Insider v. Outsider

This morning one of my closest friends here, Andrew, and I had a very interesting conversation that started because of one simple question he asked me, "What will I wear?" Although a simple question, it drags up numerous issues I have with the way people or perhaps society uses fashion as a tool of separation and discrimination. It is incredible how often we as humans make daily decisions based solely on what we see. Is this human nature or socialisation? Really, what choice do we have in these situations? If you conform to the one of society's ideals in this instance fashion, you are an insider. Those who actively choose to go against the social standard of fashion are outsiders.

I first came across these terms in my ethnomusicology studies last year. Simple concepts that are adaptable to many different areas of life. We are all insiders and outsiders in different situations and at different times over the course of our lives. It could also be something that we struggle to understand about ourselves and our situations.

Our conversation helped me realise that I am currently struggling to figure out where I fit in this spectrum of insider/outsider here in Ireland. Just to give you an idea of how I match up:

Insider:
Use/understanding of Irish slang
Living currently in Ireland
Paying Irish Taxes
Cooks Irish Meals
Drinking the Irish way (note- very few will truely understand this unless you've lived here)
Barry's Tea (or just drinking tea 3 times a day min.)
Majority of interaction and friends are Irish
Physical looks (I blend in till I open my mouth)
Family heritage


Outsider:
American Born
Accent
Music Education Undergraduate
Classical wind band musician
Knowing good coffee taste
Sense of Fashion
Ideals of dating/sex
American Terminology/spelling
Catholic Religion


The list can go on for miles I'm sure, but thinking about and making it has helped me cone to terms about where I fit here in Ireland.