This section of the unit about people online has brought up many discussions about not only people’s identity, but their ‘self’ and ‘persona’ so I decided to look into the differences between these descriptions.
An identity is what identifies somebody, the name or essential characteristics which make somebody recognisable. It is the description that somebody acknowledges as belonging distinctively to him or herself and signifying his or her individual personality for life.
Similar to identity, self is a complete personality. A complete and individual personality especially one that somebody recognises as his or her own and with which there is a sense of ease. The person feels comfortable, and is natural in, their self.
A persona is an identity or role that somebody takes on. A persona, unlike identity or self, can be put on or feigned.
In my opinion, generally speaking, identity and self are what people have in real life and then when online they create a persona. Of course I understand that people can have personas in real life when acting or not being themselves, and similarly people can be who they really are online if they choose to be. However, from the reading and research, I have found that online more people tend to either exaggerate /tone down their personality and certain characteristics or even be a different person altogether.
I think we have one true identity, which is who we really are at our most comfortable. However, we have several personas; identities which we take on to fit our surroundings. Im sure not many people are the same 'person' when in company of their family compared to their friends, or similarly when in a seminar compared to a night out with friends.
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