Internet user chooses to create a new online identity either for entertaining, experiencing or hiding one true identity, but one must be careful to use it or this activity can be backfired.
Cyberspace according to Sherry Turkle (1999) “is a place where people ‘act out’ unresolved conflicts, to play and replay characterological difficulties on a new and exotic stage.” This article is focus on key element of online life and its impact on identity: the creation and projection of constructed personae into virtual space. Identity are no longer transformed through one-on-one, a person with computer alone. We are connected to millions of people together that changed the way we think, our nature of sexuality and the form of our identities. How people represent themselves on computer screen generate their identity which encourages us to think of identity in terms of multiplicity and flexibility. Anonymity in cyberspace gives people chance to express aspects of the self. Anonymity depends not only on adopting a new name but also with a change of virtual place. The existence of ‘windows’ motivates people desire to work more and efficiently by ‘cycling through’ different applications and have become a potent metaphor for thinking about the self as a multiple, distributed, ‘time sharing’ system. The different self is created using language and different personae were exploring different aspects of self. Cyberspace in a way has become an object to think with for thinking about identity, an element of cultural bricolage.
Martin Wroe (2002) stated that “a different kind of self- advancement leads other people to conceal or invent parts of their identity. When we can see someone, we will treat him/her as the way he/she looks, but when we cannot see someone, we will treat someone as the way he/she is. The nature of cyberspace to let its users to shed the masks they wear in daily life to disguise true feelings or to maintain dignity. Some people imagine cyberspace as being ‘out there’, an electronic realm of circuitry and 3-D computer graphics. Some people feel cyberspace to be a dreamscape ‘up here’ in their own minds where fantasies thrive. Since online users communicate through text, we have more ‘identity options.’ Anonymity allows people not merely to create a made-up identity, but even to become the person they secretly feel they have always been- unencumbered by the mundane reality of ‘offline’ life. Without the distracting of sights and sounds of the face-to-face world, text talk feels more pure communication of ideas and experiences. Gender switching in cyberspace is the most extraordinary trait, experimenting wit a new you online is not all innocent fun. The online intimacy and anonymity, immediacy and distance encourage visitors to become abusive much more rapidly than in real life. When net users switch gender, their motives are not always benign.
The scholarly article by Sherry Turkle is very detailed. She elaborates her findings by using other scholar’s model of communication as guidelines. Using her own experience as example gives us a real example rather than using a fictional example. Many terms and theories are being used that gives us better explanation of certain idea. She also gives explanation about online personae from psychoanalysis point of view and computer culture point of view which provides us a better understanding of online identity. Her paper is well written, but too many communication jargons confuse us to absorb the very idea of the paper.
The newspaper article from Sunday times (London) by Martin Wroe has easier and lighter style of writing compared to the scholarly one. The article is written in a style of conversation where no deeper thinking is necessary to understand the idea of the article. No complicated communication jargon is being used. The writer also uses a personal example to give a better explanation. Sense of humor is inserted in the article to prevent reader from feeling bored. The writer gives views from internet user’s point of view which can be easily understood by readers from any ages. A thought from scholar is being used for better understanding of the very idea.
Bibliography
Turkle, S. (1999). Cyberspace and Identity. Contemporary Sociology, 28 (6). Retrieved on January 21st, 2008, from JStor
Wroe, M. (2002, August 25). In cyberspace, we all put on an act. Sunday Times, pp. 49.
Using the phrase of Anonymity in Cyberspace
It seems to me that the newspaper article was more witty and easier to understand than the scholarly article full of jargon. I think I personally would rather read the newspaper article that talks about the anonymity in cyberspace that gives people a chance to express aspects of the self the way in which they want to. It’s interesting to think that you may never have to come face to face with people who you communicate with on the net; therefore, they will only know you as this one particular that you display! Cyberspace and Identity is a very interesting issue and I agree that it is easy for someone to be whoever they want on the net, but I find it quite odd!!
[...] February 4, 2008 at 5:11 pm · Filed under Assignment 2nd comment [...]
According to Paine, “As the pace of life has quickened, our collective attention span has shortened.” I think thats why most of us woud rather read a newpaper article written by someone who is easy to understand (most people don’t have the patience to look up words today) and ‘real,’ someone who the common person can relate to. Overall, its an interesting topic for discussion.