Identity?
What is identity?
We all have a sense of identity. We, as individuals embark on a journey to answer the simple but complex question ‘Who am I?’. Our identity is linked between the personal and social (Woodward 2004). Identity is carried out through symbols and representations (Woodward 2004). This is how we perform and identify with other people. These include the way we speak, dress, walk which contribute to our identity. Wearing a uniform is an example of the representation and symbolism of our identity. The process of interpellation is the identification of one self with another object/thing and recognising a link. Identity is fluid, complex and context sensitive (Jamieson)
My identity?
This is a picture of my identity map.
This activity is seen through an essentialist frame of thought as we fixate and identify ourselves with certain categories. Essentialism: A belief that there is a set of characteristics which make something what it is. The true essence of things (Fuss 1989; Merriam-Webster).
The problem with this perspective is the anti-essentialist understanding on the fluidity of identity. We are always working on our self. Through an anti-essentialist approach, it is clearly evident that a 9-year-old identity map compared to the current would differ in regards to my identity. Over the next few years I will be susceptible to new experiences that will change who I am.
Our identity on social media?
The rise of social media saw a new way people could communicate and interact with people. Online social media has had a profound effect on the linguistic and communicative practices and patterns of social relations (Seargeant & Tagg 2014). Online, we are able to create and find people we identify with. Through dialogue, we create identities. From my own experience, social media gives us the platform we may not have in real life to voice our opinions and concerns. Referring back to my identity map, these categories that I identify with is often exercised online. Facebook offer group pages, one example being ‘LLWW’ group created for one goal, studies and blog posting. As a gamer, there is a page called Twitch , an online platform for players to showcase their talent. I personally do not stream my gaming but watch other players. Ninja, has been identified as a popular and skilful player that he receives an income. This is available to all who play. We are given the opportunity to actively and repeatedly change and negotiate our identity and present it in different ways online depending on the particular contextual platform (Seargeant & Tagg 2014). We identify with many things (Refer to identity map) and the online sphere allows for the performance of these. Thus, it is clearly evident that the complexity of the online world allows for this fluidity of change when it comes to our identity.
