AVATAR - A SEARCH FOR IDENTITY

In my search for identity I have come across a number of people with views on the subject. There is a young designer by the name of Jacob Cass who has set up a website called JUST^TMCREATIVE. He refers to himself as a multi-disciplinary graphic designer. He is very big on designing corporate identities. On his blog/website he states:

The identity or ‘image’ of a company is made up of many visual devices:

Jacob Cass

•    A Logo (The symbol of the entire identity & brand)

•    Stationery (Letterhead + business card + envelopes, etc.)

•    Marketing Collateral (Flyers, brochures, books, websites, etc.)

•    Products & Packaging (Products sold and the packaging in which they come in)

•    Apparel Design (Tangible clothing items that are worn by employees)

•    Signage (Interior & exterior design)

•    Messages & Actions (Messages conveyed via indirect or direct modes of communication)

•    Other Communication (Audio, smell, touch, etc.)

•    Anything visual that represents the business.

All of these things make up an identity and should support the brand as a whole. The logo however, is the corporate identity and brand all wrapped up into one identifiable mark. This mark is the avatar and symbol of the business as a whole.

He immediately identifies ‘image’ and visual devices as signifying identity. What else would a multi-disciplinary graphic designer do? Visualisation is his business; however, he does include elements of textual display e.g. stationary, signage, messages and other communications. He also makes great claims for the logo:

“This mark is the avatar…”

Avatar has developed from its Hindu origins into quite a word. The idea that a logo equates to the descent of a deity to earth, an incarnation of a god, is a bit too dramatic. It has come to signify the embodiment or personification of a principle or perspective or view of life, and now, in digital technology, a graphic image representing a person on the Internet. So perhaps it is not too fanciful for him to identify avatar with logo. In any event he clearly has a grasp on the business of understanding the corporate identity and what elements go into its design. His pitch is very performative writing. He spends a lot of time on his website and has created an extraordinary number of links. A very busy young man.

THE SEVEN LAWS OF IDENTITY

My ignorance on the subject of identity grows daily. It appears to be an exponential growth. I’m sure none of this is unknown to you, but for those, like myself, who had not pondered the question, here is a simple view.

There is an area of digital identity that is also growing exponentially. 

This is an area that has been grappled with by a number of people. The writing of a user name and password on the Internet is an exercise that requires a considerable amount of reflection. The creation of a digital identity opens the creator to instant contact with the entire world at the push of a button. The barrage of connections can begin to overwhelm. The new user has no idea by who, when, how or why the connections are being made; hence, the staggering amount of attempted and often successful frauds that are undertaken on the Internet.

Although it may be fun to create an amusing or novel user-name and attempt to create the completely indecipherable password, those efforts seem to be in vain when one continues to be bombarded with ‘stuff’.

There are a number of people attempting to create a safe and secure Internet and in particular Identity.

Kim Cameron is the Chief Architect of Identity at Microsoft and creator of the laws of Identity, which are as follows:

1- User Control and Consent

Technical identity systems must only reveal information identifying a user with the user’s consent.  

2- Minimal Disclosure for a  Constrained Use

The solution which discloses the least amount of identifying information and best limits its use is the most stable long term solution.

3- Justifiable Parties

Digital identity systems must be designed so the disclosure of identifying information is limited to parties having a necessary and justifiable place in a given identity relationship. 

4- Directed Identity

A universal identity system must support both “omni-directional” identifiers for use by public entities and “unidirectional” identifiers for use by private entities, thus facilitating discovery while preventing unnecessary release of correlation handles.  

5- Pluralism of Operators and Technologies: 

A universal identity system must channel and enable the inter-working of multiple identity technologies run by multiple identity providers. 

6- Human Integration: 

The universal identity metasystem must define the human user to be a component of the distributed system integrated through unambiguous human-machine communication mechanisms offering protection against identity attacks.

7- Consistent Experience Across Contexts

The unifying identity metasystem must guarantee its users a simple, consistent experience while enabling separation of contexts through multiple operators and technologies.

One critical question is of course who provides the identity. When establishing a user name one is asked to write the proposed name in a box which will then reveal whether or not that name is unique and available to be used; therefore, even although we appear to be choosing the identity, we are in effect being offered various options and the provider of names is to a great extent in control of the writing. There is already a schematic of this exercise:

There is so much more on the subject ‘out there’ and I will continue to plough through it. Plough is not really the right word. Perhaps drudge, or navigate, grind, or even schlepp. In the meantime here is a talk by Kim Cameron on the matter of conflicting visions of cloud identity:

ANOTHER IDENTITY

Whilst trolling through the internet I came across this site under Identity.

http://www.identity.co.uk/index.php

There is an embroidery company called Identity, which embroiders logos on materials and anything else the customer wants.

