An essay on the basic nature of identity as both consistent and interactive: in order to be perceived, we need to be consistently recognised, yet at the same time we need to be connected to an ‘alterity’ in what I call ‘the identity network’. The essay draws parallels between these dynamics and our ‘network society’, showing how the hubs and spokes in both the societal and identity network are determined by value; both in quality and in quantity. And how being who you are then leads to responsibility and opportunities at the same time.