How do you perceive the multiple identities in this increasingly shrinking world?
When you talk of a “shrinking world” you are highlighting the fact that communication is omnipresent, that people can interact virtually anywhere in the world and this gives us the feeling that borders are being erased, differences blurred.
It’s true that these ever increasing flows of communication have an impact in different cultures but one cannot forget that this also fosters new type of culture.
I believe that this new culture – based in communication tools - actually enables people to assume a wider variety of identities. Take a typical internet user: one has the freedom to create an avatar, build up a character, or reveal a hidden side… Internet enables people to play a part, extract and exhibit their desires, their demons, their hopes.
I have the feeling that in today’s world, multiple identities are encouraged by this new culture of hyper-communication.
hi,
I an average 34 year old mother of three,i would like to comment on the facts you have highlighted,that in fact it is very easy to build an avator,acharacter all the while hiding a deep secret .I know this because i have experienced this and i also have inflicted this on someone else .It is quite absurb to me when i think about it yet if i am honest i think it was fun to begin with yet is shameful on the whole .I am talking about thinking i found love on the internet and then being let down and realising the so called love identity wasnt totally real,i dont feel i am explaining this very well lets just say that i went on to entrap the same guy with another identity.This story may sound quite simple but it very complex at heart and involves addiction and my own coming to terms with a change in how i view myself and how i let double mastectomy keep me from being honest , it is cautionary tale a modern day roxanne but it has also got a spiritual element that i never expected.It is a silent story at the moment yet i feel it is longing to be told.my internet love and myself were both searchng for the same thing and both of us have like many have experienced near death situations .I believe now more than ever that a touch of love does ignite something in us all ,i would lve to tell my story to someone who is eloquent and can understand it on many levels ,yes the internet has exhibited my demons and flogged me in the process x tania
yes the internet can exhibit your demons and flog them in the process,this i have experienced all to well .I urge people to be cautious because fictitious characters are easy to create yet can impact so many without ever intending.chance is how love should be found .having been part of a modern day roxanne story i know what im talking.
the internet can indeed exhibit all your demons and flog them in the process ,having been part of a modern day roxanne ,i urge people to avoid create alter egos on the net because the result can be more than cautionary it can be exposive.
Yes, I agree. The internet does allow you to either create a new persona or reveal things about yourself that you wouldn’t normally. Personally I have learnt a bit about myself, as Tania Leech has. Not the same story, but sides of my personality that are exaggerated on here - some good, some not.
Kathleen xxoo
I agree with you Paulo.Nowadays,thanks to internet we have the chance to create multiple identities and in this way to “live” many lives.But we should not forget who we are and which is our reality.If we do not like our reality living fake lives,pretending that we are someone else won’t make us happy because we know it’s not real so it won’t last.On the other hand, maybe an id we use in internet is who we really are.It’s complicated…It seems we should be very careful with this new culture.
Love,
Lia
p.s
I agree with you Paulo.Nowadays,thanks to internet we have the chance to create multiple identities and in this way to “live” many lives.But we should not forget who we are and which is our reality.If we do not like our reality living fake lives,pretending that we are someone else won’t make us happy because we know it’s not real so it won’t last.On the other hand, maybe an id we use in internet is who we really are.It’s complicated…It seems we should be very careful with this new culture.
Love,
Lia
I don’t think we necessarily create a new identity by using the internet, but that the internet allows us to explore part of our self that we aren’t able to see in normal daily life. I am a mother with a small baby and for me interacting on the internet stimulates my thoughts and gives me an opportunity to share my thoughts with others. I think it all depends what our intention is for using the internet - maybe there are people who are assuming a false identity online, but they probably do that off-line too.
Why do you thing world is increasingly shrinking ???
I do not think we can live more lives because of internet, we can live more lies deffinitely !
Multiple identities in one person is exactly what I do not like in internet. It is like carnival mask, you wear it to fool or to hide.
But “why” as Paulo asks us in some previous questions ? Why should I need to be someone else ? Why not follow my own path with my own face and character ?
And if I am not happy with what I am, why not change ??
World is not shrinking !!! It is us that are shrinking, our small universe is shrinking because of superficiality and speed we are living our days !
And that is the reason I love Paulo’s books because they are opening new horizons, asking questions they point us in right direction.
Luce
None of the bloggers here have appeared with multiple identities? We all present ourselves with pretty high integrity don’t you think? If you are talking about role play going on in chat rooms, I guess we can more talk about multiple identities. To me its fine, if it’s done for fun. Role play is, for instance, toddlers most important way to learn about becoming an adult. Unless, it’s a sick training in becoming an evil person, like in some games, i.e. “Dungeron and Dragon”, I’m all for it. Now, to hurt someones feelings through flat out lies, as Tania mentioned above. That is flat out wrong. Internet is like everywhere else, be cautious and take your time to get to know who you interact with.