I am not so sure I am a `chip off the old block'

Well, who are you?
I really wanna know  
(Who are you? Who, who, who, who?)  
Come on tell me, who are you? 
(Who are you? Who, who, who, who?)  
'Cause I really wanna know  
(Who are you? Who, who, who, who?)

["Who are you?" by The Who]

Who are we? I mean, individually, not all of us... not the American people or any other nationality.

I think each of us is a mixture of genetic heritage and familial environment. Sometimes, we follow along. Most people, for example, follow the same religious beliefs as their parents or vote the way their parents did, or see the world as their parents did (or do). Sure, any number will rebel and go another way but, for the most part, individuals are just like their parents in many ways.

Look at families and you will see traditional professions and career choices. The police are often fond of saying they come from a long line of people who worked in law enforcement. Politicians seem to beget politicians, athletes tend to beget athletes, criminals tend to beget criminals, and so on. As the adage goes, "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

At the same time, we celebrate those who rebel and are successful. The boy or girl, born and raised in poverty, who broke out and became someone rich and important, for example. We recognize, I think, the extreme difficulty and perseverance necessary to break out of the mold.

Or we used to. Maybe things are changing again.