This has been one of the most interesting classes I’ve taken in college. I use the internet for hours every day, and yet I’ve never taken the time to really consider how much it impacts how I feel about myself and my interactions with others.
One of the most fascinating concepts was the idea of online communities and bridging and bonding capitol. The internet gives us so many resources, and I’m afraid I often see it as evil and negative (because of how little time people now spend face-to-face), without seeing the good it has provided. It was also interesting to think about the longevity of online communication. The thoughts that used to be bound up in journals hidden underneath our beds are now stored online, allowing people to know our teenage angst decades later.
On one hand, we show so much of our private lives online, but on the other hand we only reveal a small part of our identity. Things like virtual worlds and gaming make it so easy to craft a persona for ourselves that is entirely different than in real life. Once again, I used to view that idea as entirely negative, but reading about how gaming allows people to deal with real-life issues made me empathize and realize that I can’t cast things off just because they are different or misunderstood.
I think that the three main points of this class were well-instituted. The blogs and reading gave us a lot of opportunities to understand the concepts, and it was very easy to translate them into real life scenarios.
I feel like there have already been so many great studies done in online communication, but I would be very interested in learning more about how these new technologies are impacting girls’ self esteem and their susceptibility to falling for internet predators, etc. Since they can hide behind a Photoshopped persona online, does that make them less confident about themselves in real life? Also, I would love to learn more about whether or not the internet is making people more open-minded about religions, races, and other cultures.
Presentation is very important aspect of our culture. We are a very image-based society, and there are pressures coming down from every facet of our culture. Women, especially, face unrealistic expectations and social pressure to live under the “tyranny of the ideal.” If you are interested, check out Jean Kilbourne’s video “Killing Us Softly: where she addresses the issue of exploitation of women by the media @ http://youtu.be/0cakLF_16I4
That is an interesting subject. I have seen a lot about this effect in traditional media structure – television, advertising, celebrity culture, etc. The new media aspect is just as relevant. I think there could be value in an interpretive research study that examines individual user’s motivations for self-expression and identity. It could both enhance and damage self-esteem. I think online, their confidence might increase, as they can hide safely behind Photoshopped images and constructed identities. But if this confidence did not translate offline, it might be more detrimental. Thinking they are reliant on manipulation to present a worthy image of themselves could further damage their sense of self-worth.