creation of virtual identities in digital communities

8/2/2019 Creation of Virtual Identities in Digital Communities

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The Internet is a powerful, inexorable force that has seized the planet and smudged previously

distinct national boundaries. With a mere click of the mouse, users are able to gain access to a

plethora of digital information, which has become the main mode of interaction between users all

over the globe. Just like the real world, the virtual world has enabled certain groups of people

who share common interests, characteristics, ideas or visions to come together to form

communities. These digital communities can take the forms of online blogs, forums, social

networking websites like MySpace, Facebook, Xanga and Friendster and also Massive

Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPG) like Second Life and World Of Warcraft.

Many a times, people join these digital communities in the bid to identify and personalise a set of

behavourial characteristics which allows them to be easily distinguishable from others and be

recognised as unique individuals. The creation of virtual identities in digital communities allows

people to go beyond the realms of reality to pursue their ideal identities but it may be detrimental

to their social well-being. In real life, people do not always have choices. This is clearly evident

in terms of our genders, appearances and the environments in which we were brought up. Now,

through digital communities, people are given an unprecedented chance to recreate and pursue

their ideal identities on the virtual platform; they are endowed with the freedom of choice,

speech, behaviour and action to mould their new, ideal identities. This may seem purely

beneficial. However, if they are too reliant upon or too engrossed in the virtual identities in

which they find immense satisfaction, they may not be able to extricate themselves from the

identities. As such, they will pay less attention to, or even neglect their private identities, which I

believe are the fundamental building blocks of their social well-being. With less real-life, face-

to-face social interaction, their social well-being will thus be negatively affected.


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The article Alternate Universe by Jessica Bennett and Malcolm Beith discusses the

motivations behind identity production through Second life and highlights that Second Life

brings about more positive than negative impacts to society. (2007) The virtual identities, more

commonly known as avatars, created through Second Life enable the people to break away from

the restraints of reality to pursue their ideal identities. People can fulfill their dreams, execute

ideas and plans which they have always desired in their private lives all of which are highly

impossible to be accomplished in reality. There are literally no regulations nor restrictions

being placed on the avatars in this digital landscape. (Bennett & Beith, 2007, para.8) To begin

with, the users are free to dress their avatars in whatever way they like, choose their preferred

place and environment to live in and also communicate with specific users. Moreover, they get to

choose who to collaborate with to form their own sub-community inside Second Life. On a more

advanced level, the users can do and experience almost anything in Second Life starting new

businesses, assuming different roles and genders and even engaging in relationships with

someone whom they are not familiar with. Furthermore, people who are physically and mentally-

handicapped are given the liberty to pursue their ideal identities and lifestyles. (Bennett & Beith,

2007) For instance, Second Life has opened up another world for Elizabeth Ward, who suffers

from a severe and chronic pain disorder that now keeps her at home. (Bennett & Beith, 2007,

para.24) She feels great happiness and satisfaction to be able to carry out all the activities that

she has yearned for. (2007) My point is further supported by the article Identity Production in a

Networked Culture: Why Youth Heart MySpace, written by Danah Boyd. It propagates the idea

that By going virtual, digital technologies allow youth to (re)create private and public youth

space while physically in controlled spaces. (2006, para.30) Undoubtedly, some people may

feel that this statement only applies to youth, and not the general population, as they are usually


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being kept under adult surveillance and are physically bound by the adults. (Boyd, 2006)

However, I opine that it highlights the same idea that the virtual world has revealed new worlds

for those who are physically and mentally confined in society, like the handicapped and those

who yearn to fulfill their dreams, and permits them to pursue their ideal identities.

Although the virtual identities allow people to break away from the realms of society, one must

be aware that these identities are actually facades superficial representations of themselves.

Hence, the people behind these virtual identities lack the real-life, face-to-face social interaction

that is essential to their social well-being. Boyd analyses that For many teens, hanging out has

moved online. (2006, para.22) This scenario has also been proven by Bennett and Beith,

pertaining to a larger audience. They comment that Some critics are uneasy with the idea of

peoples getting more and more of their social activity online and that [virtual worlds] dont

have the nuance of face-to-face interaction. (2007, para.23) However, some may contend that

these people are in actual fact interacting with real human beings behind the screen. As such,

they assert that people actually have social interaction despite the donning of masks online. On a

lighter note, whether or not there is really a lack of social interaction actually depends on the

individuals whether they treat the virtual interactions as complements to their private, social

interactions or simply substituting them. The former may actually enhance their social well-

being if they can apply the same interaction skills used online to communicate and interact with

real people more effectively. On the other hand, eliminating real-life, face-to-face social

interactions totally will definitely be detrimental to their social well-being.