“With over 20 years experience, our skilled embroiderers have the know-how and attention to detail to transform even the most complex ideas into, bright and effective designs. We have invested in state of the art embroidery machinery that ensures high rates of stitch density to produce clear and recognisable representations of company names and logos. These machines also allow us to handle large format embroidery as well as the smallest detail, making sure we can accommodate a range of requirements…Identity continues to grow. To meet the increasing demands Identity has expanded several times over the past 20 years converting rooms into workshop areas specific to their roles. We are committed to operate under our original ethos, “small enough to care, big enough to cope” approach, which ensures that quality is still at the forefront of our business.”

They do not appear to have a logo of their own, save the name Identity.

The business was started by Pam Cockshott, and her daughter, Michelle in North Yorkshire. According to their website, they seem to handle an awful lot of business, yet I discovered on google map that theirs is a modest house in Muston. Filey, North Yorkshire, a couple of miles from the North Sea coast line. Filey appears to have quite a nice little beach.

The staff (I presume)

They look great and I have no doubt that they are expert at embroidery and can handle the 2.25 million stiches in one day they claim, but it is interesting to note what is actually behind Identity. Identity is a small word but an immense subject. Indeed, small enough to care, big enough to cope. I do hope they continue to prosper.

LOOKING BACK

Erik Erikson

On looking further into identity I have come across Erik Erikson. Many of you may be already familiar with Mr Erikson. I was not. I had heard of the concept of identity crisis, and treated it the same contumelious fashion as I had the usual ‘papers out of order crisis’ most of us suffer from time to time. I was not aware of Mr. Erikson’s work in the formulation of the various stages of psychosocial development. It is clear they are worth exploring. 

It would seem that the stage in which identity crisis may occur is called the Identity Cohesion versus Role Confusion stage.

 “During this stage (adolescence), we are faced with physical growth, sexual maturation, and integrating our ideas of ourselves and about what others think of us. We therefore form our self-image and endure the task of resolving the crisis of our basic ego identity. Successful resolution of the crisis depends on one’s progress through previous developmental stages, centring on issues such as trust, autonomy, and initiative.”

Mr. Erikson defines the various stages quite neatly; however, it appears to me that this condition of disorientation and role confusion (as a result of conflicting internal and external experiences, pressures, and expectations producing acute anxiety) can occur at any stage. Indeed, by extension, this state of confusion can occur in any social structure, such as an institution or a corporation; hence the heavy reliance on signs depicting the identity of companies, associations or groups as well as the place in which they are located. This display of identity defines not just the group but its sense of place as well. These outward signs and displays go a long way to preventing identity crises, in that they are guides for anyone observing or reading them, to assist them in focusing on their sense of place and as a result strengthening their sense of identity. It can help bring them back into realising who they think they are. In a sense they act as an anchor, able to steady the ship in a storm.

I also note that the last stage posited by Mr. Erikson is called late adulthood (65 years to death). It is apparently associated with wisdom and the conflict between ‘ego integrity and despair’. Accordingly, “as we grow older and become senior citizens we tend to slow down our productivity and explore life as a retired person. It is during this time that we contemplate our accomplishments and are able to develop integrity if we see ourselves as leading a successful life. If we see our life as unproductive, or feel that we did not accomplish our life goals, we become dissatisfied with life and develop despair, often leading to depression and hopelessness. The final developmental task is retrospection: people look back on their lives and accomplishments. They develop feelings of contentment and integrity if they believe that they have led a happy, productive life. They may instead develop a sense of despair if they look back on a life of disappointments and unachieved goals. This stage can occur out of the sequence when an individual feels they are near the end of their life (such as when receiving a terminal disease diagnosis).”

Having reached the relevant age to qualify for this stage, I am not sure that what Erikson describes is not just another form of identity crisis. Is not ‘ego integrity’ just another phrase for identity? Can one truly say that by the age of 65 or above, one’s identity is so securely defined, that one’s state is being or character is completely sound and undiminished, that we adhere to moral and ethical principles with consistency, that we are firm and steadfast in our adherence to these principles in harmony and compatibility towards others? Do we really contemplate, in the manner described, what we may or may not have accomplished?  I notice we (at least I) do tend to tell and re-tell the various stories of our lives with a degree of nostalgia and hopefully some interest and humour. It’s most likely boring beyond belief and we misguidedly think it good diner conversation; but, it’s the process by which we get to know each other, how we identify ourselves. Is that so bad or am I on the verge of despair? In which case don’t look back. Herewith a couple of guys reminiscing.