BOOKS AND BANGALORE

Sunday, April 24, 2011

The 'I'dentity Crisis



Iamthecoolestguyonthisplanetbemyfrand’ spams your inbox with umpteen requests and follows you on all the social networking sites you are in.What do you think of and how much do you feel for this online stalker?Most of us will swing our head sideways,swear a few words and block him[who knows it maybe a ‘her’ too!]If you are an average person like me,eight out of ten times you can identify these kinds,can’t you?Unless you want to have some fun too;-)   

How do we define 'IDENTITY' at the first place before we call it false or true?To me it is a life long process of making our existence matter to the others and there is nothing static about it.There are a million facets to it,some real and some virtual.Our thoughts,feelings and actions make what we are and what we want to be for the world.Fortunately or unfortunately today the world wide web has a very important role to play in this matter.


These days relationships and important milestones of our lives are  handled by a click of the mouse or a type on the keyboard.Birthday wishes,wedding snaps,graduation photographs,reunions,break ups,travelogues,diaries,personal conversations,professional meetings,video chats,favorite songs,sport updates,weather forecast,news and gossip...you name it you have it.Through the internet we end up showing what we try to hide very unknowingly and subconsciously,the vice versa does happen too!In the name of ‘CHANGE’ we have internalized the social media way more than it was any day necessary.The  result is now in front of us,we cannot do without it anymore.Even if some amongst us can,we will be forced to get back into the groove in a span of few days to keep in touch with our people for the least.Gaye sirf roti,kapda or makan ke din…ab ek aur mangta hai-‘INTERNET’!:-)
  
Its all in the mind isn't it?;-)Yes indeed it is!According to Sigmund Freud’s model there are three components in our psyche.The ‘id’ which works like a problem child,the ‘super ego’ which works like a strict parent and the ‘ego’ which balances the two.As long as the ego does this juggling act well our identity can be considered acceptable.I made this picture to portray an example of the social network story of our world.All the give and take occurs within this intricate web or trap,whatever you prefer to make it or call it.


Click on the picture for a enlarged view


Human mind is infinitely complex.What happens inside it is sometimes not known even by the one who owns it.We all have an attention seeking behavior of different magnitudes along with a hundred other basic instincts.And depending on the time,place or person we use it smartly.But on many occasions more than discovering ourselves we are happy in inventing a picture of our life to the world the way it wants it to be.Until we do that nobody is going to inquire about us beyond their limit of interest.And therefore everybody is up to something to be loved and cared by someone continuously.There is nothing much wrong about it for nobody can lead a normal life without a network of family and friends.No man is an island after all,just that one should not lose the ground right under his feet;-)


Self clicked profile pictures,unconventional status updates,'retweetable' tweets,incalculable friends and followers on the list are the in thing of today to garner attention.So how genuine are these people?Maybe they feel they really are popular in some vacuum of their mundane existence.Also there are some disturbed souls who outpour every little problem they face on these sites expecting an ear to hear.A  comment to their update or a reply to their tweet does make them smile.Facebook asks'What's on your mind?' and Twitter asks 'What's happening?',now how many people who meet us everyday in person ask that?No wonder we find the social networks alluring!The strange fact for many of them amongst us is online presence means this and ends there.It satisfies them immensely and it is their true identity according to them.However appealing it is choose not to show any excess interest.Ignore them for it is a cue to what their identities are in reality.They reveal through their veil.You indirectly know what constitutes them.Remember what hits you back if you throw a stone into a clogged drain.You get the same thing when you click an 'ACCEPT' on that friend request.Beware!It doesn't take long to turn into their kind!


