By Charles kulwa n reg no 42688

Representation of digital age 

Presentation of self in every life is a constant process of negotiation. From the perspective of Goffman dramaturgical metaphor, human perform themselves in an embodied response to their world watching them. Using physical and verbal cues, the audience construct their own readings and of the actors intentional and unintentional – message based on what the actor give off. The performance of self becomes a feedback loop that creates socially legible relationships within the context of a larger community

In computer mediated communication (CMC) the performance of identity occur primary not the through direct experience of the body but within the constraints of digital representations constructed by interactive system. To compensate for the loss of physical presence, people have had to create new ways of reading the signals presented by others, and new ways to present themselves.

Social scenarios

The body operates as a rich site for information. As we pass through the world, we give off information about cultural identity, (ethnicity, sex, age) social class, individual personality (through dress or physical alterations) and psychological state (through movement and tone of voice). These cues help others determine the appropriate modes of interaction with us

As a representation of an individual, the body also operates a cue from memory. While other may build mental modes of people, the body often operates as the connection between that mental model and the individual, allowing the others to remember past interactions. An individual reputation may be stored in one memory and connected with the mental modes of that individual, but the physical appearance of the body connects the individual to the reputation

 Consider physical social settings, such as a pub, in the united states, the bouncer must check a legal identifying document to confirm that potential patron is over 21

Physical and digital sites of presentation

Lacking immediate physical presence, social practices based on software enable visual or textual representations are used as substitutes.  Email address, mobile phone numbers and other CMC handles are the most widespread substitutes for the body. Through them we construct social narratives about current and previous interactions with interlocutors, likewise, the country and are code of one’s mobile phone transmit information about one’s choice of geographical identity.

Form of self representation, people go to great efforts to construct textual or visual portraits that reveal carefully chosen aspects of their identity. Graphics avatars are used within online games and chatrooms to act out the intentions of their creators. With the increased popularity online dating services, form based profiles have emerged as another site of representation.

People create elaborate homepages in order to broadcast information about their interest, values and   activities. As constantly updated revelations of self, journals and blogs move beyond homepage creates to a portrait of the creator’s interest and social relationships over time. Through live journal friend list, blog roll and linked list of friends on site such as friendster, digital representations of self are affected by the placement of the creator within a social network