The elusive «І» or an identity crisis

Abstract

At the present stage of development of society the problem of identification and self- identification of the person becomes actual one. Individual consciousness is split by the influence of mass culture, the use of technologies of consciousness change, for example, in situations of formation of public opinion, the absolutization of any facet of a person (a person who produces, a person who consumes, etc.). The problem of self-identification without understanding the essence of man cannot be solved.

The essential characteristic of man is consciousness. As a generic characteristic, consciousness is manifested in each individual through the prism of the unique essence of a particular personality. The component structure of consciousness includes will, knowledge, emotions (volitional, rational-mental and emotional-sensual spheres) and self-consciousness. Modern deconstruction of personality is carried out mainly through deconstruction of the rational-mental sphere; therefore, there is reason to assume that the relationship of this component with others is a backbone. Analysis of the absolutization of other components of consciousness (will and emotions) shows that formlessness or emptiness is what the essence  of a person becomes when such a component as rationality is removed from his consciousness.

Postmodernism captures the «death of the subject». He emphasizes the impossibility of an independent individual consciousness. The subject is transformed into an instrument of blind impersonal social processes. Information technology is used to influence people's minds. A person begins to represent reality not in accordance with his personal perception, but through its reflection in the media.

From the above we can see all the difficulties of self-determination in the information society. Information society and mass culture replicated by it lead to internal disharmony and fragmentary personality. This could lead to her false identification. Therefore, it is necessary to be clearly aware of the situation, so that there is no substitution of the personality by the«likeness», that is, not to become a «quasi-personality».

To resist the existing state of affairs, the subject must be only integral one on the personal and generic levels, and not fragmented, "decentralized" individual, devoid of self-awareness and clear identity. Therefore, modern man needs to develop the ability to form his own judgment and strive to penetrate into the essence of processes and phenomena.