Identity

This term our module is on identities. We have been given the brief to make a 3D avatar. This should be based upon what we understand of self identity, how media and technology can have an impact on your identity (such as online environments like second life) and also even corporate identities (such as how a business' would like to project themselves to others). We were also given a second brief to create an interactive box. This box must contain 5 different interactive objects that collectively tell a story about who I am. We were asked to do this so we can explore and reflect on the concept self and professional identity. To understand all of this, I will first have start at the beginning

avatar examples


What is identity?

Simply put, it is a representation that a person holds about him or herself. In the context of others, it is how we are perceived.

“A sense of Identity stems from the human ability from self –reflexivity or viewing oneself from the perspective of the other.”

George Herbert Mead- meadian symbolic interactionism


We can understand our own identity by trying to see ourselves though the eyes of others. How we are perceived by others determines what our actually identity is. Whether this is what we want it to be or not, we have no way of changing an individual’s own perceptions. Visual symbolic clues can also help build our identity. An example: a man often wears red clothing. Red is known to be a warm and strong colour which has often been associated with many meanings such as anger, confidence and passion etc. We could therefore make the assumption that because of his choice in red clothing, he has an angry temperament.
Identity is also affected by consumer culture. Social norms can impact how we want to be perceived and how we change our identities to conform. So do we know who we are? And what we want? We must do if we are to know how to change our identity.

Well that’s enough pondering about identity for now.