Interactional Socialinguistics

Assignment

Reading Critique 2

Hugh Miller, 'The Presentation of Self in Electronic Life: Goffman on the Internet'

Summary:

This reading is about how people present themselves through electronic communication: personal homepages on the World Wide Web and email. Miller uses the concepts of Goffman in describing and understanding interaction to view self presentations in electronic communication.

People present themselves in suitable ways, use ‘backstage’ preparation, ‘expressive resources’ and cooperation from others in order to be accepted by others. People interact in a ‘cosy conspiracy’ to avoid embarrassment. Since self-presentation is very important in a successful interaction, ways of how information about ‘self’ has been given are determine by the depth and richness of establishing and maintaining an acceptable ‘self’.

However, Goffman does not think Electronic Communication (EC) can be described as interaction. But Miller thinks EC should be part of the interactive system. He describes EC as a “system which is instantaneous but asynchronous”, and ‘place and distance are largely invisible’. There are people who are anti-social or functionally disadvantaged, therefore, using the liberating effect on the web and in email is good for them. Liberating effect also helps establishing fraudulent and explicating identities in mails, and increasing the possibility for misrepresentation on the Web.

EC becomes so popular and widespread because web interactions have less aware of rebuffs and embarrassment. On the other hand, there are limitations in self-presentation through EC, such as the Hypertext Markup Language is not always under the author’s control; people tend to use images instead of text.

In Miller’s analysis, he uses a random sampling of homepages. All those samples had given him an insight that people tend to ‘link’ with each other and be noticed on the Web. Miller categorizes his samples into five groups which with a non-electronic equivalent in each group. Form the samples, he assume people might use their non-electronic communication knowledge and experience in presenting their ‘selves’ in their homepages.

Miller finds that the web presenting styles is similar to non-electronic communication. However, this aspect of EC is not supportive enough to the interactive development and definition of distinctive ‘electronic selves’. EC has provided us an interesting new medium to display and make claims for ourselves; we should learn more of understanding the implicit information on self-presentation on the web.

Reflection:

I love reading others homepages because I think through their homepages I could learn more about them, just like what Miller says people present themselves through electronic communication. I do think there is interaction on the web although those interactions cannot be seen. I write online diary and some my friends would leave notes to show that they have read my diary and show concern. Through the diary we have interaction with one another, but I do not think this kind of interaction will last long and being successful in long term because it is not as ‘close’ as face-to-face communication. Also, I always think there is ‘wall’ separating people on the Web, people are not willing to put too personal things on their homepage or online diary. And sometimes things about them may not be true because people will try to protect themselves from other strangers.