"True identity lies in the non-physical, which is perfect and immutable" (- Plato, probably).
In today's age, we find ourselves at a critical point in the evolution of identity. The traditional idea of identity, tied to physical documents and centralized control, has been challenged by the birth of online identities a long time ago and continues to be questioned by the rise of decentralized identity.
Our identities are controlled by centralized entities such as governments and major corporations. The government and its institutions hold the keys to our identification through documents like birth certificates, passports, and social security numbers. Traditional forms of identity offer little to no individual autonomy, particularly in bureaucratic systems where the state exercises significant control over personal verification.
The internet created a new dimension of identity, which we can shape as we like. An identity that might mean a lot to us but is ultimately owned and controlled by the host/platform.
The expansion of social media has fundamentally changed our perception of identity. It is very common to manage multiple online accounts across different platforms, each serving a specific purpose, like personal connections, professional networking, or anonymous engagement. This fragmentation of online identities reflects the complex nature of human self-expression.
Sartre himself critiqued self-deception and the tendency to conform to external definitions of identity, a phenomenon that can be witnessed with the trends of social media. The pursuit of external validation can often lead to a form of self rejection and identity censorship, where individuals may prioritize foreign expectations over self-expression. Like a double-edged sword, offering both a level of freedom in expression and the potential dissolution of a coherent identity. Nevertheless, choosing what to reveal or conceal about yourself online means ownership. And ownership does not exist when platforms control your personal data.
Thankfully, the rise of decentralized identities challenges the existing system. Unlike traditional online accounts, which are controlled by platform owners, decentralized identities are managed by individuals themselves. An important move towards ownership and self-sovereignty.
One of the major innovations in this space is ENS (Ethereum Name Service), which simplifies the management of decentralized identities. ENS allows users to replace complicated crypto addresses (ex., 0x567bcd...) with a simple name like "nick.eth." ENS plays a key role in the broader movement toward decentralization and self-sovereign identity and provides the much-needed infrastructure.
Applications like ENS not only streamline the management of multiple online identities but also enhance privacy and security. The integrity of ENS names is guaranteed by the security and transparency of the Ethereum blockchain.
The promise of self-sovereign identity lies in its ability to unify fragmented online identities under a single, interoperable framework. With ENS, for example, a user like "nick.eth" can create subnames to separate different aspects of their lives, such as "art.nick.eth" for creative endeavors or "career.nick.eth" for professional activities. The user maintains overall control through a single primary domain ("nick.eth"). This example offers more cohesive and aligned representation while also improving privacy and security through decentralization.
Anyway.
Awareness creates agency.
Stay critical of the ways in which technological advancement influences your understanding of self-identity. While for some individuals, social media equals real life, others prefer to draw a clear line and leave the online space behind as soon as it's out of sight. The development of a single, interoperable digital identity could further blur these lines, highlighting important questions about the future of personal identity and autonomy.
With a decentralized identity system comes greater responsibility on an individual level.
While talking about self-sovereign identity, I remind myself that the true self is not confined to any system, decentralized or not. The search for a perfect and immutable identity naturally brings us back to the non-physical.
"True identity lies in the non-physical, which is perfect and immutable" (- Plato, probably).
