The online environment

[Blair]

I participate in online identity management which uses conventional identity construction of self-regulating and self-monitoring combined with comparisons of ‘normal’ modes of conduct. Foucault states ‘there is no need for arms, physical violence, material constraints, just a gaze’ (1980), I am aware of the expected gaze of another and this forces me to self monitor and survey myself online. I survey myself in relation to other networkers and monitor my profile, as I am always susceptible to the gaze of my audience.

Do you survey yourself when you interact through forums and social networking sites online or does the online environment give you the means to create new identities that may not conform to dominant social discourses of the offline world?

[gamst12]

I think in everything we do online we survey ourselves through the way we describe ourselves on social networking sites such as Facebook or the photographs we choose to have as our profile picture. We self regulate what we say and divuldge only certain information in the way that we answer questions in interviews online or over the phone. Many people will try and create another identity in the virtual world of online gaming, it is an escape from reality and allows you to become something you maybe wish you could be in the 'real world.
If we didn't monitor what we said, and surveyed the way we come across to other people then our self image could be tarnished. Surveying myself through photographs and videos on social networking sites is common and the vast majority of people will do this.
We all have elements of vanity and want to come across in the best way possible therefore surveying the actions we do through the conversations we post are all monitored when aware of other people viewing it through "the gaze".

[Vix]

I also know a few people who have several accounts on either the same one or different social networks. On one account they represent themselves in a slightly different way then on the other. I never understood why they do that. But now I see it not only as a self monitoring but also as a way of identity seeking: on each website they focus on different sides of their personality, so they can see which one works for them, they can see which identity is better in society that they happened to be. 

[Victoria]

I agree with this argument.
I monitor myself in my responsis that they are relevant and that they are coherent with the points I want to bring accross.
I personally monitor my spelling too.
so yes I agree I monitor myself.

[satsuma]

I will also survey myself like you guys do.

In this forum, I will do my best to check the meaning and grammar, make sure it conveys what I want to say.
And in other forums, check the content of my post message and take another viewpoint to see, imagine how others think of my comment although I don't know the people who read it.
I am still being myself but not using real name.
I am not trying to crate another identity but just following (which I call it) "the internet culture".

People can express their feeling, stress and opinion that it is nto allowed/ appropriate in the reality through online environment (e.g. online game, forum)
I agree ganst12 that "it is an escape from reality and allows you to become something you maybe wish you could be in the real world".

[soph218]

I survey myself online, i suppose it could be considered a form of vanity. A nice comment on a picture of yourself will encourage your self esteem and vice versa.Checking online profiles could be the equivalent to looking at yourself in the mirror. Your always aware of what other people are seeing. Facebook is a good example of approval seeking that Gergen mentions in his experiments. As we display images of our self and i believe the only reason why it is done is for  hope of approval from others.

[katiet27]

I think Foucault, if he were alive today, would love online environments.  We can now compile "digital hypomnemata's" using the favourites system, and find specific discourses at the drop of a hat that we can use to improve on ourselves.  There is also the 'global village' aspect where we can share these ideas and practices with others around the world and therefore cultivation of the self is easier to implement.