Executive editor and author, Rob Horning in his article, “Google Alert for the Soul,” discusses how the once maintainable quality of authenticity as enabled by being a “unique interior self,” has since become unsustainable with the application of social media (thenewinquiry.com). Accordingly, as an example of a social media platform, Facebook similarly, considers this ideology through the notion of post-truth in which “objective facts are less influential than appeals to personal beliefs” (OED). Specifically, this thematic trend is evident within my own Facebook experience through recurring instances that illustrate the tension between a re-imagined self and a loss of identity, the design of the assignment’s instructions, as well as, an ability
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For instance, as documented in my reflection log from February 6-12, while characters such as Patrish Pete, admitted to having exaggerated aspects of their personalities, even with these contradictions, my view remains constant to when these avatars were first introduced. Just as with the other profiles’ belief in Jericho despite an inherent lack of authenticity, I also accept given information online without the need for any extra questioning or contemplation. Even when these presented characteristics – like immortality in the case of Patrish Pete -- are seemingly impractical. Consequently, this alternate example aids in demonstrating post-truth as a fundamental facet of social media by additionally, elucidating that the perception of shared information on Facebook is more important than a correct understanding of those facilitating it. This example likewise, gives support of Horning’s views by continuing to suggest, that the interior self, or a profile’s owner, loses authority on social media through the inverse rise of their profiles’ image in the minds of those who interact with them. So, authenticity can again be seen to reduce in the relationships formed on the Internet through this privileging of a false construction of
For instance, as documented in my reflection log from February 6-12, while characters such as Patrish Pete, admitted to having exaggerated aspects of their personalities, even with these contradictions, my view remains constant to when these avatars were first introduced. Just as with the other profiles’ belief in Jericho despite an inherent lack of authenticity, I also accept given information online without the need for any extra questioning or contemplation. Even when these presented characteristics – like immortality in the case of Patrish Pete -- are seemingly impractical. Consequently, this alternate example aids in demonstrating post-truth as a fundamental facet of social media by additionally, elucidating that the perception of shared information on Facebook is more important than a correct understanding of those facilitating it. This example likewise, gives support of Horning’s views by continuing to suggest, that the interior self, or a profile’s owner, loses authority on social media through the inverse rise of their profiles’ image in the minds of those who interact with them. So, authenticity can again be seen to reduce in the relationships formed on the Internet through this privileging of a false construction of