https://www.etsy.com/market/nerdy_geekery
So, I finally Googled myself! It felt kinda weird, especially since when I first just typed in my name all that came up was some famous Indian or Pakistani actress or model. That’s definitely not me I thought. Google even though I spelled my name wrong it is was supposed to be Mehwish Fatima. I had to scroll through three pages till anything about me actually came up. My name on the Augustana’s Dean’s List. Well that’s depressing. It’s like I’m not even important enough to exist online.
Suddenly I thought came to me! What if I typed in Moline next to my name, surely there will be something about me connected to the city I’ve grown up in. I typed it in and hit search. And to my surprise, I was the top hit! My name came up under Moline High School’s Honors Roll, Moline’s National Honors Society, Moline’s Junior Rotarians, Augie’s Dean’s List (again), and even my middle school’s honors roll. Looking at the results that came up from my search I decided to look at it from a stranger’s point of view, like a future employer. Since I’m not all that into social media and stuff, there are no pictures of me (expect for one from an article about Junior Rotarians), no tweets, or Facebook posts, basically nothing that about who I am or who I want people to see me as. Everything about me online adds up to me being a pretty much boring nerdy girl. There’s nothing about the fun-loving girl who loves to go traveling, shopping, reading, watching TV shows and movies, and having a great time with family and friends. Because of the lack of social media on my part, I have no say in what people see me as.
If I was a future employer looking me up, I would be somewhat pleased with the results of a hard working studious girl. But I might be a little weary since there’s nothing out there that shows I can connect to people and am social. If a was a fellow classmate or coworker I would definitely be quick to judge me as the shy nerdy girl. I find this really disturbing. I don’t want people to see me as just the shy nerdy girl (which I admit is a big part of who I am). There’s so much about me that people would just not know if they relied on my E-dentity. It scares me to think, what if in the end our E-dentities are all that people look at? Will I only be the nerdy girl in everyone’s eyes? Or, will someone take enough time to actually get to know me? I don’t know the answer to my questions but I’m going to choose to be optimistic and cling to the idea that my E-dentity doesn’t have to be my Identity.
Mahvish, I must say, I really enjoyed reading your post. You observed yourself from someone else's perspective unbelievably well. I really like how you address the positivity of having so many academic accomplishments online, but how it could be problematic to have no social interaction, as future employers may question if you can get along with others. I completely agree with you that it's incredibly frightening that employers could base their decisions about you from your E-dentity. I really hope it never comes to that point. I truly believe that your image can be whatever you set out for it to be, so if you want to be the shy nerdy girl, that is a beautiful way to be and you should embrace it! If you want to be some other way, that's perfect and wonderful too! Hold onto your optimism , your E-dentity will never be your identity unless you allow it to be!
ReplyDeleteIt seems to me at least, that an augmented reality has been put into place in concerns to the relationship of E-dentities, personal identities, and perceived identities. What we have in essence done, is broken down a sort of filter that we intrinsically have as Human Beings. There is an us and a them, a self and the other. If you are worried about how the E-dentity affects your perceived identity, and then attempt to align them exactly how you desire, you begin to blur the lines between the three types. Such a filter is in place so that we may know ourselves both personally and in relation to the whole. Such simple things can become consuming existential things if you let them progress unchecked. Check yourself before you wreck yourself.
ReplyDeleteYou are beautiful, smart, and a very strong girl. I feel like this assignment was a joke... There is so much judgment in our world today that it is crippling society. No one should judge anyone based on the internet and I am appalled that this was asked to do not just to others but to our own selves. You are not a nerd. You are awesome and never let anyone tell you otherwise.This is sickening that we are asked to judge ourselves on a worldly level. YOU ARE SO MUCH MORE. Also you're right... you probably won't ever have problems finding employment haha.
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