Interactive Multimedia Design
How Many Identities Make an Identity?
I've been thinking about different themes to use in my project and one theme that seems to fit very nicely is that of identity. The theme of identity has been raised in nearly each of my subjects this semester, from designing an art based website discussing this concept to the idea of what makes a persons identity and what dictates a persons actions with regards to our Design Practice project this semester.
One of the problems that I am having with regards to choosing this idea is how to tell it as a story, does it need to be a narrative and for that matter does it need to be linear? I'd suggest that it would be quite the contrary and that to have an undefined path would be lead to true interactivity. What is true interaction? One person talking to another, not merely having a person pressing buttons that lead to another page but rather what I just suggested, a site that is created as information is input. The story that i would tell could perhaps be that of how people form identities and how through this process of discussion (thanks to my interactive website) people form and build their identities.
Considering the different takes on the theme 'identity' and how best to portray a message through an online website. Would it be safest to stay close to home and consider digital identity or as it is also referred to Identity 2.0 or perhaps steer clear from the digital spectrum and consider what makes a persons identity. I could consider what forms a persons identity, whether it is their religion, their culture, their politics or perhaps the country from which they are from. Playing with this idea, we could return to the digital forum and discuss whether these non-digital identities change once a person starts gaining an online presence. Whether these people develop other 'online' identities which in turn affects their 'off line' identity.
Could this concept be considered similar to Schizophrenia or other multiple personality disorders. Is 'disorder' even the right word to use in this context, I mean is it really wrong to have one identity in the 'real' world and another identity that is perhaps separate from your 'natural' one. Though with the creation of all of these identities where is the end? when does one person stop creating new personalities and says that this is him, that he is X made up of X, Y and Z? Ultimately, to the individual who consciously has these other personalities they are all a part of him though to everyone else who is perhaps ignorant of these other personalities he is to them many different people which in itself is a dangerous thought with endless possibilities.
Here is a video that is an excellent explanation of Identity 2.0:
One of the problems that I am having with regards to choosing this idea is how to tell it as a story, does it need to be a narrative and for that matter does it need to be linear? I'd suggest that it would be quite the contrary and that to have an undefined path would be lead to true interactivity. What is true interaction? One person talking to another, not merely having a person pressing buttons that lead to another page but rather what I just suggested, a site that is created as information is input. The story that i would tell could perhaps be that of how people form identities and how through this process of discussion (thanks to my interactive website) people form and build their identities.
Considering the different takes on the theme 'identity' and how best to portray a message through an online website. Would it be safest to stay close to home and consider digital identity or as it is also referred to Identity 2.0 or perhaps steer clear from the digital spectrum and consider what makes a persons identity. I could consider what forms a persons identity, whether it is their religion, their culture, their politics or perhaps the country from which they are from. Playing with this idea, we could return to the digital forum and discuss whether these non-digital identities change once a person starts gaining an online presence. Whether these people develop other 'online' identities which in turn affects their 'off line' identity.
Could this concept be considered similar to Schizophrenia or other multiple personality disorders. Is 'disorder' even the right word to use in this context, I mean is it really wrong to have one identity in the 'real' world and another identity that is perhaps separate from your 'natural' one. Though with the creation of all of these identities where is the end? when does one person stop creating new personalities and says that this is him, that he is X made up of X, Y and Z? Ultimately, to the individual who consciously has these other personalities they are all a part of him though to everyone else who is perhaps ignorant of these other personalities he is to them many different people which in itself is a dangerous thought with endless possibilities.
Here is a video that is an excellent explanation of Identity 2.0:
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