"MyFace" or "Do you know what I did 5 seconds ago"

The fascination by many people in the digital age to project representations of themselves into cyberspace, leads to discussion over what factors contribute to the concept of self. Thompson challenges existing concepts by suggesting "the self is a symbolic project that the individual actively constructs" (Thompson 1995, 210). Thompson argues that unlike structuralist approaches that suggest self is determined by external factors, individuals actively engage with the world to create and nurture their own determination of self. More recently "the communication media has had a profound impact on the formation of self" (Thompson 1995, 211) as individuals increase their online presence and activity. Moreover, the freedom provided by the online environment allows individuals to alter or evolve their digital representations as often as they choose. Unlike the historical painted self portraits of previous generations that provide snapshots of both individuals and cultures of the past, today’s "self-portraits are democratic and digital" (Rosen 2007, 15) and by their very nature pliable. This ability to adapt our online representations to suit our changing attitudes and opinions suggest Thompson’s symbolic project is perhaps more relevant in this democratised digital world than ever before.

References:

Thompson, J. 1995. The Self as a Symbolic Project. In The Media and Modernity: a social theory of the media, 209-219. Cambridge: Polity Press.

Rosen, C. 2007. Virtual Friendship and New Narcissism. The New Atlantis: A Journal of Technology and Science, 17 Summer: 15-31.