Online Identity

How we choose to present ourselves online has never been so fantastical. People around the world now have the ability to either highlight or conceal certain characteristics that they possess but might not be able to present in their daily social activities. There are certain stigmas that surround people throughout their lives because of the society in which we live. Identities that are often misunderstood, such as the teen pop star, can feel like a hinderance in one's ability to present one's true self. Some have the desire to become another person entirely and carry out an extreme fantasy-driven life over the internet because they are not happy with their identity they must uphold in reality.

According to a Washington Post article, Former New York Congressman Anthony Weiner has been in the hot seat with the media because of his recent desires to contact women and send them "lewd texts and terribly inappropriate Facebook messages."As Weiner is getting harshly scrutinized for his actions as a political figure, the article suggests that it is quite like 'role-playing' across social media and nudges us that we all have had similar experiences.

Of course Weiner has been the butt of the joke for the past couple of months, but if we dissect his actions carefully, we must ask ourselves why exactly he did what he did. Was this solely for the sexual attention? Or was he experiencing something emancipatory - in which he was able to escape the constraints in his reality and role-play as another person?

The textbook says it could be both; many people feel a sense of freedom on the internet because they have a chance to let their minds roam with their avatar or homepage. "[A] personal homepage may be most emancipatory for those whose identities are misunderstood or stigmatized in society...since they can reveal their identities without risking the rejection or harassment that may be experienced in everyday life."

It is quite understandable for a person in the public eye such as Anthony Weiner to desire sexual attention or conversation that he normally could not have. This does not mean however, that they should not have it. With more responsibility, comes higher expectations of the people around you, especially the media. Sometimes we think of celebrities or public figures as two-dimensional in a way - they are what we see them as only. However, we must remember that they are humans too, with many dimensions, and crave the same attention we once did.

With this being said, I believe that Weiner is at fault for exposing his intimate self carelessly, they way he did to the public because it has no doubt tainted his professional reputation!