Yeah let that sink in. 2020 is around the corner, but we must take a moment to reflect and give ourselves clarity as we prepare for the next decade. So, who are you? We have an active idea of who we are, but I can’t help but think of who and what we identify as is going to change in the next decade? The post-millennial world has given us access to information, platforms, connections with each other, and has even given us each a chance to display who we are to the world. A decade ago we weren’t talking about this. 

Let’s think about it a little deeper. We are living in a digital age, rather, the digital age. Now more than ever, who we are in real life translates into the data that from our search interests. It seems like one could know all there is about another person just from scrolling down their timeline. However, I am one to challenge how clear we present ourselves in our digital worlds, and furthermore, how “unclear” this age of technology makes us feel about ourselves. This is not a call for a clean break from our digitized self – but a moment of pause for us to reflect and bring ourselves clarity in the real world. Look around for a moment, if you are in a public space,  notice how many of us are focused on black mirrors that, to an extent, only reflect what we want to see. Now if you are in private or alone, think of the last time your personal growth or influence was not directly connected to what you bought online or the amount of likes you received on a tweet. The post-millennial world has made us more connected but more disenfranchised to how we go about gaining clarity of self. What we have access to determines our views of the world, but how we understand ourselves in the midst of our access gives us the means to change the world around us. 

So I ask again, who are you? Do your likes and retweets tell your whole story? Does what you like to watch online give you a way to make sense of your world? Do the black mirrors we stare into give us the clearest image of who we are? This is simply an exercise of reflection and an exercise of thought.

Hopefully, a step away from our digital identities will give all of us a moment to pause and reimagine ourselves in 2020. Who we believe we are and what we do should be determined by who we are beyond the screens. How we connect should go beyond the chat rooms. Most importantly, who we want to be in 2020 and beyond can surely blossom in our ever-expanding digital world, but do not forget where our roots lie –  in the same life and world we sometimes risk losing sight of in our black mirrors.