A new survey shows that young people now believe the way you present yourself online is more important than real life. Is our digital avatar now the priority?
If youβve been active online at all during the last fifteen years, youβll no doubt have made at least one social media profile somewhere.
Whether it be MSN or Myspace in the early noughties, or TikTok and Snapchat in the present day, nearly everyone is familiar with the idea of an online avatar, digital profile, or virtual version of themselves.
In fact, it would seem that Gen Zers now consider their online profiles more important and memorable than their real life, actual persona. Weβre living in an age where the digital is king – and may even take precedence over reality. Scary, eh?
A new study by Squarespace has concluded that young people βfind digital life more important and memorable than in-person lifeβ, with over 2,000 US adults being asked a range of questions on how websites shape their everyday experiences.
60% of participants believed that how you present yourself online is more important than the real world. In addition, nearly 50% said they could remember the colour of a website better than a personβs eye colour.
Younger people also tend to have more confidence in themselves online. Nearly half of those surveyed said they make a better first impression via the internet than in person, compared to only 8% of Baby Boomers.
While these results make for good headlines and may seem shocking to some, they shouldnβt come as a huge surprise to anyone who spends a large chunk of their time on computers.
We all use social media as more than just a convenient way to catch up with friends or share photos from questionable house parties these days. Instead, Facebook, Instagram, and nearly all other platforms serve as vital tools to help us engage with world news, work, business, shopping, and a whole lot more.
There isnβt much we can do in the real world that isnβt possible online, except for, like, hugging people. But who needs that? Weβre in the tail end of a pandemic, after all.
Many Gen Zers use platforms such as Reddit to find likeminded people and better understand their identity. Never before has it been easier to seek out communities that make you feel at home – which is undoubtedly a good thing.
It would make sense that younger people feel a pressure on their digital selves, particularly when so many of us use other large chat-based services such as Discord and Twitch, alongside work-based messaging apps like Slack.
We all interact with so many people via our screens compared to normal, everyday life, and we should largely expect this trend to continue.
Perhaps the Cyberpunk future of completely digital avatars isnβt too far away. Could Zuckerberg and Gates finally override our own sense of identity for the sake of data hoarding and profit? Thatβs another question that warrants its own article.
Until then, feel free to let me know your thoughts in the comments below. You know, digitally. Through a screen. As nature intended.
I’m Charlie (He/Him), the Editor In Chief at Thred. I studied English at the University of Birmingham and as a music and gaming enthusiast, I’m a nerd for pop culture. You can find me curating playlists, designing article headline images, and sipping cider on a Thursday. Follow me on Twitter, LinkedIn and drop me some ideas/feedback via email.
Though itβs long been assumed that bacteria canβt survive in the human brain, neuroscientists have recently been surprised to discover that it may harbour all sorts of micro-organisms.
In recent years, gut health has been all the rage.
This is because our understanding of the function and importance of the microbiome that lives in our intestines has improved, particularly in relation to maintaining the immune system.
A microbiome is a community...
The DRCβs lawyers have stated that tech giant Apple has knowingly sourced minerals from conflict zones in East Africa while publicly painting itself as sustainable and ethical. Β
The Democratic Republic of Congo has filed lawsuits in both Paris and Brussels claiming that tech-giant Apple purchased illegal βblood mineralsβ from its conflict zones for use in its product lines.
Filed against the Apple European subsidiaries, the lawsuit states that the company...
Leading tech companies are exploring the potential of nuclear energy as a sustainable and reliable power source to meet the growing energy demands of artificial intelligence.
In recent years, since OpenAI dropped ChatGPT, the world has seen a surge in all things AI.
From catalyzing a plethora of research to predictive analysis in data security, the presence of AI in our daily lives has become a norm. Powering this increase in...
In uncertain political times, Americaβs young LGBTQIA+ community are using social media as a vital crowdfunding tool.Β
The day after the 2024 US presidential election, thousands of trans youth across the country woke to a sense of a dread.
Iris, a 20-year-old Black trans woman living in Texas, was one of them. βThis changes everythingβ she told Wired. βIf I stay in the state now that going to...
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok
0 comments
