Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Definitions of Identity: What does it mean?

From Websters:

1 a: the distinguishing character or personality of an individual
b: the relation established by psychological identification


From MacDictionary:

-the fact of being who or what a person or thing is


From Brainy Quote:

-The state or quality of being identical, or the same; sameness.



Although the definition of 'identity' are quite straight forward, the wording in these express some different attributes of what it means. At the root, obviously, it means the things that make up who you are. Who we all are. The things that we believe make us individuals. It can also mean the characteristics that people assume are a part of our identity, whether we're consciously portraying it such a way or not. But the definition from Brainy Quote, as informal as it is, suggests that it has more to do with how we're identical.

It really is hard to be "original," to have an identity that sticks out among the crowd. Especially, on a college campus of 40,000 students. But even so, we all use the same things (for the most part): Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and even Myspace if you like it vintage. So we try to stick out in person as well as online. But how do these online profiles differ, if they do?

I think that for my generation, however old or young it stretches, these two identities are becoming more and more one. At least for healthy, social people (those who don't rely on their online lives). If you looked at my Facebook profile, you wouldn't find anything that you wouldn't find out by talking to me in person. My Twitter updates, are usually something that I've already said and it's in the wit I use in person. So, my online identity is just the textualized version of who I am in person.

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