Michael Hsu
Professor Jacobsen
Media Literacy
2/28/11
As we join groups and social networks from affinity sites to Facebook, are we extending and expanding identities, or increasingly conforming to the cookie-cutter profiles demanded of these interfaces? Is the loss of "personal space" and "reflection" so many users complain of merely the necessary surrender of "ego" as we learn to participate as members of a more evolved "collective organism" of "hyper-people?"
(You may want to re-watch "bubbie" and "warcraft" sections of digital nation)
As social networks have become increasingly popular, it has redefined communication and social interaction between people all over the world. Ever since its foundation in 2004, Facebook has taken rapid control over social networking and changed the way people use the Internet. Websites like Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube have reinvented the way people view the Internet, and the way people utilize it. This phenomenon has become known as Web 2.0 or an extension of the Internet where people come together and share information with each other as a means of communication or as a “medium”. Many of these Web 2.0 sites rely on use-generated content to fill its sites, but it’s the information on those sites that have produced so much popularity. Using Facebook as the primary example, the information each person chooses to have on his profile becomes that person’s identity on Facebook. Although many argue that many of these websites make people conform to the profiles demanded by the interface, and creates a loss of personal space, I personally disagree with that notion. I definitely would argue that a websites like Facebook has become an extension or expansion of our Identity, and is a means of reaching out to others in an easier form of communication. I think it brings people together, and allows for people to express themselves with updates and photos and show who they are. On a website like Facebook, you are not necessarily creating a new identity, but more so branching out and extending yourself to socialize and communicate with your friends. All of these social networking sites have become social software for those that interact and share information over the Internet. Viral videos on Youtube, Tweets on Twitter, and Facebook posts have all become a part of the way society views the World Wide Web (2.0).
Although I am quick to defend the fact that site like Facebook and Twitter are a means of extending your personal identity, I have a different stance on whether Warcraft and Second Life would be an expansion of personal identity. As described in the documentary Digital Nation, people use Second Life and Warcraft as a means of escaping reality and creating a new world to live in. These particular examples to me, would not count as extending your own identity, but more so creating an entirely new one. It does not necessarily mean you are conforming to the cookie-cutter profiles demanded nor does it mean you are giving up your personal space, but you are essentially escaping the realm of reality. Referring again to Rushkoff and Dreztin’s Digital Nation, some individuals play these virtual games such as Warcraft relentlessly for hours upon hours. They create a new identity on these sites, and essentially spend as much time in the “real world” as they do lost in this “virtual world”. At that point, I would absolutely not consider it an extension of your true identity, but in turn an escape to a virtual reality with an entirely new identity. The popularity of games such as Warcraft and Second Life do however draw similarities to those social networking sites like Facebook. It relies on a mass collaboration of people on a certain site or computer generated game for it to be able to create this enormous world where people communicate and gather.
In one particular section of Digital Nation where “Bubbie” was introduced, I saw that as a great way of extending identity via the Internet and viral video. This portion of the documentary was centered on a grandma who had not much to do but stay home and cook food etc.; yet she ultimately transformed herself into a web star. By posting videos of doing things a typical grandma did, she became known virally as “Bubbie”, the grandma people looked up to and admired.
In this day and age, the Internet is a phenomenal tool of expanding yourself and extending your identity, but it is not to be taken for granted. Websites such as Facebook and Youtube have done so much for communication, and expanding who we are over the Internet; yet Internet games such as Warcraft have diminished that idea of keeping your identity. The Internet can be a great way of expanding yourself, but it can also hinder people from facing reality in a digital realm.
Hey Michael, this is Eric Johansen. I had somewhat of a different answer when I looked at the second question. You said that the escape to World of War craft or Second life isn’t exactly an extension or expansion of one’s identity, but rather a different one in itself. I feel that identity is such a tricky word in so many different ways. I mean, there aren’t many people out there who don’t mask themselves before leaving the house. But that’s really a whole different argument. I still consider these avatar-like games an extension on one’s life because all they appear to be are representations of the person controlling the character. Maybe their identities are changing but I do not consider these avatars alter egos. I consider the characters they have created on World of War craft or Second Life to be masks that we wear everyday when we go out.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with you though when you say that expanded identities are Facebook or Twitter accounts. Technically that makes much more sense. In your conclusion paragraph you said, “In this day and age, the Internet is a phenomenal tool of expanding yourself and extending your identity, but it is not to be taken for granted. Website such as Facebook and Youtube have done so much for communication, and expanding who we are over the Internet; yet Internet games such as War craft have diminished that idea of keeping your identity”. I really could not have said that any better myself. The Internet can be a really great thing for us but online games, which develop a follower of addicts, are merely killing all of the positives due to the fact they are not extending an identity. Like everything else on this planet, you can only consume so much.
My blog is: http://erjmedialiteracy.blogspot.com/
Good job Mike, I enjoyed reading your opinions about Web 2.0. I definitely agree that these sort of sites are an extention of ourselves in terms of sharing pictures, videos, comments, ect with one another. It is a different world now where most of our interaction comes online and sites like this are taliored to our needs.
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ReplyDeleteI also agree with Mike that social networks such as Facebook expand our personal identities rather than limit them. Social Networking sites absolutely bring people together and they give you opportunities to express yourself in many different ways. Through updating statuses, uploading or getting tagged in pictures, and “liking” things we are able to further expand our identities in ways that were never possible before. In turn, people are able to get a pretty good idea of who we are through our online profiles. Conforming to “cookie cutter” profiles or loss of personal space are the last things that come to mind to most people when discussing Web 2.0.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to World of Warcraft and Second Life, I share Mike’s view that they are separate entities of Web 2.0 that cannot be judged on the same level as Facebook or Twitter. More often than not, people get lost in these newfound realities and use the mediums as a means to escape their physical reality. Therefore, it is not so much a debate of whether or not one is expanding their identity or losing personal space but rather a debate as to whether these mediums are geared at creating a new identity and ultimately a new reality. Although I feel that these games are geared towards an escape, Second Life has proved to have other uses. Second Life allows users to create their own reality, some users use it to extend their own and have even found love using Second Life. Furthermore, some businesses utilize Second Life to hold meetings, this way people do not have to move out of the comfort of their own home nor do they have to worry about expenses such as air fare.
I think that Mike brings about many good points regarding Web 2.0 and social networks. Additionally, Bubbie is a perfect example of someone who expresses themselves via the Internet. Without Web 2.0, how could a grandma host her very own cooking show?