Nature, Identity & Technology

A recent NYT Magazine article "Growing Up On Facebook" is a relevant look at how Web 2.0 technologies are changing not only how we communicate, but how we define our identity. Orenstein's observation that a Facebook page might actually limit personal growth is an interesting consideration. As I read, I couldn't help but think of Annie Dillard's amazing essay "Living Like Weasels" and the self-exploration and identity that sprout from a direct, para-linguistic encounter with Nature. This experience is the motivation of the narrator of Ursula LeGuin's "She Unnames Them" , a fascinating exploration of the technology of language and its impact on our experience. This trinity of tales suggests a relevant and crucial question: how do the media through which we experience and define ourselves affect the process of our perception and self-composition?