Why do communitarians argue that personal identity is shaped by culture and social relationships?

Communitarians argue that personal identity is shaped by culture and social relationships because they reject the liberal notion of the individual as an atomized being existing outside of society. Instead, they contend that individuals are inherently "embedded" within specific social, historical, and economic contexts.1

According to this perspective, there are no generic individuals; rather, people are always defined by their membership in particular communities—such as being a citizen of a specific nation or a resident of a certain city. Because identity is "constructed" by these cultural and social ties, communitarians argue that it is impossible to formulate individual rights or interests in total abstraction from these social environments.1

Furthermore, this view extends to personal preferences, which communitarians believe are not purely autonomous but are significantly influenced by the larger culture and external forces like commercial advertising. Consequently, they maintain that the community plays a vital role in shaping who a person is and how they perceive their own interests and values.21