With virtual identities in the digital communities, people can break free from the constraints of

reality and present their true, inner identities. They do not have the pressure to uphold certain

identities or images that are deemed politically correct by the society. Without this need to


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conform to social norms, they can demonstrate their actual and inner behaviour, feelings and

personalities. This is illustrated by Bennett and Beith, that Second Life provides people with a

way to express, explore and experiment with identity, vent their frustrations, reveal alter egos.

(2007, para.6) People can display their suppressed feelings such as anger without any

considerations on the virtual platform and this is beneficial. Also, Boyd sees that [MySpace]

profiles provide an opportunity to craft the intended expression through language, imagery and

media. (2006, para.17) People in digital communities, such as the MySpace users, can actually

portray their true identities and drive the intended messages across to their targeted audience,

without the need to conform to social norms. This is especially important in the process of

identity production creating a genuine identity that best represents oneself.

Despite the various benefits that the creation of virtual identities brings about, many are

concerned about the amount of time spent in the process. Bennett and Beith observe that A

recent Dutch study found that 57 percent of Second Lifers spend more than 18 hours a week

there, and 33 percent spend more than 30 hours a week. (2007, para.7) Similarly, Boyd notes

that adults often worry about the amount of time that youth spend online, arguing that the

digital does not replace the physical. (2006, para.23) The time management issue is in fact very

crucial. Some people may argue that the time spent online creating their ideal virtual identities is

definitely worth it because the identities will grant them the satisfaction that they will never be

able to experience in reality. This is no doubt true. Yet, if people spend so much time online

creating or adopting virtual identities, they may be too engrossed in the identities that they are

unable to detach themselves from the virtual world. This may become undesirable and will affect

their social well-being if they eventually lose touch with reality and do not interact face-to-face

with real life people.


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Virtual identities provide people with the empowerment that is rare and difficult to be established

in reality. Bennett and Beith analyse that patients who are mentally and physically disabled are

learning to interact in ways that would be terrifying for them in real life. (2007, para.22) For

instance, patients with Aspergers syndrome possess innate difficulty in engaging in social

interaction. (Bennett & Beith, 2007) Without Second Life, their lives will be monotonous and

they will never be able to experience interacting with others, even through basic interactions like

giving self-introductions and starting conversations. (Bennett & Beith, 2007) This really shows

how Second Life empowers a previously powerless or subordinated group or individual, by

giving them means to assert themselves. Another example would be the case of Anshe Chung.

She began her journey as an insignificant avatar in Second Life in the bid to prove if the virtual

economy can sustain private lives. Yet, in the process, she gained prominent, outstanding

recognition by becoming Second Lifes first millionaire in 2006. (Bennett & Beith, 2007,

para.3) This is an obvious case in which virtual identities provide empowerment and motivation

to people. Also, social networking websites, such as MySpace and Facebook, empower people.

Boyd states that an individuals Top 8 friends are displayed on the front page of their

[MySpace] profile. (2006, para.7) As people jockey for social status and popularity and are

concerned about how they are perceived by others (Boyd, 2006, para.15, 20), they will feel

empowered if their names appear on their friends profiles because it shows others how popular

they are. Moreover, [MySpace] profiles are personalised to express an individuals interests and

tastes, thoughts of the day and values. (Boyd, 2006, para.6) The profiles give the users means to

assert themselves and emphasise their individual preferences. This empowers them because they

know that their profiles have impacts on how people perceive them. It is this rare feeling of


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empowerment which motivates and brings an exponentially-increasing number of people to these

digital communities to create their virtual identities.

The creation of virtual identities through digital communities certainly provides an alternative

avenue for the exploration of identities as it allows people to go beyond the realms of realism to

seek their ideal identities. Yet, excessive adoption of virtual identities will be harmful to the

social well-being of individuals as they will have less real-life, face-to-face social interactions

with people in the real world. Thus, people must be fully aware of their own priorities and aim to

strike a balance between their private and virtual identities to enhance or even maintain their

social well-being. Nevertheless, the unprecedented creation of virtual identities in the virtual

world is certainly captivating the globe (Bennett & Beith, 2007, para.24); it has really

benefitted a large population, be it in terms of fulfilling dreams and desires, presentation of true

selves or the provision of empowerment. As such, I believe digital communities will continue to

grow and maintain its status as the main mode of borderless communication in the years to come.


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References

Bennett, J., & Beith, M. (2007, July 30). Alternate Universe; Second Life is emerging as a

powerful new medium for social interactions of all sorts, from romance to makingmoney. It may be the internet's next big thing. Retrieved September 16, 2008, fromProQuest database.

Boyd, D. (2006, February 19).Identity Production in a Networked Culture: Why Youth Heart

MySpace. Retrieved September 16, 2008, from

http://www.danah.org/papers/talks/AAAS2006.html
http://www.danah.org/papers/talks/AAAS2006.htmlhttp://www.danah.org/papers/talks/AAAS2006.html

creation of virtual identities in digital communities

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