The trace of digital identity

If before we used our biological features as our identity forms or presence marks (e.g. finger prints, footprints, etc.), nowadays, this world of bits records every single move of ours with digital footprints. Most of us find the Internet useful and we are still excited to explore this new toy. However, a lot of Internet users have no idea how much personal information they have made accessible on the Internet.

I watched We Live in Public, a documentary about Josh Harris - an Internet Pioneer, and Josh reminded me of Guy, a character in Transmission of Hari Kunzru (Well, this book has my vote for the most interesting reading in the course besides the Ghost Map haha). Both of them are bright people who have great ideas and both of them, in the end, run away from the glossy world to hide in a rural area, yet their digital identities still haunt them.

For Josh Harris, the idea of capturing his daily live and have it live on the Internet was bizarre to me. People crave for attention every single minute and they would do anything to have that fifteen-minute fame. The experiment turned Josh from a creative artist to a destructive individual. Everything he put on the Internet transformed into bit and stayed there forever. For Guy, a creative marketer, his idea is to combine physical database and biometrics as identification to prevent illegal immigrants. Ironically, his idea betrayed him with Leela, the sweet virus, and made him get identified as an illegal immigrant and get deported. Later, when Guy tries to run away from everything and hide in a place no one knows, it is still easy to track him down before of those bits on the magnetic stripe on his credit cards, the money in his bank, the fame that he has, etc. Everything defines his digital identity.

I feel kind of ironic how I am studying about media and sometimes I find it hard to control the information I share on the Internet. To save time and save money, I am willing to share my personal information (talking about those loyalty cards or toll tag) and those information bits will be stored forever, yet I have no idea about who has control over them. Sometimes, I tell myself that I'd take a break from the digital world when I'm done with school (since all my school work is online based), but I catch myself constantly checking my email and other networking accounts wondering what people would react if I disappear virtually (especially when I am half an earth away from home). And then, I realize that I am just another sheep who wants attention just like Josh Harris and leave my digital footsteps everywhere in this digital world just like Guy. And sometimes, I just want to be like Arjun, to really disappear without any trace tied to identity (Well, it's a metaphor. I don't want to physically disappear haha).

Adventures in Vietnam

I miss Vietnam. To me, it is not simply just a place where I was born and raised; it is the land of love and peace.

Things that make me smile

Life has been a bit crazy for me. Days go by so fast that I barely remember what the last meaningful thing I did. It kind of saddens me because I thought I would never change no matter how busy life was. Even though people keep telling me that changing is inevitable for growing up, but constantly preoccupied with everything is not the change I want. Anyways, I just want to jot down some small things I have encountered that remind me how lucky I am to be in this beautiful world (sorry for my cheesiness and thanks for bearing with it haha).

- Sunlight hits my eyes when I wake up. I recently moved my bed closer to the window and let the blinds open, so I can be welcomed by the first sunlight :) I also changed my alarm to my favorite song. It is a happy way to start a day haha.

- A little girl yelled "You're so pretty, bicycle girl!" to me. I don't feel comfortable riding my bike around since people, especially girls, don't do that in Dallas (I didn't have my car for four months). That little girl just made my day ♥

- I have been coming to McDonald on every Tuesday to study (Don't ask me why haha). One day, this elderly couple came to me and said "We've been watching you study the whole time. You're very hard-working and we wish you the best." It just melted my heart and made me smile. Now, whenever I come, they give me hugs :) Thanks Mrs. Evelyn and Mr. Floyd for making my Tuesday brighter.

- My sister randomly texts me "I love you, cranky sister." I am still surprised because we barely verbally express our feelings (We grew up that way because our parents believed "actions were stronger than words" haha). I think it is just very sweet to be reminded that I am loved (awkward wording alert!).

- I get to talk to my parents every Saturday. Before, due to some circumstances, I didn't get to talk to them often (It's been almost three years since I last saw them :C ). Now that my dad just installed Skype and bought a webcam, I can actually see them. Sigh. Sometimes I just want to give in everything and go home.

- While writing this post, I got a text from my uncle asking if everything was okay and let him know I needed anything (aww). I went "awww" because he is the strictest uncle, and it is just sweet. Just. Very. Sweet. I'll go home this weekend to visit my aunts and uncles!

Okay, I have to go back to study. Sleep is overrated!