5/28/22, 7:18 PM 5.2.1.
The Digital Self: GEC 001-CE12S11 - Understanding the Self
5.2.1. The Digital Self
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:
1. discuss the concepts of digital citizenship and how its use enables one to become digital citizens;
and,
2. explain the importance of technology in our lives and how it impacts the self.
The Concept of Digital Self
Have you ever wondered how your parents
communicate with their loved ones during
their time? Or how do they manage to
finish their studies by just plainly using
textbooks? Indeed, there are lots of
differences if we are to compare your
generation with that of the olden days.
From generation to generation, we witness
the ever-dynamic enhancement of
technology, as well as awesome
innovations that drastically change the
lifestyle of the people. In the past, the only means of communication is through writing, telegrams for
emergency calls, and for those who can afford, the best alternative is telephone calls. As time goes
by, the invention and emergence of pagers or beepers made communication better as it receive and
display alphanumeric or voice messages. However, the entry of cellular phones and different social
media platforms totally changes the face of the earth. Modern technology rendered the previous
advancements null and void.
This advancement of modern technology dramatically affects our real self-concept or and to some
extent, the ideal self that we have developed based on what we have experienced and learned. But in
what ways does modern technology affect our real and ideal self-concept?
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Let us examine this example: Margarita posts
in her different social media platform account
everything that is happening to her. Social
media serves as her outlet after long days of
work and provides her with relief. She shares
everything - from her day-day activities to her
innermost feelings. What Margarita portrays
in her social media account is her digital self
and when we say digital self, we refer to the
persona we use when we are online. Digital
self spans everything from text messages to
fashion styles, our trips, previous and present
job statuses, and many other significant and
insignificant points in between.
According to Hill (2018), our digital self can
become our vivid representation of our wants,
needs, motivations, and insecurities. There
are three elements of the digital self:
Your online behavior (the number of times
you update your status on Facebook),
Your online voice (the conversations you do
with other people in your social media account), and
Your online presentation (how you create a social media profile to present yourself).
Digital natives, as coined by Mark Prensky (2001) refer to the individuals who were born after the
widespread adoption of digital technology. The individuals who have grown up using technology such
as the Internet, computer, and mobile devices are known to be the following:
Millennial generation (born between 1981 and 1996),
Generation Z (born between 1996 and 2020), and
Generation Alpha (born between 2011 and 2025).
Since the enormous rise of digital technology happens during the millennial generation, then it follows
that not all individuals in this generation are digital natives. Some of the characteristics in the era of
digital natives are the following:
Generation Z individuals are intuitive and participative learners, have a high capacity to do multi-
tasking tasks, speak tech, knows what they need to work on, and see the world in less hierarchical
terms; and
General Alpha individuals are more immersed in technology, can learn in visual and interactive
teaching methods, and are more inclusive and aware of their public image. Digital immigrants, on
the other hand, are individuals who were born before the widespread use of digital technology.
Generally, these are individuals who were born before the Millennial generation. Since a vast array
of modern digital technology arises, to be in the digital native era has both its advantages and
disadvantages.
Digital Identity
In the many digital platforms, the different persona is being used when online. Some people maintain
one or more online identities that are somehow distinct from their real selves; others have a single
online self that’s more or less the same as the one they inhabit in the real world. Why is this so? The
simple reason is that once you use your real identity, some unscrupulous people might make use of
your account in their foul activities. Because of this, it’s important to manage your online identity
carefully. The development of technology has led us to many mind-blowing discoveries, better
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5/28/22, 7:18 PM 5.2.1. The Digital Self: GEC 001-CE12S11 - Understanding the Self
facilities, and better luxuries, but at the same time has
dramatically changed our daily lives. Various highly-
developed gadgets, connected to the internet, have
changed the way we communicate, use humor, study, work,
shop, play, and behave (Turner, 2020).
Advantages and Disadvantages of Digital Life
Having a digital life has its pros and cons. It can link people
to people, knowledge, education, and entertainment
anywhere globally at any time in an affordable, nearly
frictionless manner. It can revolutionize civic, business,
consumer, and personal logistics, opening up a world of
opportunity and options. It can empower people to improve,
advance, or reinvent their lives, allowing them to self-
actualize, meet soul mates, and make a difference in the
world. In contrast, people's cognitive capabilities will be
challenged in multiple ways, including their capacity for
People can become addicted to the usage of digital technology. The personal agency will be reduced
and emotions such as shock, fear, indignation, and outrage will be further weaponized online, driving
divisions and doubts. Information overload, trust issues in face-to-face skills, and poor interface
designs can lead to stress, anxiety, depression, inactivity, and sleeplessness. The structure of the
internet and the pace of digital change invite ever-evolving threats to human interaction, security,
democracy, jobs, privacy, and more.
As we adapt to changes in our modern world, we must consider its implications to our physical,
emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of well-being. We must be careful of the information we post
online, how to portray our behavior online, and the way we communicate with other people online.
Alata et. al. (2018) Understanding the Self First Edition. Published by Rex Bookstore
https://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-
%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf
Macayan, Jonathan V., Pinugu, Jasmine Nadja J., Castillo, John Christopher D. (2018).
Understanding the Self: An Outcome-Based Modular Courseware. C & E Publishing, Inc.
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