1. Religion - derived from ligare "bind, connect", probably from a prefixed re-ligare, i.e. re (again) + ligare or "to reconnect" - implies uniting with past and present friends, family, associates, co-workers, employers [...] to share information, pictures, videos, life updates, breaking news, opinions, etc.
In the beginning, social networks were created to accommodate this vector, and it remains the most common method of consolidating a digital identity, as it is - on the whole - the safest, most predictable, and least subversive path into cyberspace.
Individuals have a real world identity which they use to generate profiles across multiple platforms. But while numerous social networking platforms may be utilized, the individual retains a single digital persona abstracted from their real world identity.
2. Fractal de-personalization (or 'just a reflection of a reflection') - Compartmentalization of individual's real world identity in two or more digital personae which are used to generate multiple profiles across numerous social networks.
Broadly speaking, fractal depersonalization can include pseudo-user profiles, general interest pages, living and deceased historical-cultural-political-scientific figure pages [satiric and non-], celebrity fan pages [satiric and non-], and accounts generated for self-adoration/aggrandization.
3. Radical individualism - A variant of [1, 2.], radical individualism differs in that the digital persona is intact and no compartmentalization takes place, barring one exception.
Typical vector for this designation includes those individuals who create a single user profile, but limit their social networking contacts, preferring to [creep] observe fellow users rather than interact.
Since radical individualism is the antithesis of social networking, this is often the vector of the individual who can't be bothered to complete the information fields on their user page, or post a profile picture [selfie].
(2014)
(2014)
