can you find your true identity?

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How arbitrary, the ways in which we identify ourselves.

This fan chart used in genealogy helps demonstrate this fact.

10 generations here, taking us back only to the mid-1600's, 

and in that 10th generation, 512 equal contributors to 

my genetic inheritance.  I derive my identity, and even think of myself

as being related to maybe 2 of those.

That's about 2 tenths of one percent of the total genetic influence.

511 other surnames that could equally well apply.

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How seriously we sometimes take ourselves.

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