TED ISPARTA COLLEGE / 11-A
Digital Citizenship : Craving for Immortality Through Digitalization
Ece Rana SöKEL
108
Creating social media accounts and actively being engaged in them have started to become more than just keeping digital diaries and voicing inner thoughts as tweets . Now the Internet is where we create , learn , socialize , and work . Shortly , soon it could also be a place where we literally live . Seemingly , it might even evolve into being immortal .
A human being ’ s ability to create something that could outlive them opens a door to immortality . Thanks to today ’ s digital age , we are constantly being aided by tools to leave our traces ; the way we deal with “ real world ” problems through social media , the way we display our identities online , you name it . And how we are all doing that indicates the swift change into a new virtual world in which anything created or posted never really gets a chance to be completely deleted , and exists for an eternity . To illustrate , imagine that you are gathering with your friends , enjoying your reunion , maybe having some good food . You might even forget about your phones for some time while having fun , but someone will definitely take their phones out at some point and start taking pictures . The most fundamental and at times unintentional reason for that action is to store the memories and leave some kinds of traces of that time ’ s presence for the unforeseeable future .
On the other hand , there is this concept of “ Virtual Immortality ” becoming popular lately . It is a hypothetical concept defined as storing one ’ s presence into a digital resource , and so giving them an eternity . Day by day , technological advancements will help everyone who has access to the Internet to have a chance to be virtually immortal . Also , taking the fact that even most babies are born with that accessibility into consideration , I would say we are already halfway through it . To be given an opportunity of being immortal whether you are a poet , doctor , or unemployed sounds really convenient if you ask me . Yet , if anyone could get that chance this easily , then what about all the hard work and dedication people pour into their precious works with the hope of creating a legacy of their own ?
It is understandable that all throughout history humans have tried to be immortal when we are constantly trying to reach a status of being superior . Nevertheless , nothing could be compared to the impact of an intellectual legacy whether it be acclaimed art pieces , revolutionary ideologies , or educating the next generation in line . Leaving a mark in time and space should not be a goal but the consequence of a lifetime commitment .