Cyberspace Anthropology, Reaction Paper Example

1.Some scholars have suggested that identity in modern societies has become more fluid and more multiple. Do you think the impact of new media on identity is just a continuation of this trend in modernity? Or does it represent a “quantum leap” in the ways that identities get constructed? Discuss

Back in the years when human identity was plainly based on personality and upbringing, it was easier to understand and accept who a person is. It was also easier for a person to say who he is, what he wants and what he assumes to be. At some point, it was hard back then to create a notable personal understanding of one’s self and specifically consider that as the main identification that sets one apart as a unique individual from the others. During the past years, identity was an initial factual knowledge that was easy to accept for others regarding another person. In a way, conning to be another person was not that easy to accomplish.

With the entrant of a new era accompanied by the many innovations of modern technology which is most often than not related to communication and social development, it was easier to acquire different identities for one single individual. New media and the assumptive role of social networking in the society made it possible for humans to take control on how they want others to think of them. Covering factual identifiable considerations about others specifically make a distinctive indication on how the social media is currently used by the people. Through social media, people can pick one specific identity for themselves and present it or flaunt it in their personal web pages as the being that provides meaning to not necessarily who they are but to what they want to be as seen and appreciated by others. Conning has become a common act during these times. This is the reason why several elements differing cyber crimes have been given birth and the distinctive course of living double lives for many became an acceptable norm.

In relation to modernity, it could be realized how such change in presenting identity has been affected by how modern societies are developed to provide response to what the people want without necessarily considering what is right nor what is moral. It could be understood that through the years, the impact of social media continues to follow such trend and in the future, it is expected that the commercial industry would continue to utilize its impact to the society for their own profiting benefits.

2. If it is true that capitalism has moved in an increasingly more symbolic direction over its history, then it could be argued that new media have pushed that movement even much further (such as, but not limited to, digital commodities). What are the main points of this argument? Do you agree or disagree with it? Why or why not?

What makes the forms of modern media affective in providing response to human desires is that they are able to make distinctive indications on how the modern world should be directed by the desires of the heart and not the distinctive definitions o f morality nor of practicality. The creation of new gadgets that support media and digital development has created a new culture in the society that welcomed the indicative use of technology for communication and general connections between human individuals around the world.

This movement of the new era of advancement in the society has actually been managed fully by the specific directions of capitalism and how it impacts the modern society. For instance, gadgets such as high caliber phones and tablets have not been considered as necessary properties to be owned during the past ten years when innovative technology of computers and communication has first been introduced to the world. However, as innovation takes differential adjustments and developments through the years, the creation of a new ‘need’ for the sake of profiting in the industry of modern technology has given birth to the emergence of new media and the impact that it is making in the market that the industry of modern technology serves.

True to its sense, this aspect of modern technology and how it is accepted by the modern society is driven fully by two particular forces controlling the modern communities of humans who define themselves with the aspects of development that technology provides. Capitalism specifically is the first force that motivated the creation of new sets of needs while it is the assumptive progress of innovation that allowed for such desires to be enriched. The basic needs are not the only elements of living that matter to the society anymore. For instance, it is not enough for modern societies to embrace the subtlety of living to be the primary way of their lifestyles. Instead, to be called modern, it was essential to embrace innovation as part of one society’s identity.

The internet, one of the most powerful forces of spreading such culture to the distant parts of the world has created a sense of distinction on how modernity is supposed to be identified and how it is likely to define the reputation of a particular society according to the culture that it embraces. In the future, it is expected that such culture would advance further. The ideals of capitalism will give birth to other forms of needs that would likely appeal to the new behavior that the modern societies are showing to be relatively connected with their personal beings. Defining the society with ‘wants’ becoming the primary ‘necessities’ of modern living is expected to be the common trend that shall envelope the manner by which humans intend to take a stand in embracing development as part of their lives’ advancements towards the new era of yet another phase of dawning progress in technology. To the creation of new dimensions of innovation, there is not stopping, and the capacity of capitalism to respond to such conditions of development to create new conditions of living perceptions for the people is expected to create more forms of cravings for the modern society.

Reference:

Slater, Don 2002, ‘Social Relationships and Identity Online and Offline’, in L.Lievrouw and S.Livingston (eds), The Handbook of New Media, Sage, London, pp533–46.

Graham, Mark 2011, ‘Time machines and virtual portals: The spatialities of the digital divide’, in Progress in Development Studies, 11(3), 211-227.

Sterling, Bruce. The Hacker Crackdown: Law and Disorder On the Electronic Frontier. Spectra Books, 1992.