OUR IDENTITY IS NOT OURS ONLINE
Image: Posthumanism (Tech vs Human, 2017)
Albert Einstein once said, ‘it has become appallingly obvious that our
technology has exceeded our humanity’ but the question is would you agree with Einstein
or argue that our humanity will always remain intact? This brings up the concept
of humanism and post-humanism in network narratives. Some may argue that many still
value the notion of humanism by putting their interest and values as the centre
of their lives while others claim that post-humanism has taken over society as the
value of self-realisation and interests are consumed by the collective interest
of society. At this day and age, the collective interests of society are of technological
means, asserting that the virtual network has gone from just space to an actual
place in which humans are constantly visiting. It is from that virtual place
that a person’s identity evolves, more or less ‘in an online virtual network,
you are not the only person constructing your identity’(Kuttainen, 2017).
Networked narratives requires the participation of members in-order to be
empowered, the more an individual spends time being a part of that network, the more that individual evolves into a cyborg,
therefore the more power for the network. One of the way in which networked narratives
are empowered is through the notion of ‘virtual-self narratives’ (Kuttainen,
2017) . By depicting that people are in control of what they do on that virtual
network, it gives a sense of empowerment to them. Thus, the evolution of ‘online
auto/biographical’ concepts (McNiell,2002) on social networking sites. These
sites are portrayed as fundamental for maintaining connection and the
sensation of closeness in a larger space. Thus, the increased involvement and participation
of people in social sites.
Nevertheless, the concept in which social networking sites are seemingly
illustrating that power of auto/biography are in the participants’ hand to
shape their own identity online is merely the truth. Facebook for example has
an algorithm that ‘track, direct, and disseminate information about its members
activities’ which can be referred to as a “shadow biographer”(McNiell,2002) which tricks Face-bookers to think that they are the ones construction their
own identity when they’re actually not. Hence, there’s no “I” in networks
(Ibid). In contrast to the social site,
eHarmony’s algorithm is constructed on the 29
dimension of compatibility. It creates a virtual world that influences members
to think that their personal information shared is entirely their own auto/biography
when in reality members are construction their identity and personal information
within the set algorithm programmed by eHarmony. This algorithm requires specific information to
then act as the shadow biographer and find another member with similar
auto/biography.
The algorithm which programs eHarmony gives the power to the site to be
the ‘gatekeeper’ that controls members’ ‘filter
bubbles’ (TED,2011).
Therefore, what used to be face to face interaction, to have open conversations
and establish relationships and friendships much like ‘the public sphere’
(Kuttainen,2017) is now limited to the complete reliance on an algorithm and
software programming of online social networking sites such as eHarmony.
By Jelintha Koyaiye
REFERENCES
Anne, J. (2011, November 30). Will technology exceed our humanity? Retrieved from https://www.jessicaannmedia.com/will-technology-exceed-our-humanity/
Kuttainen,
V. (2017). BA1002: Our Space: Networks, narratives and the making of place,
week 6 notes [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from https://learnjcu.jcu.edu.au/
Ibid, slide 9.
McNiell, L. (2012). There is no “I” in Networks:
Social Networking Sites and Posthuman Auto/Biography. Biography, 35(1), 65-82. Doi: 10.1353
eHarmoney UK. (2000-2017). The eHarmony 29 dimensions of
compatibility explained. Retrieved from http://www.eharmony.co.uk/dating-advice/using-eharmony/eharmony-29-dimensions-compatibility-explained#.WanfC7puKYN
TED. (2011). Beware online “filter bubbles”. Retrieved from
https://www.ted.com/talks/eli_pariser_beware_online_filter_bubbles?language=en#t-248817
Habermas,J. (1989) The Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere. In Kuttainen, V. (2017).
BA1002: Our Space: Networks, narratives and the making of place, week 6 notes
[PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from https://learnjcu.jcu.edu.au/
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