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Losing Individuality

Published by

Lem Usita

July 26, 2012

I heard someone say that with all the time that we are spending online that we are losing individuality. The argument that they made is that we are spending so much time on these social sites that we are losing our individuality because we are just seeing our experience online in a social, community setting. We end up finding our identity in the community rather than our individuality.

We used to have this pseudo-anonymity thing where we would hide behind a screen name. We would make emails and screen names that show some hidden fake identity. We would do all kinds of crazy things behind the pseudo-anonymous name. Our behavior online lined up with our fake names.

Then we started using our real names. I’m not sure that our behavior changed much, but then we started sharing everything online. We started telling everyone what we ate and where we went. We shared everything online. We give it all away. I think that’s where this guy was coming from – that we lose our individuality because we share everything. Am I even making sense? Maybe I didn’t hear the guy right.

Is that even possible to lose our individuality? I don’t know. I gotta thing about it more I guess.

8 responses to “Losing Individuality”

jacenicoles

July 27, 2012

I think, at least as Christians, we are in some degree called to lose, well maybe not our individuality, but our self in Christ therefore if we become more like him then sure we wouldn’t be individuals but a community living for one goal. I don’t know though, because I do in all of that Christ did make us different and we should embrace that.

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adavies660

July 27, 2012

Bit of a contradicting statement, in that we are losing our individualaity on social networking sites, yet it also states we are losing our identity and finding it in Social net works rather than in individuality. Two points to that 1,) this would imply that identity is formed in individuality. Sorry but research shows that this is not the case. 2,) individuality is expressed in many ways, we make ourselves individual, society puts us into small individual groups with our own individual traits. I am a Little confused with what this article is implying where identity comes from or is formed. A little esoteric I feel.

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1. Lem Usita
  
  July 27, 2012
  
  Thank you for the comment.
  I should have been a little more clear about how I am questioning the statement myself.
  I’d love to see some of that research that you are talking about.
  The article is not really landing on any idea as much as I’m wondering about the idea. It was something that I had heard and I don’t know how I feel or think about it. Thanks for the insight that you give though. I appreciate you reading and leaving a comment.
  
  Reply
Keima Rumbeau

March 13, 2016

I’m doing a controversial topic for my Junior Project in high-school, and I decided to do it on beauty standards. I came upon this article and I read it, and I think I know what the man meant by we’re losing our individuality. We spend a lot of time on our devices being on the internet, we’re all seeing the same things and receiving the same information. We all see the ads about products that can “help fix our skin”, or “help us get that summer ready body”. These ads plant seeds in our heads making us think and believe that we should go out and buy these products if we want a summer ready body, or perfectly clear skin. The ads create self conscious thoughts, and lowers our self esteem. So we go out, and we buy those shoes that makes us look “cool”. Or that shirt that “gives you a slimer figure” but, other people are buying those exact things. Next thing you know, you go to the grocery store and see a handful of people wearing the same shirt as you! Simply because everyone wants to look slim, or because they want to fit in. Since they saw it on the internet, it must be what the hype is about, right? We’re losing our individuality because we’re trying to fit in.

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1. Lem Usita
  
  March 18, 2016
  
  This is so good Keima. You have such good insights, but I can probably make some assumptions about why you think this way and why you don’t succumb to the pressures on social media. Well done and how can we see your project? Let us know.
  
  Reply
  1. Keima Rumbeau
    
    March 18, 2016
    
    I can send you my essay paper through email if you’d like! Just email me at keima.rumbeau@gmail.com
  2. Lem Usita
    
    June 19, 2016
    
    I just read your comment again. Thank you for it. I was wondering if I can make your comment a post. It’s so good and I think communicates so much. Would you mind if it did that? Thanks.
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