Diaspora of the Self

The "post-modern condition", by way of existentialism and social phenomena, seems to have created a kind of diaspora of the self. Now is an important time to reflect on this migration, particularly regarding the aspects of the self that have moved online. There is a culture there/here in which we, like any immigrant, are enveloped and which we often take on. This self is influenced by social exchanges including the sharing of music, art, information, and political views. It is also influenced by and in some ways determined by commercial interests. Market research, browsing patterns, psychographic profiles, and database construction contribute to a new phrenology that tells us who we are, what we need and, who we should be. In a sense, many parts of me live in a database. This, in itself, is not frightening to me. What is disconcerting is that I do not know what portions of myself where left at the gates of that database, and I do not know the ways in which this truncated or aberrant version of myself will return home to me. It seem that many of the forces that construct the online self remain invisible. Uncovering these influences, whether they are strategic or passive, is essential for maintaining some sense of personal agency.