Online Identity
Digital communities are now omnipresent in modern society. People craft and showcase their identity through the expression of their interests, opinions and principles in their profiles or interactions with their online friends when they join communities of their interest or social networking sites like Facebook.
Many comment that identity production through digital communities is a vivid representation of identity production in the real world hence equipping one with the skills needed for networking in the real world. On the other hand, others criticize that identity production in the virtual world is not a true representation of social networking in the real world because of the inherent differences between the real world and the online world hence this will hinder the crafting of an accurate identity in the online world. However, many are unaware of the repercussions of identity production in the virtual world. People are too drawn to its ease of communication and the ready pool of networking sites which results in them getting more and more immersed in identity production in the virtual world that unknowingly, they are compromising on the time spent with the customary face-to-face interaction. This is my point of concern. Identity production through digital communities lacks physical indications, responsibility, credibility and patience which contribute greatly to the production of identity. Without these factors, one is hindered in crafting his or her identity accurately and at the same time, they are not able to gauge others accurately too. Hence if people solely depend on the virtual world to craft their identity, it is insufficient. People can use virtual networking sites as a practice ground but this should not substitute identity production through social networking in the real communities. I do acknowledge that identity creation in the online world is a convenient practice ground as it gives people the freedom to create their ideal self without the
Many comment that identity production through digital communities is a vivid representation of identity production in the real world hence equipping one with the skills needed for networking in the real world. On the other hand, others criticize that identity production in the virtual world is not a true representation of social networking in the real world because of the inherent differences between the real world and the online world hence this will hinder the crafting of an accurate identity in the online world. However, many are unaware of the repercussions of identity production in the virtual world. People are too drawn to its ease of communication and the ready pool of networking sites which results in them getting more and more immersed in identity production in the virtual world that unknowingly, they are compromising on the time spent with the customary face-to-face interaction. This is my point of concern. Identity production through digital communities lacks physical indications, responsibility, credibility and patience which contribute greatly to the production of identity. Without these factors, one is hindered in crafting his or her identity accurately and at the same time, they are not able to gauge others accurately too. Hence if people solely depend on the virtual world to craft their identity, it is insufficient. People can use virtual networking sites as a practice ground but this should not substitute identity production through social networking in the real communities. I do acknowledge that identity creation in the online world is a convenient practice ground as it gives people the freedom to create their ideal self without the
References: Boyd, D. (2007, March 16). Relationship performance in networked publics. Retrieved September 10, 2008, from the Digital Youth Research website: http://digitalyouth.ischool.berkeley.edu/node/109 Mihelich, P. (2007, June 14). Price of virtual living: Patience, privacy. Retrieved July 16, 2008, from the CNN International website: http://edition.cnn.com/2006/TECH/07/13/digital.world/index.html