As I moved through the module around self protection and branding, I kept coming back to this term “packaged” or moreover the concept of packaging from an identity perspective. Commonly, when you hear the term package, you might visualize a material item being sent in the mail. The term itself is very materialistic and even mechanistic and is identified as a product. Throughout this module, it kept coming up for me and is being used as a descriptor for young people and identities both online and in real life. I believe there are underlying messages with this term “packaged” and one we have created as a society. Gardner and Davis have a great article “Personal Identity in the Age of the App” that really had me reflecting on some deep messaging that has been created globally that all link back to this term.
I started exploring root metaphors in a previous course, and I became fascinated by all the hidden messages and influences that are shaping society. A great book that explores some of this is by Stephen Stirling called Sustainable Education – Re-visioning Learning and Change. A lot of this book explores sustainability issues, but I believe that it applies to what I explored this week which was the materialistic and mechanistic influences in young people’s behaviour with regard to social media. It was interesting to see the term packaged describing individual identity and I wanted to explore that further.
“The identities of young people are increasingly packaged. That is, they are developed and put forth so that they convey a certain desirable-indeed, determinedly upbeat-image of the person in question” ( Gardner, 2015)
This was my first introduction to the term, and what is being referred to here is young people and various social media profiles. Online, it is now super convenient and easy to post absolutely anything you want about your life and with no timelines, you can craft posts strategically to make it as desirable, interesting, or attractive as you want. To me this is not possible in real life, you cannot control your interactions, how you look or what you are going to say in real time moments. To me this is not authentic, it’s not real. It is a product, it is packaged.
“ This packaging has the consequence of minimizing a focus on an inner life, on personal conflicts and struggles, on quiet reflection and personal planning; and as the young person approaches maturity, this packaging discourages the taking of risks of any sort” ( Gardner, 2015)
This quote resonates with me as I believe too much online activity ends with less time for authentic personal development. I took time to reflect on my life journey and where I have had the most personal growth and it was when I took a risk, whether that be travel or moving into an apartment alone when began to take time for myself. I am a social person and have always loved being around many people, but taking the time to reflect on myself and gain independence allowed for massive shifts in consciousness and took me to exciting new places.
The next element of “packaging” I wanted to explore is around pressure youth have to prepare the best “package” for others to receive. In the article, data was shown that in 1976, 86% of college freshmen said that developing a meaningful philosophy of life is very important or essential to them where in 2012 on 46% of them agreed ( Gardner, 2015). Where I am going with this is that young people today are more focused on “checkboxes” to life such as good grades, volunteer experience, work experiences etc and are either going through the motions to get it done to hopefully get a job or stress over it and create what was referred to “ planning delusions”(Gardner, 2015). Young people today have online profiles such as linked in , personal websites, or other profiles that are so career driven and economically focused. Young people today now view life as a series of operations leading to a final “product” and not one meaning, joy and curiosity. They spend very little time reflecting, and are more focused on “doing then being” ( Gardner, 2015)
As a final message, I think what is clear to me is that we are living in a material world with a material mindset and underlying messages exist everywhere that support this. This entry explored that the use of apps and online profiles has created “packaged humans” and has removed us from our natural authentic selves. To me that is a dangerous road to go down. We need to start spreading messages of authenticity, connection to nature, and inspire practices of connection and reflection to come out of these mechanistic undertones and materialistic behaviours we have created.
References:
Gardner, H. & Davis, K. (2015) Personal Identity in the Age of the App. The App Generation, Chapter 4 p. 60-91 Yale University Press.
Stirling, S. ( 2001) Introduction. Sustainable Education - Re-visioning Learning and Change p. 12-21 Schumacher Briefings No.6 Green Books.