Hyper-Connectivity and Future Identities

The last decade has seen the transition from connectivity to hyper-connectivity with respect to the Internet. Now our phones and other mobile devices allow us to be permanently connected. They bleep when a new email comes in, an ebay item we're following changes status, when Facebook or Twitter updates or when someone connects via LinkedIn. We turn them off when we fly... nor not if you are taking a flight with Internet access. My wife was thankful when the latest version of iOS allowed me to turn off alerts overnight!

We were connected to the Internet very early on in it's development and brought our kids up to not reveal personal data online. So although my name is shown on my account in Facebook, my 27 year old son still uses an alias.

We talk about online identity, but the change to online identity is only the last step in an evolving journey of identity over centuries. I think this can be seen in four basic strides. I believe we are in transition right now from the third (Authentic) to the fourth (Synthetic).

Pragmatic => Romantic => Authentic => Synthetic

Online and offline identity are linked. Way, way back many centuries ago, our identity was linked to our trade or profession. These often evolved into our surnames in the UK: Butcher, Smith, Wright or Taylor being examples of this:

...a (more) relevant starting point is Sennett (1977). He argued that in more ancient times identity is almost entirely ascribed. A person was born to a class, occupation and role. If a butcher went on the street inappropriately dressed for that role, he should be publically reprimanded. This changed with the enlightenment and new genres such as theatre. When people appreciated that a person could act out identity as a theatrical performance, the contrast was with an identity assumed to be authentic or real. A trajectory leads from this all the way to a 1960’s search for a purely personal identity found deep within. Online possibilities exacerbate this fear that we are losing real or authentic identity.[1]

Thus the pragmatic identity ascribed by trade, profession or position in society evolved into the romantic identity played out as an actor. People could mimimic an identity by dressing or behaving as they wished. This showed to in a fluidity of western culture where transition between classes and roles was acceptable.

Media today is all about authenticity -- and largely dominated by participatory media and consumers, who see right through advertising and marketing hyperbole and shut it out. Participating in these media is the only way to gain a "true" understanding of how and which work, and which don’t. Clients are demanding that their PR counsel and support teams are in the conversation, and that they themselves use the media where their content is being created and distributed.

Take, for example, the use of social media for online business networking or lead generation. As the saying goes, 'it’s hard to teach an old dog new tricks'. The old dog in this instance -- baby boomers -- use traditional, in-person offline meetings as their primary source of building their business networks, while the younger generations are building their own brands and businesses more quickly, and reaching a much wider audience by leveraging new digital tools like LinkedIn and Twitter to run full-on campaigns.[2]

The son of of a friend of ours is a teenager with his own business buying and selling pallets. His clients find him via the Internet. You'd never guess his age from his telephone etiquette with clients. While being driven by his mum when a business call comes in he tells everyone in the car to be quiet and changes voice to his 'business voice'. He has synthesised an entity without anyone having any idea of the reality. Of course the pallets are very real!

Future identity? Yes, future identity.

Image courtesy of photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The everlasting journey...

The journey without end...

We started the journey because of the very nature of our Father; He loves to create[1] and and He loves to love[2]. So I AM became we are[3]. 

An early traveller on the journey became a friend of our Father[4] and was promised a blessing in order that he too might be a blessing to others[5]. However, some people are more interested in being blessed than being a blessing. This is certainly not the destination.

During the journey some of us were introduced to the Teacher[6] and decided to follow Him[7]. Being blessed[8] and being a blessing is part of following the Teacher[9]. In following we became transformed into apprentices[10], learning from Him and being trained in His ways[11]. This is not the destination.

Later on the journey we will again be transformed[12]. Our aged, worn out shells will be discarded, but we will continue on the journey. This will still not be the destination.

Further on the journey our Father will look at what direction we have been travelling[13]. Are we headed towards receiving blessings or giving blessings[14]? For those who are merely interested in receiving their journey is over and they are no more[15]. But for the others this is not the destination.

Continuing on the journey our Father throws a party so we can enjoy time with Him[16]. Some think this is the destination. But the journey goes on forever[17]; we are travelling an eternal and enjoyable journey with our loving Father.

On Facebook there has been discussion about neo-Reformed, Arminian, Prosperity and various other Gospels... about whether Hell really exists or not... and the whole debate about who is 'saved' or who is 'in' and who is 'out'. This seemed to me to be missing the point. There is no destination.

So I wrote this short summary of the way I see Scripture talking about our lives. It's not about different ways to God. There is only one way, but focussing on the destination seems to be not what God is calling us to!

I was discussing this in the car with a couple of friends the other day: If you think about tenses, past, present and future, our relationship or walk with God is not like that, it is a sort of present continuous based also on past. We see time as a linear progression. God doesn't. It's like trying to describe a sphere to someone who only understands two dimensions. To them a sphere is a dot that becomes a circle that becomes a dot as it passes through the two dimensions. God sees and lives outside and inside time simultaneously. We see time as past, present and future. He sees it as a whole.

Image courtesy of artur84 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net