In this assignment, you’ll create two identity sketches — either in written or multimedia form — one showing yourself as seen through your activities and other components of your week and the other portraying your consumer self from the week (as companies see you). You’ll also write one to two paragraphs comparing these two identities and reflecting on what you may have discovered through the process. Make sure to address the following questions: What activities, hobbies, interests, and interactions have you been involved in during the last week that might give someone clues about who you are? What are some of your purchases and media-related activities from this last week that might give a corporation clues about your “consumer identity”? In what ways are these two views of you similar? In what ways are these two views of you different? What is your reaction to any similarities or differences that you discovered? For extra help on completing your assignment, click on your practice guide. In this unit, you've looked at how you can express your identity online through social media as well as what it means to have a consumer identity and the ways corporations try to know who you are. Put that knowledge to use here as you make your sketches and final response. Here are some useful tips that can help guide you in this assignment: Try brainstorming all your activities from the past week — both online and off-line — for your primary identity sketch. For your second sketch on your consumer identity, in addition to any purchases you made during the week, try brainstorming anything you clicked on or searched for while online that companies could use to customize their advertising for you. Decide whether your two identity sketches will be in the form of written paragraphs, labeled diagrams, or use text and media in some other way. To help you compare, contrast, and reflect on the two sketches in your final one to two paragraphs, you might ask yourself questions like: Can you know me by what I buy? Do some of the things

Answer 1

I engage in during the week reflect my true interests and values? How do companies use my online activity to try and understand me as a consumer? Are there any surprises or revelations that came about from comparing these two identities?

In my primary identity sketch, someone would be able to gather clues about who I am based on my activities and interactions from the past week. They would see that I am engaged in various hobbies and interests such as reading, writing, and exercising. They would also notice that I spend time with my friends and family, as well as volunteer for a local charity. These activities would indicate that I value personal growth, relationships, and giving back to the community.

In my consumer identity sketch, a corporation would be able to gather clues about my preferences and interests based on my purchases and media-related activities from the past week. They would see that I bought books, attended a yoga class, and watched a movie at a local theater. They would also notice that I searched online for new running shoes and clicked on articles about healthy eating. These activities would indicate that I have an interest in self-improvement, fitness, and intellectual pursuits.

There are some similarities between these two views of me. Both sketches show that I value personal growth and engage in activities related to self-improvement. They also reflect my interest in maintaining physical and mental well-being. Additionally, both sketches highlight my involvement in activities that involve connecting with others, whether it's through spending time with friends and family or engaging in group exercise or volunteering.

However, there are also some differences between these two views of me. My primary identity sketch focuses more on my personal interests and values, while my consumer identity sketch is more focused on my purchasing habits and online activities that companies can track and use for targeted advertising. My primary identity sketch provides a deeper understanding of who I am as a person, while my consumer identity sketch provides a more surface-level understanding based on consumer behavior.

Upon reflecting on these similarities and differences, I realize that while my consumer identity may provide some insights into my preferences and interests, it does not fully capture the complexity of my identity as a whole. There are aspects of who I am that cannot be easily quantified or understood through consumer behavior. My primary identity sketch allows for a more holistic and nuanced understanding of who I am as an individual.

Overall, this assignment has made me reflect on the ways in which our consumer identity may only provide a limited perspective on who we are as individuals. It has also highlighted the importance of being mindful of the information we put out there online and the ways in which companies use that information to understand and target us as consumers.