“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment” …. Ralph Waldo Emerson  

“The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are” …. Carl Gustav Jung, a Swiss psychiatrist (Good Reads)

Biometrics, which is the science of analyzing physiological and behavioral characteristics specific to an individual, now plays a crucial role in assigning an undeniable identity to an individual which hitherto was a tremendous challenge.

There are three possible methods of proving one's identity:

1.by means of something that one possesses. Until now, this was something that was relatively easy to do, whether it was by using the key to one's vehicle, a document, a card, or a token.

2.by means of something that one knows: a name, a secret or a password.

3.by means of who one is: one’s fingerprint, hand, face, iris, voice and others – biometrics.

Biometric identification which is based on who people are (and not what they have), is the leading one. It is intrinsically superior and more resistant to social engineering attacks (e.g., phishing) than the other two conventional methods, namely, passwords and tokens. 

In addition, the advantage of using biometrics is that the features are universal, measurable, unique, and permanent. Universal, as they can be found in all individuals, unique, as they make it possible to differentiate one individual from another, permanent, as they don't change over time, and measurable, allowing for future comparison. For example, according to calculations made by Sir Francis Galton (Darwin's cousin, a famous geographer and statistician), the probability of finding two similar fingerprints is one in 64 billion even with identical twins (homozygotes).

Today, biometric identification technology can be used for a great number of applications: from border and immigration control to identifying criminals; time and attendance in workforce management; voter registration and national ID cards; physical access control; healthcare, sports, and to financial transactions. The practical uses of biometrics are growing rapidly, and chances are, if security is involved, biometrics can help make operations, transactions and everyday life both safer and more convenient. 

The global biometrics market is expected to top USD 50 billion by 2024 according to Global Markets Insights. ABI Research forecasts biometric kiosks, e-gates, surveillance cameras, and fingerprint, face and eye recognition devices to generate an aggregate $3.5 billion by 2025. Biometrics is the ultimate thing now!

 However, what matters most is how biometrics has made it clear that each human being is unique, different from others, and in a class of one!

When we therefore continue to spend so much resources – men, money and materials – focusing on biometric identification and authentication without getting the individuals being identified and verified to know the implications of their uniqueness, it is like chasing after shadows and leaving the substance behind. We should be as much interested in the identification and verification as we are in the individual’s right understanding of the biometric data. We should give good attention to the latter without neglecting the former. This is crucial because when the latter is neglected, the inherent power within us is not activated, Asch paradigm inevitably sets in, allowing social constructs to deviously define us, in which we trade authenticity for approval. Unfortunately, the Asch paradigm is not unusual in our world today.

It’s worthy of note that biometric data are not only validating the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that “all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights”, but also that human beings are not products of evolution, its variation and natural selection theory! The complexity and constancy of our individual configurations, all logically point to a Grand Designer or Creator, and could not have happened by chance! Moreover, Albert Einstein acknowledged that the universe is not eternal, it’s was a work of an intelligent Creator. * 

Above and beyond, biometric data have made it clear that no one person is better than others irrespective of one’s gender, race, religion, ethnicity, physical appearance and socio-economic class. These external constructs meant to provides knowledge, excitement, and understanding to our lives, have unfortunately become the lens through which we view ourselves and base our welfare upon. These unfortunately have landed us in a sorry pass! 

The biometric technology is establishing a new paradigm that despite one’s circumstances, socio-cultural background and economic status, one must realize that he or she is a member of the human team (human race – Homo sapiens) on earth and has a complementary role to play as well as a specific position to occupy. 

Each one of us as a gifted and incomparable personality has something to contribute in making our world a better community for all (ABC-4-All). Biometric data have made it clear that every life counts, and not just that of a particular group!  

A deep knowledge of the implications of biometric data is thus the main key in managing human diversity and its associated challenges.

There is little doubt that it will be a better, safer and more inclusive world to behold when we therefore see ourselves through the biometric Lens 1 - 5, which give us the comprehensive perspective that brings about right responses to life challenges.

Lens 1: Call to Action  

•Be Yourself 

To make a difference starts with you knowing on the inside that you are different in the whole wide world – www! The Portuguese soccer star, Cristiano Ronaldo (CR7) concurred with this in his interview after winning a fourth Ballon d’Or, France Football Magazine’s coveted award. He said, “In my head, I have always considered myself to be different from others, so I believed that I could be the best player in the world” (NationSport, Wednesday, December 14, 2016, pg. 39). 

Just like CR said, you need to fill your bucket of self-esteem so high that the rest of the world can’t poke enough holes to drain it dry as you tell the world you are special! Don’t wait for anybody else’s opinion. Your specialness has nothing to do with the externals. A teacup (container), no matter how beautiful it looks outside, does not affect the taste of the tea (content)! You define yourself based on who you are on the inside. It is what you believe you are on the inside, is what makes you feel worthy and valued. 

You must therefore know and constantly declare that you are: in a class of one, special, unparalleled, unequaled, incomparable, matchless, original and a brand! There is nobody or nothing else like you, an uncommon person, not like any other person or thing!

Think of all the people who live or ever lived on our planet since the very beginning of time. None of them is like you! Nobody has the same combination of talents, abilities, flaws and opportunities. No one in the world has the same things going on in his/her mind, soul, spirit as are going on in yours. No one can be cheerful and light-hearted and joyous in your way. Nobody can speak your words. No one can bring the same unique impact of you to another person. No one has the same concerns or goals as you. No one at all!

Think about Sir Francis Galton (Darwin's cousin) scientific proof: the probability of finding two similar fingerprints is one in 64 billion even with identical twins (homozygotes)! 

This simply means that the possibility of finding somebody like you is one in 64 billion. This is clearly an impossible thing as the whole human population is not up to 8 billion. Truly you are unique, a masterpiece!

Accept and enjoy your unique difference. Audre Lorde underlined it when she said, “It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept and celebrate those differences.”      

You do not have to pretend to look more like others expect you to be. Do not be afraid of your individuality. It is a gift only to you. Always remember this statement by Mike Murdock:

Something within you cannot be found in another. Your similarity creates your comfort. Your difference creates your rewards. If you do not know your distinctive difference, you will never discern what others need from you.

Constantly thinking about the above, brings about changed mindset, which is crucial in becoming the real you – the authentic you!

The home truth is that how you see – your perspective, determines how you think – your thoughts. How you think determines how you feel – your feelings. How you feel determines how you act – your actions. Finally, how you act determines your destiny – what you will become (your impact in life).