[forshaper]

At scale, a clear identity is needed to get people to give you what it takes to pay the bills. An identity that is continuously refined becomes clearer. The act of refinement of the identity may then create an attachment to the identity, like an IKEA effect. Any protections of the identity also serve to make the identity clearer to others.

[jdw64]

It feels like identity and personal branding. The Western perspective and the Eastern perspective definitely seem different.

[forshaper]

Yeah I think the split into individual, then sub-individual identity is only happening much more recently in the East. And extended family/org/clan first identities still reign there, outside out of very educated & urban bubbles.