Performance of Self in Online Environments - Coursework Example

In the background of the 21st century when it is evaluated the impact of massive transformation has had a significant role in shaping the identity of the self. The self as the performer is influenced by the media, internet, web, and globalization. It is the cumulative result of psychology and sociology, which defines the traits, responses, and actions. The post-modern impressions are so diverse and so dynamic that the identification of self has undergone dramatic transformation worldwide. It has empowered an individual to create and decide their biography and course of performance in the fast-changing environment of the 21st century. The significant perspectives have been provided by Norbert Elias’s figurational sociology as well as by Michel Foucault’s post-structural theory which addresses the complex evolution of identity in the post-modern period of innumerable influences. This new age demands that the self performs and presents itself more liberally and forcefully, in this transformation of the scientific and technological age in which the social traits and cultural walls are collapsing. Performance has always attributed the social interaction and now self-presentation has emerged as the platform for strategic and planned interpersonal relationships. This has led to the evolution of computer-mediated communication as the new environment for performance, presentation, and integration. The post-modern self is integrated with computer technology and media, as the driving force altering the structure of society worldwide. There is no such thing as common local culture, culture has been modified to meet the common need of the global audience and we see a melting pot of cultural influences. The self is created by this common intermingling and the self has to sail through these dynamic changes. Juan Ramón Jiménez in his article on Modern and Postmodern Readings states that “The post-modern period contains a period of euphoric highs along with moments of deep despair” (Crispin, 1989).

Performance is very closely related to self-identity and self-presentation; and in the present environment, this has led to the creation and evolution of multiple identities which change masks for performance in real-life situations. The stage has been replaced by the virtual world and the real world in which the individual interacts with technology, information, and global connection. A high level of literacy has also impacted the nature of specialization of the tools of self-presentation. The value of marketable products has gained importance over civic and community-related affairs and involvement. Performers are an inherent part of the ‘pop culture’ in which they are learning new ways of re-discovering their identity and a new medium of self-presentation. This requires learning new strategies and skills which would match the pace of change and meet the demand of the time.

Creation and evolution of self: The creation and the evolution of the self require the synthesis of two approaches sociological and psychological. The sociological approach takes into consideration emphasis on power, interactivity, and the nature of the social construct. The importance of power has been very strongly emphasized by Foucault, who emphasizes the significant role of power in shaping the self, as a central focus of the evolution of self. In the context of the online environment, this power merges with the power of information and connectivity giving the individual self an immense power o control over his self-created environment. This body of work is also in harmony with the sociological association presented by Mead and the significance of symbolic interaction in the virtual world. The principle of reflexive behavior is at the core of the Median tradition and provides a sensible foundation for understanding the form of political and social action (Callero, 2003). The link and the connection established with the focus on the social construct are important to both new and traditional sociological approaches to the self and guides most recent empirical analyses. Though limited in its approach, the social construct theory offers insight into the evolution of self and explores the sociological context of self-construction, the importance of the social resources and the growing importance of technological progress, and the evolution of the online environment in self-construction. The psychological evolutionary theories also have a role in the creation and the development of the self, which has emerged on the foundation of the cultural, social, and historical factors of the modern period, leading the new self to the post-modern period.

Ideal self Image Vs.New self Image: One of the major concerns growing out of the online web-based interactive environment is the impact it has on the creation and evolution of the self and the development of the self-image. There is a conflict between the virtual or new self-image and the ideal self-image or actual self-image.

The World Wide Web has presented individuals with new tools and new mediums to explore the cultural world and find innovative ways to present new versions of their identity with magical ease. The way people present themselves in this new medium, in terms of Goffman’s ideas of the presentation of self, can be traced down to gender differences and the issues of credibility and authority with which women handle the academic and information in this new age homepages.