Symbolic Interaction

[see: Methodology Readings - Symbolic Interactions]

The self is the definition people create (through interacting with others) of who they are. We come to see ourselves as others see us. The self is a social construction, the results of persons perceiving themselves and then developing a definition through the process of interaction.

I wonder how this would apply to the use of weblogs? How does someone define himself by his weblog when a person is meant to define himself in response to other people? With weblogs the ownership is retained by the blogger - so the blogger is projecting outwards... only that which he wishes to project. He is defined by the blog content - which he himself wrote. It is he who determines which bits of his offline self are available to others to interact with. So, what comes back from those he interacts with is a construct... an arteface. It is as real as the blog is real. An artificial blog will result in an unreal interaction... and an unreal reflection of the Blogger Self back to the blogger. It is an experiment, a manipulation, a game. If this is what the blogger wanted or intended, then fine. If it isn't, then the conflict which arises between the real (offline) self and the online construct may cause problems with offline socialisation. A Star online may in fact be A Loser offline. Interesting.

[tag: identity]