Personal Identity and the Internet Essay - 1435 Words

Personal Identity and the Internet Technology is changing rapidly. Now more than ever before, the Internet plays a vital role in everyday life. With the click of a mouse, people all over the world can exchange information with one another almost instantaneously. This changing technology allows people to broaden their horizons, exploring different cultures and learning new information. In addition to learning about others, the Internet provides people with a means of learning about themselves. Online, they can assume different identities, exploring multiple facets of their personalities. In the words of Justin Lewis, a student at the Ohio State University who frequently chats online in multi-user domains, â€Å"When you are online, you are†¦show more content†¦The socially inept are able to be confident and popular online, initiating conversations with complete strangers. While there are those who find themselves behaving differently online, others argue that they do not change any aspect of themselves when online. According to user Drew Maguire, a student at Denison University, â€Å"I don’t pretend to be someone else when I’m online. I am just myself.† However, what Harrah is saying holds true for all users, whether they take on a role to play or not. All of the users are â€Å"being themselves;† they just have more control over which aspect of their personality they want to emphasize. A person who is normally reserved may open up and act confident online, but he is still being himself. There is a confident side to him, and although he may only be able to portray this when chatting on the Internet, it is still a part of who he is. Some critics tend to disagree with the notion that one’s experiences online can help them discover and explore different aspects of their selves. According to Immanuel Kant, author of Critique of Pure Reason, â€Å"The self cannot be encountered through experience. We must accept the epistemic connectedness of the unitary self † (Goldsworth, online). But while Kant does not believe that one’s experiences can help him define his sense of self, there is much evidence to contradict his beliefs concerning the existence of a unitary self. Today, due to the amount of technology available, theShow MoreRelated Internet - Disclosure of Personal Information On-line and Identity Theft1753 Words   |  8 PagesDisclosure of Personal Information On-line and the Occurrence of Identity Theft Introduction Identification is a critical and common process which we encounter on a regular basis as we carry out our daily activities. Companies, government agencies and institutions routinely ask individuals for personal information in order to help identify a specific individual from another. 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