So if we go back to the beginning, before anonymous had even been coined as a term…
And move towards the present, where anonymity penetrates multiple aspects of our lives…
We see the concept of anonymity bouncing back and forth like a ping pong ball…
It does this in various aspects, including people’s desire to be anonymous as well as how & why people choose to be anonymous.
Regardless of which way the ball bounces, it is an indicator of a cultural shift taking place…a shift significant enough to produce a change in the behavior of the culture.
anon·y·mous
(ə-nä-nə-məs)
Function: adjective
Etymology: Greek anōnymos, a- + onyma name
1 : not named or identified
2 : of unknown authorship or origin
3 : lacking individuality, distinction, or recognizability
Now if we look at the definition of anonymous we find that 1 & 3 are all encompassing, while #2 is more specific, pertaining solely to anonymity as it refers to written works.
This makes sense because written/print media provide ideal conditions for being anonymous…the author’s ideas are able to be present with out them being physically present, therefore concealing their identity.
This focus on authorship emphasizes the importance of the creation of Europe’s first printing press by Gutenberg
We know that print exponentially increased the time and place over which people could share ideas.
We also know that the communication revolution accompanied the creation of the printing press is a reference point for the development of the internet and mass media in general.
Basically, the printing press magnified the aspects of anonymity that already existed & at the same time created A new context for anonymity to be explored in.
We can look at anonymity in three broad categories...
TAG CLOUD: links; politics; views; expression; hierarchy; freedom; culture; identity; norms; importance; value; gender; opinions; associations; rank; biases; ideas; context
Voluntary anonymity is exactly as the definition implies: individuals are choosing to be anonymous for one reason or another.
These reasons provide insight into what is happening within the culture at that time
-If we go back to the 16th century we have people of rank unable to write as poets
-While others seek anonymity because their ideas fall outside the social norm
-Some just feel like the idea is more important than the identity
Voluntary anonymity encompasses a wide range of possibilities, making it one of the most common forms of anonymity.
Humble anonymity is a type of voluntary anonymity that does not receive as much attention.
Similar to the concept that the idea is more important than the identity, some forms of humble anonymity attribute that importance to the teacher.
In his writings, Plato didn’t disclose his name and even took a position that the story he was telling wasn’t his own. Some scholars see this as a type of discipleship towards his teacher, Socrates.
The Pythagoreans, followers of Pythagoras, embraced a worldview that was dominated by mathematics but was also profoundly mystical. They too shed their identities in order to pay homage to those who opened the door to knowledge.
Anonymous financial donors are a non-discipleship example where the cause is more important than the contributor.
Forced anonymity comes about as we approach the industrial revolution…when individuals are becoming just another cog in the machine of mass production.
This strips them of their identity and they receive no recognition for their contributions…
So people are looking for recognition in other places; anonymity is not desired in the same way it once was.
This type of anonymity is apparent now because of the internet…
The ultimate platform for anonymous identity!
Even with profiles you are still creating yourself to be whoever you want to be, giving an anonymous sense.
So not only is this type anonymity forced, if you will, it is often unrecognized.
To re-cap:
We see a desire for anonymity both pre & post printing press both as a freedom of expression and as a means of protection.
We then move into the industrial revolution where there is a desire to be known amidst a cultural collapse of individual identity.
And today, in our “convenience oriented” lives we have time to think & ponder ideas and a desire to speak our minds.
Some situations call for anonymity while others renounce it.
People seek that freedom and protection
that anonymity Initially gave us (ANONYMOUS)
But there is also a strive for individual expression that calls for a burgeoning of our individual identities (MICROCELEBRITIES)
Basically I have identified the soil that is our anonymous history
and planted the seeds for everyone's projects.
These seeds, which are the main concepts within our project,
will sprout into a detailed analysis of how anonymity is manifesting itself in the present and future.
Collectively our projects build upon and support one another and collectively they grow into an abundant garden.
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