Self, community, narrative in the information age

Abstract

Narrative thinking has a significant role in the formation of the self and identity. In fact, to such an extent that the self is seen as the product of narrative thinking, a fictional character emerging at the intersection of autobiographical narratives. In this article, I investigate what effect the narrative interpretative schemes used in everyday communication have on our conceptualization of the self, on our self-image, while, I also intend to analyse what effect media narratives displaying intentions, beliefs and desires have on the narratives of self- and community construction of individuals in the information age. The aim of this article is to demonstrate that analyses like this can, in the long run, contribute to a great extent to the preparation of models and philosophical concepts targeting the description of the functioning and formation of narratives that capitalize on the shared cognitive structures of human motivational factors, goals, emotions and actions.