The meaning of the lyrics of the song "Identity" by the artist "X-Ray Spex"

In the song "Identity" by the punk band X-Ray Spex, vocalist Poly Styrene criticizes the pressure of consumer society, which imposes artificial standards of beauty and identity.

The poem begins by stating the identity crisis that the author sees around. The rhetorical questions "Can't you see?" and the repetition of the word "identity" emphasize the severity of the problem.

The text then focuses on the images that shape self-perception in the modern world: mirrors, television, glossy magazines. The question "Can you see yourself?" takes on a sarcastic connotation. The author hints that the reflection in the mirror and the images of the mass media dictate how we should look and who we should be, erasing our individuality.

The feeling of alienation from one's own "self" culminates in the line "Don't you wanna scream / When you see yourself?". The desire to break the mirror is a symbol of the struggle against imposed standards, the desire to break free from the yoke of artificial ideals.

The next verse develops the theme of self-destruction, but in the context of the thirst for fame. The hero faces a choice: to commit suicide for the sake of momentary fame or to continue living with a feeling of inner emptiness. The rhetorical question "Did you ever do it? / No, — just read about it?" is addressed directly to the listener, forcing them to think about their own obsession with fame and its price.