Self-identification requires effort.
Only at the time of birth and for a brief moment thereafter, a baby is outside of human consciousness. To survive mentally, a younger person must learn to be receptive to the environment in which he finds himself.
Soon children learn to live by rules, to be part of the society, the family into which they are born. They also internalize and follow the laws and traditions of their country. Under the influence of these external factors, their inner SELF develops.
But where does this pure, true individual SELF begin? After all, consciousness is subconsciously filled with projections from the society. "Who am I?" the adult asks. The answer is complex and, at times, never truly realized.