Re:How the Native American population changed since the last...
by causi on Wednesday January 19, 2022 @06:16AM
(#29992272)
You identify with your real identity. Unless your genetic heritage has an actual, unmistakable impact on your life (e.g., being black, being clearly Native American, etc) it's no more relevant to who you are than your eye color. It might be nice to be a member of a distinct ethno-cultural group but nobody is entitled to it, and if your ethnic identity is so ambiguous that it's possible for you to be mistaken about it then it isn't all that relevant to your life. I can point to a genetic test and say "Here are my fractions from Irish, German, Native American" but pretending any of them represent a greater influence on my identity than "ambiguously-white American man" would make me a play-acting fool.
Re:How the Native American population changed since the last...
by bagacrap on Wednesday January 19, 2022 @09:17AM
(#29993822)
If you must identify with some group, there is regional variation of lived experience within the US. Growing up in New York is a good deal different than growing up in San Diego. The outlooks and practices of people in that region form culture. It may not be an ancient culture or associated with genetic trends, but at least it's something you've actually experienced.
That said, I don't like when people ask me where I grew up because I immediately feel judged for something I had no say in.
Of course Native American isn’t a single ethnicity either, but you might be able to trace that back to say Inuit and actually have a specific culture to identify with. Where being say 1/16th black tells you little to nothing about the culture of that part of your ancestry.