digital footprint
what got me thinking (mostly sourced from this are.na board:
- instagram on are.na
- don’t let your ideas die on are.na
- on the internet we’re always famous, by Chris Hayes
- the word for web is forest by claire l. evans
- but you can’t use my phone, erykah badu
- handmade web by j.r. carpenter
- quote from ‘into the burn scar’
The digital footprint– your personal impact on the world wide web.
Having grown up along side the internet, I’ve seen (and participated in) a whole lot of trial and error surrounding what this space is supposed to be for the average person. It was unnecessary sharing and shitposting and then the monetization boom in the 2010s meant that maybe there was an extent that we should care about who we appeared to be on this virtual plane. It became a question of how to cultivate seemingly meaningful relationships between a single person and thousands of their indulgent audience members. Then came the algorithm… a new relationship now with… our own self? but rewritten in boolean sequences.
R&D:
- I’ve been around long enough at this point to realize what I want out of the internet. I’ve taken intentional measures to make sure my algorithm works for and not against me, and I’ve been conscious about understanding how particular content makes me feel
- But what can I offer the digital space? Not in a monetary, capitalistic way, but what can I put out into the world to better reflect onto myself, my identity?
- In the 21st century, you cannot separate your digital identity from your fleshy one… it’s just unfortunately not how we operate anymore. Thus, actualizing my real self requires certainty in my digital self
- I hate instagram
- I love my digital garden
- Well I don’t completely hate instagram, it really serves me well and I’m consuming great content but something is missing
I present to you my quarter century crisis:
Everytime I come around to reactualizing my digital footprint, instagram completely stumps me… because my superego so badly wants to just assimilate into the algorithm and exist for seasons outside of myself, but the gremlin in my soul and the worms inside my brain want to be seen… so I think it’s time to be more of myself here.
So then what
A question I left myself to ponder: do i care more about hiding myself from people who judge and exhaust my energy, or do i care more about sharing my self with people i genuinely connect with?