Sat, Jan 12, 2008 Permanent linkThen what about identities? Can we downsize the library of these multiple identities to avoid communicative confusion?
I think at this point in time our generation embraces the complexities of multiple identities. Psychologically one can pursue a whole new fantasy, lifestyle, etc. through identity. A person's 2nd Life Avatar often times is someone completely different than the person in "reality." The effect is something slightly different than that of knowing someone's iTunes Library, because you get to know this person, but it's not necessarily them.
This goes both ways as knowing this hypothetical person in "real life" doesn't really shed light to all of him. His identity has divided into two, similar to cell division. This cell division of identities creates a collective overarching identity for a person. This idea of collective is heralded by web 2.0 and the advancement of technology.
In this sense technology isn't necessarily making things more simple, but perhaps more robust and dare I say possibly more accurate.
Sun, Jan 13, 2008 Permanent linkTechnology may simplify mechanistic tools in the external world (a multifunction device) but in the electronic world of data organization, the web of multiple identities only last as long as there is interaction to any of these identities.
This brings up a very good point. I think not just in the electronic world of data organization, but also in reality, identities only last as long as there is interaction to any of these identities. Most identities exist because of the needs to distinguish from one to another. Furthermore, in digitality, these identities are more of reflections of our desires to escape from the one we already have.
these greater extensions of our identities represented in objects (a teapot, a cigarette lighter, or a velvet elvis painting) all will be oddities beyond their apparent utility to an alien in any sense of the word "alien." Our sense of design in how we create our world will all serve as a general template in understanding any one inhabitant.
And we can see where design of information is shaping our virtual identities. Knowing someone's music library on an iTunes shared network, at some level reveal an aggregate taste in music. Closer inspection of the music reveal complex stories, compositions, styles, and other unique attributes all deemed meaningful to the individual who manages the music library.
Technology may simplify mechanistic tools in the external world (a multifunction device) but in the electronic world of data organization, the web of multiple identities only last as long as there is interaction to any of these identities. The shelf life of any one of these identities depend on the existence of data, and how that data continues to interact with others as a living breathing being. It is important that others recognize the identity as being a real person.
Otherwise we will be talking to ghosts in no time.