Self Identity

During my research on self-identity one thing that stands out above all is that it is argued that self-identity is not a concept or self-image or self-esteem, rather what a being knows about itself. But self identity is defiantly close to self-image, it is known however that self-identity is influenced by other sources so can it be questioned that do any have self-identities true to ourselves or can self-identity exist without influence from another source or from oneself. In regards to this in today’s media and in the past altering or influencing a persons self-identity has been an essential part of selling to the consumer. For example modern pop-rock music conveys a heavy message of identity, wearing certain clothes and listening to certain music is a perfect way to control a large group of consumers and to make the purchase the produce companies want them to buy.


When these concepts are reflected in something like Second Life a whole new door is opened in a persons self-identity. A person can now choose what to look like, how to talk, what to own where to go in this new person that they control online. Despite this door-way for consumers to pretend like there lives mean something in an online game, this has opened a window for the stereo-types and current identities from the real world, which are still reflected in this online game. Despite this being called second life it is a business non the less, it doesn’t really offer a second life because this world reflects back too heavily on the real world. The concept of a new identity through second life however is still strong. How a person might behave in real life, such as buying a big house or the latest dress is all to show off and feel bigger and superior to the next person. The same is reflected in the online games, a person is willing to sit for days on end just to be the best at something which in the end means nothing. If a person had an identity which suffered sociably in real life then where better place than to hide yourself online.


Self identity means to me what a new pair of trousers mean to me, the only real time I consciously consider my own self-identity is when I do such things as buy clothes from a shop. This is because when I buy clothes I first consider if this reflect me as a person, going off the typical ideal of what a piece of clothing make a person look like to another random person. I always decorate my life with thing the reflect who I am, my personality and my interests. I could dress up in clothes that are more acceptable to my peers, or even purposely not acceptable. But at the end of the day I go for things that mean something to me as a person. Although it could be argued that my choice in decoration to reflect myself would appeal to what is sociably acceptable or what society identifies a piece of clothing or a poster too in my personality .


[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-concept
[2] http://secondlife.com/
[3] http://www.testcolor.com/languagecolor.html
[4] http://www.bath.ac.uk/management/research/pdf/2003-17.pdf