The Concept of Identity in the Technological Era

Abstract

We are currently witnessing a process of redefinition of the social structures that we are part of, through the new technologies, which are gradually entering all sectors of our lives, influencing the way we think, live, and relate to others. Since man is essentially a “political animal”, designed to evolve within a community, what impact will the digitalization era have on his behavior, especially when the physical limits imposed by the body are progressively disappearing? The objective of this study is to explore some of the subtle, but sure transformations of human behavior in the technological era, with a particular emphasis on the process of communication, personal feelings, and identity. In a more connected world than ever, where absolutely everything can be quantified, physical reality is in danger of being replaced by the virtual one. In this dynamic, the body could gradually become the only real impediment on the way to progress. Engaged in this alert race, we risk being dehumanized, in an attempt to be as similar as possible to the machines, which, undisturbed by the feelings, experiences, and behavioral predispositions specific to the human being, operate more accurately and are more effective. History shows that man essentially remains the same, with each age illustrating another facet of him. This is why, a thorough education from an early age is needed both in terms of the consequences of digitization and the means to cope with it, thus preventing us from distorting our essence.