New models of the inner self: Identity in the digital age

Abstract

The following article addresses the changing nature of human identity in the digital age, with a focus on the emergence of the ‘inner self’ via digital communication. Three models of ‘self’ are presented in this text, which have emerged as a result of our rising use of digital technology, entitled ‘The Constructed Self’, ‘The Programmed Self’ and ‘The Absent Self’. The first model, ‘The Constructed Self’, focuses on our ability online to manipulate the public portrayal of the ‘inner self’ via carefully constructed social media profiles and virtual identities. This model compares the instances in which the ‘online self’ and the ‘actual self’ develop as extensions of one another, with examples that highlight how they can also act in opposition. ‘The Programmed Self’ is concerned with the amalgamation of humans and technology. As machines become increasingly intelligent and humanized, new possibilities are arising for our relationship with technology to become ever more personal. Finally, ‘The Absent Self’ brings to light what we miss through our immersion in the screen; how do online environments capture our attention so effectively and what does this do to our ability to self-reflect?