Growing Up Online

I have been watching, piece by piece, a really solid series from PBS called 'Growing up Online'. It is an amazing set of well produced videos that take a look at so many of the social, academic, and communication aspects of the new digital reality.

The series did a admirable job look at the sociological implications on how we as generations communicate with each other and the boundaries that we face in communicating. The amazing points come in in section three where the conversation focuses in on the creation of identity. Social spaces are more than places to create connections, they are spaces to create whole new selves that exist exclusively in digital.

From a civic engagement perspective the question is how important to 'you' is it to be engaged? How central to your sense of self, to your identity is volunteering for a charity, supporting the troops, expressing your affinity for cause? I wounder what is more central to online identify; who you associate with, the material objects (brands) you associate with, or the your beliefs (civic engagement / volunterism)?  Is online identity really so much more juvenlie or is it in line with the realities of age appropriate self expression? As we as a society over schedule kids and force them to grow up faster are internet spaces not a marginally safe outlet for them to buck the trend?