I'm sure people have figured out by now that I am rather an eclectic individual, in the sense that I really don't confine myself to many bounds in terms of what i find interesting. I would go so far as so suggest that i detest those people who enjoy being boxed in, labelled and forever living their lives under the pressure that is this pseudo-identity that they've created for themselves, slash not really- as realistically such identities are chiefly constructed for the benefit/admiration of others.
The construction of identity is something that we all do, yes- I do think identity is constructed rather than innate, whether subconsciously or not. In the digital world the construction of such identities is made somewhat more easy or rather accessible I guess. In the physical world the construction of identity is monitored or at least judged by those around you- you are Gothic because you dress a certain way, listen to a certain type of music etc, but you cannot simply decide just to become Gothic and therefore suddenly are Gothic without some external input that warrants you as a true and unquestionable Goth. Similarly you can't just decide that you are a certain religion, I can't just casually declare myself Muslim as much as I cannot authenticate myself as a cat or a fairy or a mountain or a man...
What this is all coming down to is a question that was posed in a lecture this week, is our identity and in some sense therefore our consciousness (of ourselves and others) limited by the language system that we are forced to operate in? And if so, how is consciousness changing in the digital age? It's an interesting question. Do we operate in the digital age within the same language system that we do in 'normal' life, that is, everyday conversation and writing? Sure computers use code to communicate messages in the digital space, but the reality of the average person being able to interpret and use the code (whether binary or otherwise) to communicate effectively is limited- we still rely upon words, sentence structure, connotation etc that we continue to use in everyday life to communicate on the Internet. Obviously certain technical jargon has developed as the digital world grows, wiki's, tweets, blogging etc. Largely, however, it is obvious that we have remained tied to the existing systems of linguistic communication that have been used for over 2000 years now.
So.... returning to the notion of identity in a digital age, the difference then does not lie within the system in which we construct identity, but rather in the form or medium. The 'facelessness' of the digital age, allows anonymity- for people to establish and construct themselves with little concern for the effects of such construction- you no longer have to prove yourself. It's not the first time that the issue on anonymity was seized upon as a way to seek freedom from labels and stereotypes- one only needs to look to the works of George Eliot and Curer Bell (Charlotte Bronte) and earlier examples of women authors seeking freedom through male nom de plume's.
So has our consciousness and identity changed in the digital age? Perhaps, I don't think that I personally have sought to create a personality outside of my own through this blog, however some might disagree... Certainly I have attempted to maintain some degree of anonymity but it is not because I am attempting to create something that I am not, or more deviously hide who I truly am. In a world where avatars, virtual lives and realities through facebook, twitter and blogging become more and more pervasive in society does who we are and what we stand for become more or less important?
Anyway all very interesting and mind boggling stuff... or just a bunch of Wednesday afternoon nonsense!
x
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