The connection between “career” and “family” that Ulmer makes is interesting. According to him the family institution reflects “a set of norms…within the idealogical identity categories” while the career shows one is an expert within a specialized field of knowledge. There are fundamental differences here and yet there are common links between the two once you have the opportunity to look towards the bigger picture. These connections are imperative in defining the identities of individuals since this connection can be made across fundamentally different aspects of that person’s life. Thus this connection is an ingrained part of the individuals identity since it never changes.
The connections people can make are infinite since they depend solely on the individual in question. For me when I think about my job and my family the term “time” comes quickly to mind. “Time” for my job means a deadline, or a restraint on the work I can put in or also the restraint on me from doing other things. Mostly this is different from what I consider “time” to be when I think about family. It’s precious and means a selected period where I am free to be me and to really relax and enjoy myself. The difference in stress between “career” and “family” makes the difference for me but underneath it all I can make out a connection, a similarity. “Time” in both institutions means constraint. My time at my job restrains me from perhaps doing a better job or making more money. Time for family restrains me from seeing my friends or doing work like schoolwork since it’s a time that I should be around my family members and participating in social activities.
This connection shows that “time” is an important aspect of my life. I find myself thinking about it no matter what situation I’m in. I’m always weighing the other possibilities I could be using my time for and most of the time I’m worried about those things and wishing there was a way for me to just have more time. Despite it seeming like a negative part of who I am, my concern with time also shows me that the I have other connections that reach across these institutions and show more positive aspects of myself. “Satisfaction” is big one since through always being concerned with time, what I’m also concerned with is that I can satisfy people’s expectations of me. I want to be able to do a good job for my superiors and to let my family know I’m happy and that I care about them.
These popsicle linkings show important characteristics about an individual that makes up their identities. This in turn leads to other common characteristics of individuals that also cross institutions and become defining characteristics of that individual’s identity. They aren’t always positive characteristics but they are nonetheless important and truly define the differences between people. For me “time” is an important term and shows characteristics about myself that are not necessarily positive but lead to other strengths of mine that are important parts of myself and define who I am.
A Word To the Wise 