In America, to be ID'd - sorted, tagged, and permanently filed - is to lose a bit of one's soul. To die a little. This sounds like a subtle, poetic notion. It's not. In American legal and cultural tradition, one essential privilege of citizenship is not having to prove it on demand.

The quote by Walter Kirn explores the idea that in America, the process of being ID'd, or identified, through sorting, tagging, and being permanently filed—whether in a legal or bureaucratic context—diminishes an individual’s sense of self. Kirn suggests that this process can feel dehumanizing, leading to the loss of a part of one's soul, a metaphorical way of saying that it strips away the personal autonomy and dignity of the individual. The notion of "dying a little" refers to the emotional and psychological toll of constantly being reduced to a number or category.

Kirn further emphasizes that this experience is not just a poetic or abstract idea but a very real part of American legal and cultural tradition. He points out that one of the privileges of citizenship in the United States is not having to prove your identity or citizenship at every moment. In other words, being able to live without constant scrutiny or the need to justify your existence is a fundamental right, and ID-ing undermines this principle by reducing individuals to mere data points within a system.

The origin of this quote lies in Kirn’s broader critique of the bureaucratic and legal systems in America, particularly how they can dehumanize people through constant surveillance and identification. His perspective is shaped by his work as a novelist and essayist, where he often explores themes of identity, alienation, and individual freedom. In this quote, Kirn connects these themes to the cultural and legal practices of modern America, where individuals are often required to prove their citizenship and status through bureaucratic processes.

Ultimately, Kirn’s quote speaks to the tension between personal freedom and the growing demands of state control and surveillance. It underscores the idea that identity should not be solely defined by external systems and that American citizenship ideally provides individuals the freedom to live without constantly needing to validate their existence or belonging.