“We aren’t
who we think we are, we aren’t who others think we are, we are who we think
others think we are” (anonymous). What makes us the person we think we are
today? There are a lot of factors involved when it comes to self-perception or
self-image. Community identity being the main one. Our interactions,
involvement and interrelations with others gives us the metaphorical
"mirror" we need to be able to see ourselves for what we really are
and gives us a more accurate sense of self. Aspects of community identity
include: gender, age, appearance,
education, socioeconomic class, peer group, sporting clubs, social clubs,
political affiliations and many more. Community identity comes from our relationships
with other people and things we do with those people. Our nationalities,
religious views, genetics, jobs, and our group of friends all play a key role
in forming our community identity. "No man is an Island" – (J. Donne,
1624).
Self Identity Girl: http://skepticmeditations.com
When it
comes to self-identity, our opinions of ourselves are in large part reliant on
we think other people’s opinions of us are, whether we like to admit it or not.
All it takes is one odd look from a person walking down the street and we start
thinking to ourselves “do I look ugly? Are my clothes weird? Maybe there’s
something on my face?”. While this is hyperbole, it illustrates the power of
interactions with other people directly impacting our sense of self.
We need
people to survive, without human interaction you would go insane. Studies show
solitary confinement and isolation can cause a range of mental health problems
including anxiety, panic, insomnia, paranoia, aggression and depression.
In the last
two decades since the advent of consumer internet has added a new layer of
complexity to our community identities. Social media has not only created a new
type of identity but it has greatly affected the other identities. You can form
relationships with people you don’t know in person, find and connect with
people from all over the world, you can voyeuristically watch other people’s
lives, whether you know them or not. So social media has had a massive impact
on community identity both qualitatively and quantitatively. The use of social
media networks will create massive shifts in community identities due to the sheer
number of people that can connect, the ease with which they can connect due to
technological improvements and its ubiquity, and the increasing diversification
of interest groups. Conversely community identities could be in jeopardy by the
impersonal and anonymous nature of the internet.
Given our
assertion that community identity is inextricably intertwined with self-perception
there is much to be studied with regards to peoples changing attitudes of
themselves and the exploding use of social media.
References:
-ABC.
(2017). Life on the inside: how solitary confinement affects mental health. Retrieved
from: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-10-08/solitary-confinement-mental-health/5789062?pfmredir=sm
-Self Identity [image]. (2016). Retrieved
from: http://skepticmeditations.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/self-identity-selflessness-min.jpg
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