Who am I?

My experience as an Australian is that we are ever conversing about identity, about who we are as Australians, about what it means to be an Australian.  It is like identity is the eternal Australian quest.

As Thursday this week is Australia Day, I see our eternal quest is back in the news.   I see the article - What does it mean to be an Australian?  Then another - Should we rethink Australia Day?

All this from Australia, while I live in a country where national and cultural identity is neither questioned or discussed.  It is presented as strictly defined and as such held by the people.  They talk of Thainess.  As a foreigner in Thailand, if there is a dispute during your day with a Thai, it can be firmly and easily resolved by the Thai when it is stated, "This is Thailand" or "I am Thai in Thailand".  This is what I call playing the Thai card.  To be Thai says something precise to Thais about the world and their place in it.  It is held up as a key defining factor in both their national and personal life. 

This same central life issue of cultural identity is handled very differently in my two countries.  Herein lies a key.  Can we easily define identity?  Why do we need to infallibly define it for all eternity? 

On purpose, there is no picture this week as any picture might give one a hint that here lies the answer.  As in life, what matters more is the questioning, not the answers, and questioning together so as to build up a better world for all with whom we share our life.  That is what culture is about, is it not?