Importance of Online Identity

Veterans Affairs Team

"Sim long and prosper" Overview VA Team Members Past Accomplishments Building Community User Right-to-Leave Democracy in UFOP Voting Fair Process Backroom Decisions Open Process Importance of Online Identity Building Stronger Community Barnraising Radical Inclusiveness The Dark Side of Community Conflict Resolution The Conflict Paradox How a Group is its own Worst Enemy Vested Contributers Community Security Veterans Affairs Forum Facilitator: Roshanara Rahman Edit this Nav

Sometimes the line blends between who we are and who we are online. At different levels we are all unique. Indeed, the identities which we create for ourselves on the internet expands upon this uniqueness by creating yet more selves whose origins lie ultimately with our own wetware-based minds. However at times the separation of the wetware-based individual and his or her online projections can blur. This may occur for a variety of reasons.

The importance of uniqueness in online projections is that it can offer physical and emotional protection from other selves and others in general in the online community. The same can be said of anonymity, though perhaps the latter may be considered a possible attribute of the selves which one creates for herself.

When an individual composes fiction involving fictional characters a variety of factors may influence both the way he chooses to make the characters behave and their own attributes as separate persons. That is, not only may external factors influence the writer and her decisions concerning her characters but also internal factors. Perhaps our writer wishes to explore some aspect of herself through a character.