CHAPTER 9: THE DIGITAL SELF

LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of this chapter, the learner is expected to:

1. Understand the nature of digital “self”

2. Decipher on the impact of digital advancements to one’s
identity;
3. Learn how the social media altered the concept of the “self”;
and
4. Identify how the digital self is formed through time.
 CASE ANALYSIS
Chappie is a senior high student who works full time as a
gamer. He is hooked to his desktop for 12 hours daily, attends
schools 8 hours a day and rests for 4 hours. He lives in a digital
world surrounded by his game consoles and motivated by the
characters he embodies in the world of digital games. He is
virtually an avatar in the flesh. Even in school, Chappie is
preoccupied with the procedures and the cheats in leveling up in
his games. His performance in school is below average and often
he is detached from the rest of the real world.
Points to Ponder
How does being a gamer impact the life and maturity of
Chappie?
• The development of massive technology in the field of
communications has immensely influenced the life work, habits
and experiences of people across the globe.
• The constant increase in the use of the digital communication
such as the social media has undeniably defined the formation
of a digital self among individuals.
• The impact of technological advances in every area of human
life has evidently expanded the concept of “self” among people.
• Each has a digital self which is what we use to be part of the
technological world. This digital self is a decoy that we use to
conceal our real self.
• As we share ourselves to the world we try to hide out true self
to cover up the issues that we have about ourselves and show
the world that we are fine and perfect.
• As we show the significant others, our cover through the
digital self we, on the other hand, expect affirmation and
acceptance.
• Indeed the digital world has made things happen more swiftly
which includes finding a partner or losing one through:
- dating sites and the social media;
- customize a character and joining gaming tournaments
worldwide
 - filter or edit an image according to the physical
features desired;
- or maybe store and transfer loads of file using our hand
held gadgets

Remarkably, the recent decade has introduced developments

that created great impact in our lives and some of them are the
following:
1. Internet
2. Social Networking Sites (Fb, Tweeter, Myspace tc)
3. Text message of short message service (SMS)
4. Smart phones
5. Applications (app)
6. Youtube
7. Blogs/vlogs
8. Search engines : google, yahoo, bing
9. World wide web
10. Email
11. Chat rooms
12. on-line shopping
13. Dating sites
14. GPS (Global positioning system)
15. Wifi or wireless network
16. Game consoles (play stations, wii etc)
• Studies have revealed how online decisions and preferences
reflect tidbits about an individual’s personality and identity.
• Choices such as what song to play on Spotify; movies or show to
view on Netflix and buy from Lazada, Alibaba and Amazon
online stores provide information about our interests and
preferences.
• And as William James, the father of American Psychology, has
reiterated that each individual possesses personalities
according to his/her current situation which in turn reveals
his/her digital identity.
 THE IMPACT OF DIGITAL
ADVANCEMENTS TO IDENTITY

1. Disconnectedness
the increasing use of gadgets and presence in the social
media results in being disconnected from the people around us.
As we rush to check and connect to the online world we neglect
to interact face to face with those who demand attention from
us.
often, we prefer to stay stuck on the social media creating
recent posts or stalking on someone else account for hours while
being mentally insensitive to the happenings around us.
such reality is what disconnect us from our relationships.
2. Developing and nurturing virtual relationships
the progressive development in the features of social
networking sites allows individuals to gain thousands of friends
and even millions of followers.
this eventually leads to creating virtual relationships which
satisfies the need for relationships and intimacy. However, as
this can provide positive impact on the individual the same can
also use cause inability to maintain face to face relationship
which demands more personal adjustments and understanding of
human differences
it can be concluded that relationships have become
superficial as we tend to nurture the relationship only within the
confines of the digital environment which demands simple duties
such as “liking” or “sharing” a friend’s recent online post.
3. Online Recklessness
the online world has provided its users the opportunity to
express themselves by communicating their thoughts and
responses whether in the form of emoticon, emoji, animated gift,
meme or thought traditional words.
we are all liable for our acts but many have revealed the
tendency is to be reckless and irresponsible. They cannot
regulate and monitor the expression of their emotions. After the
damage has been done through the posting of opinions or
personal reactions online, the next step is to delete the same, a
manifestation of extreme recklessness which does not in any way
help in the development of maturity among individuals.
4. Distorted Identity Formation
the digital world offers the opportunity to create several
identities according to our heart’s desire. An individual can
change his citizenship, gender, looks, character, and status in the
online world.
online world offers varied ways to enhance our image then
that becomes our tool to create “new identity” that will
guarantee acceptance by the valued online friends, followers and
acquaintances despite the deviation from what is real.

5. A significant Portion of Our lives is Being Broadcasted

the online world gives its users the chance to have that
“celebrity feel”. As a form of expressing our awe on a new gadget
then we pose its image online; in trying to share the joy of
consuming a well-plated meal then we pose it online
 to show how we feel about a recent break-up then we pose it
online; to express our emotions about a heated argument with our
parents then we pose it online. We pose everything from food to
travel to relationship status or major events in our life.
if analyzed well, it shows that every detail of what we post
online is for public consumption, the online world has evidently
become an outlet for most of us.

6. Digital Self-Harm
almost of similar degree to mutilating oneself we show how
sad and problematic we are through the online space. We tend to
demeaned ourselves on public as we tend to validate our
insecurities and weaknesses among online friends and followers.
6% of adolescents between are practicing this so called “digital
self-harm”, and they are done through the use of smartphones.
 the loneliness, emptiness, and anxiety digital technology
produce results in the declining mental health and the increasing
rate of adolescent suicide.
engagement in this behavior also permits “cyber bullying” as
the details about the individual’s weaknesses are set in front of
public eye.

7. Contribute to a Declining Mental Health

severe exposure and engagement in the digital world can
result to extreme loneliness and anxiety especially among teens.
The inability to gain attention from the significant others result
to sadness and frustration. This is contributing to a declining
mental health as the individual is unable to overcome stress
8. Self-obsession
constant exposure to the online world has evidently increased
the incidence of “narcissism”. Many have become self-obsessed
and self-absorbed as facilitated and promoted by the social
media.
users expect that there will be following and responses to
their posts whether it is an image, a quote, and emotional post
evident through “likes”, “shares” and “tweets”
the digital world has inspired individuals to be amazed about
the “me, myself and I” craze
.
 REASONS FOR ENGAGING IN THE
DIGITAL HYPE

1. Every individual desires to meet the expectation of the

significant others in his/her life. Many would not readily post
their photos online but will edit of filter the same to ensure
that they look a lot better in their digital images. The use of
several online applications (App) facilitates this need;
2. Online posting of objects as well as current statuses is
expected to receive responses and reactions from their
followers as in the form of “likes” and “shares”. These are
gestures that boost their go and self-esteem.
3. As Abraham Maslow had stated in the “Hierarchy of Needs”
(1943), each has the need to “belong”. Everyone desires to blend
in. And so when everyone on the social media poses photo of
his/her food then all others follow the trend. Uploading of these
images creates a feeling of being part of the hype.

4. The digital web provides individual with much more freedom to

express themselves in varied forms. Whether verbally or
non-verbally these digital platforms create an avenue to
communicate and express ideas and views just about everything.

5. The digital world allow the individual to achieve his or her

“ideal self” whether it is physical such as those provided by
online applications to improve their images physically. And it
could also be emotionally a platform users can express
themselves by “Vlogging” or even “Blogging”. Which ever manner
results in an emotional experience that makes one feel “good”
about his or her self.