Is having multiple digital identities deceptive?
Due to the rise of the digital age and technological developments, people have been able to construct multiple identities for more people & not just in real, everyday life.
How one self is presented in real life & social media
Goffman argues about the presentation of self in everyday life where “Performed with ease or clumsiness, awareness or not, guile or good faith, it is none the less something that must be enacted and portrayed, something that must be realized.” and that the setting, manner & appearance have to be consistent and coherent to be perceived as authentic by everyone involved in the interaction. the impression management also applies because Performances are not necessarily fake or dishonest but can be & We all implicitly know how to perform and act according to the situation.
Social media has helped our original and separate identities be presented using different props & settings, e.g.
• Our tastes and interests
• Those we friend or follow– our social networks
• Our posts, pictures, videos of our friends and us
• Comments of others on our profile
Managing People’s Impressions
People try to create certain impressions of themselves to achieve their goals “The expressiveness of the individual (and therefore his capacity to give impressions) appears to involve two radically different kinds of sign activity: the expression that he gives, and the expression that he gives off’
However, Marwick & boyd argue that “Twitter users negotiate multiple, overlapping audiences by strategically concealing information, targeting tweets to different audiences and attempting to portray both an authentic self and an interesting personality.”
The front and backstage performance
In various social interactions, similar to theatrical performance there is a front region where the “actors” are on stage in front of the audiences and choose what they make visible in the suitation but there is also a backstage where they can be themselves.
But is there really any context (e.g. in the privacy of our home) where we are not performing an identity?
To summarise, while people may see one person having multiple personalities as deceptive, it can be viewed as people adjusting their mannerisms, body language, and language depending on the situation, because who can act the same in every situation? Sometimes you’ll need to be formal or informal, whether you’re at work/school, with friends or family, so that you can come off as the best version of yourself in the situation or moment.
