the globalization it brought about has played such a huge role into developing my passions and talents, which I cherish as a part of myself.
“What are the local aspects of your character?”
I would consider my personal values and beliefs as my local aspects that I picked up as a Filipino. In contrast to my global aspects, my local aspects are the parts of my being I can attribute to my upbringing and immediate environment. However, it can be quite difficult to distinguish what aspects are ‘completely local’ simply because of how diverse and intertwined with the world Filipino culture is. For example, I would consider my faith as a local aspect of myself, even though Roman Catholicism is practiced globally, because Christianity itself has been hybridized here in the Philippines. Practices like the Salubong , Noche Buena, and Pista ni San Juan make religion in the Philippines so unique that I would consider it part of my local identity. I would also consider my respect for elders and my sense of family (even with those who I’m not related to) as local aspects of my being as well. My local aspects are how I relate to other Filipinos on a daily basis, and I believe they have formed me to be a more loving person.
Despite how I’ve been discussing them in the past paragraphs, my global and local aspects are not independent of each other. I’ve used my global knowledge to gain a better understanding and love for local culture. I’ve used the local values I have in my global interactions, whether that be online or when I travel abroad. The constant back-and-forth of my global and local aspects is what led to the formation of my hybrid identities, which in turn formed me as a person.
“Are you happy with your character choice?”
I am happy with who I’ve ended up becoming so far through these aspects, but I hope to continue to let all aspects of myself grow as I make myself the best person I can be. Might be a little while before I slay a dragon though.
“Character confirmed. Welcome to Skyrim.”
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