Who Are U?

When you are asked to tell about yourself, or who you are, how do you respond? Would you start with traits that identify you, what you do, hobbies, work, family? I suspect that many people would identify themselves by what they are, by positive identity traits, rather than what or who they are not (negative identity traits).

So, here's an example to see if I'm explaining my crazy, and perhaps ill-formed idea:

Suppose I am in an interview and my potential employer asks me to tell him/her about myself. I would say something to the effect that I received a graduate degree in Public Administration, that I am currently finishing classes in preparation for the MCAT and a career in medicine, and why I want to go into medicine. I would convey what I am (positive), rather than what I am not (negative).


By my explanation, I want to convey to the employer what I am rather than what I am not, right? Usually you're trying to show your best face, best skills and experience to an unknown audience. I would think it preposterous to answer, "I am not a girl. I don't like mushrooms or raw tomato. I don't want to go into *insert your least desired career field here*, as you have. I am not you, nor do I want to be you because *Reason 1*, *Reason 2*, and *Reason 3*." After awhile, all you hear is that I am not a lot of things, but I also am not anything. (Is this making sense?)

In short, I believe that we identify ourselves by what we are - of course assuming we know who and what we are, which is another topic entirely - rather than what we are not. I would even venture to say that if you know who/what you are, then you have no need to compare yourself and identify yourself by who/what you are not. (It's the whole teenage self-discovery drama that we go through, which hopefully solidifies who we perceive ourselves to be. I don't think that post-teenage life is the pinnacle of character, but I would hope that most of us are self aware enough to know what we are and what we want to be.)

So, enough ranting on that point and on to my next. Why would a group, or an organization identify itself by what it is not? Why would someone identify her/himself by what s/he is not rather than what s/he is? Is it insecurity? Is it hatred for what they are not? Or is it due from lack of concrete direction?

I'm trying to figure it out.

I have really come to appreciate the University of Utah for what it is. The U has great research opportunities, offers a great education, is overall an outstanding institution, and even has a winning football team this year (so far). So why does the student body (I speak very generally here) identify themselves as not being BYU?


In my short time here, I have heard a plethora of anti-BYU comments, mostly based on living the Honor Code, in addition to reading a publication in the university newspaper which identified the BYU values that the U does not share, and advertisements based on not being BYU, and mocking it.

As a BYU alumnus I may be hypersensitive to the subject, but I am a little sick of hearing that the U is not BYU. I know this. I can read. I am aware I am NOT at BYU and that the University of Utah is different. Nor am I at Utah State or Weber, both of which are also not the University of Utah. So why am I constantly being told or made aware that I am not at BYU, that the University of Utah is not secretly some BYU annex, and that I am not pledging to honor any set of values in my behavior?

Exhibit A: A poster advocating the need to protect our freedom to read what we please, or "Banned Books Week."

It just so happens that due to BYU's values, they do not use these books in the classroom or make them available due to reasons so very well stated on this poster. Any BYU student could easily access any one of these books and read it on their own without suffering condemnation from the university. So why does this poster displayed in the U's bookstore have to point out that the U is not like BYU?

Why are they so concerned that "Big Brother" is not present at the U? Or, why are they not protesting that their professors have hand-picked the books (and probably had to sift through a lot of junk books to do so) that students are required to read for class? How's that for Big Brother?

Exhibit B: An article published in the U's newspaper, The Daily Chronicle, which again berates BYU's values and makes everyone aware that the U does not have these same values. Honestly, why couldn't the kid just state what the U is without bringing in the ever-present comparison to BYU?

Click here for the link.

I understand rivalry. But, I also have to pose this question: Why does the student body at the U identify itself as not being BYU? What is the obsession? While at the Y, I never had to identify myself as not being a Ute.

So, sorry for the rant, and hopefully on a lighter note I conclude with a serious question: "Who are U?"