The problem I see for myself on the Internet is this false sense of accomplishment. Inside our minds we can look back on our actions and that inspires us to do something that will make a difference. Online, its a false sense because online its this world that is created, like a video game where you think by posting something you have somehow accomplished something but back in real life, the day to day daily grind, you haven't accomplished it. There are exceptions of course. But, in the blogosphere, the twitterverse, the facebook world, we are diminished in our participation. Not that participating makes us worse but when we start to really believe in the persona we're creating online is something more than it is. If I have a million hits, or book deals, or people that I am connecting with then that is something but updating statuses, giving a new tweet for nobody, and generally blogging about crap doesn't equal a life.
Life is in the doing. We act, therefore we are. To not be is to not do. So, as we are doing great things we must remember that in a video game or online the chances of life being lived is greatly diminished.
Right now, I feel I've accomplished something. Its a personal breakthrough, but nonetheless will be vain, if I do not have a greater resolute to walk the walk. I feel like the difference here is similar to the difference that is between the pundit and the politician. One is just a critic and one is actually striving to practice what they believe. The critic although may be giving a performance or artistic showing in their critique, they pale in comparison to what they actually contribute to the world. The performer actually is the one who puts themselves out there, who acts. Without acting or doing we are just a shallow two dimensional image of what we want people to see. As thin as our computer monitors.
The narrative in our minds shouldn't be the updates on Facebook, the Tweets, the blogs, but the achievements of being the real person we want so desperately for others to believe we are online. We have to balance our ideal selves with reality and strive to live up to this great challenge that is living our lives.
The Lord has counseled us many times through prophets that we must live for Him and we will have a life. An eternal life. Its a very rigorous time for us to deal with identity as we have a seemingly endless amount of outlets for affirmations today. Our need for validation and expression is a not completely centered around narcissism but definitely can lead to it, as we start believing the images of ourselves we create online.
Many experts are convinced though that this generation is somehow all about ourselves and entitlements. I believe its not our fault if it is true. We have a bombardment of advertisements trying to make us align our identities with our the capacities of our checking accounts. We have constant huge personalities thrown at us that have no substance behind them; reality T.V. stars, Donald Trumps, Lady Gagas, and whoever the press want to milk for headlines that week or whatever we decide we want to look at. In this atmosphere we all want to have our opinions heard as much as others opinions are thrusted upon us by the media and advertisements. Ads tell us to be happy we should do this, while those that are seemingly happy do nothing but model in front of us with their status symbols on their clothes and faces. Its a world where status is everything, a world where this amount of pressure from society leaves us innocuous toward what will truly help others and ourselves feel happy.
We are going through a phase of experimenting with our emotions and technology and there is still so much humanity world. To sum up some of my emotions on this concept-
