Most things in the world are complicated, and identity more than most. Everyone’s sense of self and purpose is a combination of shifting internal and external ingredients, and it’s never permanent: Brain chemistry, physical environment, family structures, life experiences, material conditions, and many other things all mix and change as we move through different phases of life.

And while the factors that contribute to individual identity are unique to each person, the society we’ve built over the past century or so has resulted in some notable commonalities. Traditional support systems have changed, community activities have shifted toward individual ones, and even the quick fulfillment of consumerism has started to lose its appeal.

The result is that even as it’s arguably become easier

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