New academic research is examining how earlier societies used the past to form ideas about identity which continue to affect our present.
Ulrich Beck, a German sociologist, and the man who coined the word "individualisation", showed that as many of us are no longer members of groups (church, union, clubs) and have to construct our own lives, we become mistrustful and aggressive and with no-one to support us, lonely and frustrated.
Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the RSA wondered whether we can adjust over the longer-term, by developing a "truly global model of citizenship".
Calls for greater participation of the world's indigenous leaders are on the rise as talks about what to do about climate change gather pace. Meanwhile, indigenous rights groups are amplifying their efforts to protect the very last "uncontacted" tribes.
Learning and sharing your genetic secrets are at the heart of a controversial new service - a saliva test that estimates your predisposition for more than 90 traits and conditions ranging from baldness to blindness. The 600,000 genetic markers that the service identifies and interprets for each customer are "the digital manifestation of you," the service's creator claims, adding that "it's information beyond what you can see in the mirror".
It's interesting to contrast this DNA-led approach to identity with efforts that Halcyon is starting to support that help us look behind each other's masks, learn what is common, or different, or surprising about other people and thereby - if we're so inclined - make new connections and even perhaps find new soulmates.