As adults, we define our authenticity through our families, our jobs, and our real life relationships - authenticated over decades. The tapestry and rawness of our lives define us, and we tend to use media tools to augment (vs. create) our interactions. They help us stay connected to people who have shared experiences with us, even if we might not have much time to spend with them in person.
Media helps us “network”, or it can help us find support or new introductions we might need or want. This is more popular with my generation, because we usually begin our relationships in the real world with media as a supplement.
Today’s teenager or college student searches for themselves in a world saturated with the values of a hyper-mediated society. This can be a good thing, because amidst the noise they can construct their identities, uniqueness, and sense of deepened self. They can develop their authenticity, as media “mediates” conversations.
The anonymity one has on the internet gives them the courage to say what they feel without worrying about what people think, and the feedback they get, also anonymously, ultimately gives them more confidence in their ideas and opinions as they are formed. They “fight anonymity by using it” – they can form their real world authenticity by being anonymous online and broadening the complexity and scope of their interests. Anonymous conversations become canaries in coal mines, real world authenticity is the result.
Overall, they have much more confidence in the self they have developed and feel they know themselves better.