Sometimes it does get overboard and evade your personal space.It definitely becomes a matter of concern then.Your right and responsibility is to give them back in the right manner.It is neither easy nor hard to survive using the internet.The ones we meet through it cannot be expected to be true or false.Our reflections are completely relative.It is wrong to be judgmental about people unless they themselves claim that we know them well.Everything has a purpose,but the problem with the internet is it has many!Undeniably there are many good odd sheep who use it for the right reasons and settle for nothing but the evens.They are true in the truest sense making the best of the fictitious but fabulous world.This post of mine is dedicated  to each one of them:-)

"The internet is a reflection of our society and that mirror is going to be reflecting what we see.If we do not like what we see in that mirror the problem is not to fix the mirror,we have to fix society"

-Vint Cerf-


On a lighter note see this Peter Steiner's famous cartoon:

PS:A dog is a man's best friend,do you get that?;-)

Have a good Sunday!

-R.

13 comments:

dr.antony said...

That was interesting stuff.

I dont usually entertain anyone who has no name.They are people who wear masks and have no identity.

Life has changed with the internet.For good and for bad.We can meet and communicate with people from so far and away, but o occasionally fail to identify the one sitting next to you and chat.Sometimes,I have felt it is easier to talk to unseen friends, who never take advantage of you.

Bikram said...

so true , people to be frank are very clever and conniving and with so much spam and all that , I hardly accept any requests without a proper name.
Internet is full of risks there are more risks these days , i have had very bad experience, people lie all the time so much so as for 4 yearsand you start to trust them and what they do after they have finished the caht with you no one knows ... SO i have become very wary of internet :)

Good post all the best ...
Bikram's

The Solitary Writer said...

this actually a good post ..talks about real life scenarious.The main logic behind discovery of these sites were to stay in touch with real friends whom you have lost touch with since long ,but sadly the purpose has been changed and its kind of getting real creepy these days.So someitmes it becomes difficult to indentify whom you are really talking to it may be some one who could be impersonating some one too.... :) nice post good one...keep up the good work..following you :)

Sarah malik said...

u have come up with some very valuable and commendable points! I also liked sigmund freud's theory.
must say, u r good at convincing ppl:P
wont comment anything regd the topic..as i have already done my share...good luck to u, hope to c d next kick off post coming from ur side! :)

sarah

Anonymous said...

Very interesting article. YES internet has become a trap.It takes away the personal time, which is not realised.

Raksha Bhat said...

@dr.antony: Never entertain the easy;)

@Bikramjit: Thanks:)But we do find genuine ones:)Just that our experiences with the bad keeps us on guard:)

@The Solitary Writer: Thanks for stopping by and joining in:)

@subtlescribbler: Hey thanks...I may banter so much that BJ will have to open another website:P

@u$$$: Yeah...wonder if we should feel sad or bad about it all!Confusing state!

Raghavendra Mutt said...

Another good one.. Speaks d truth.. Keep writing..

Purba said...

I have been hopelessly addicted to the net for years - It reunited me with my school gang, got me to blog and it's a far better option than the mindless programmes they show on TV.

Perception said...

Internet behaviour could very well have been the best work of Freud if he were alive today...

and yes we all do wear masks and thus hide our villainy..

Beyond Horizon said...

BANG ON R!

Sometimes the lack of understanding about oneself, feels the need to glue to this web world!

Harish said...

Its you know, somewhat like you know someone next door thru net more than what you know face to face. Like you have said, the attention that we might get thru net is not got by meeting someone personally. Its sad that human relationships are turning more 'specific' based on his/her activity on the social network than what they are actually. The act of seeking attention that is easily available on the social networks and the kind of elated feeling that you get is the basic point of attraction. All the other unknown ID stuff that bothers us daily is because of the percentage of 'ID'ness being more in oneself. Its again one of the mental forms that is routed in people who give more importance on worldly assets than humanitarian. Some of our elders do it thru physical assets, we, the present electronic generation are doing in our own style on the net:) Thats the only difference I can think of....

Someone is Special said...

interesting.. I so love your arguments and point.. Great post Raksha.. mine is of course they do...

Someone is Special

Raksha Bhat said...

@Raghu: Thanks re:)

@Purba Di: Thats some good use made:)

@Perception: Valid point!

@Beyond Horizon: But thats not the only answer!:)

@Harish: That was some neat dissection:)

@SIS: Will read your post soon:)Thank you for liking this one:)