I've been pondering pseudonymity, inspired by Balaji's video The Pseudonymous Economy. It covers "the how," but I'm drawn to "the why." TLDR; pseudonyms in highly networked environments might be vital for mental well-being. 🧵 follows 👇

co-founder @chaindrop § software engineer § privacy wonk § music head § theoretical memeticist

Eugene Wei's insightful post (https://www.eugenewei.com/blog/2019/11/4/status-update) highlights (1 of 2): "In another era, most of us lived in social circles of limited scope. Family, school, coworkers, neighbors. We were, for the most part, private entities."

...he continues (2 of 2): "Social media companies quickly found the key to rapid network growth: make interactions between two people public. Conversation and information-sharing evolved into a democratic form of performance art."

In The Facebook Effect, Zuckerberg states, "The days of you having a different image for your work friends or co-workers and for the other people you know are probably coming to an end pretty quickly," and "Having two identities for yourself is an example of a lack of integrity.

Zuckerberg's perspective is hardly surprising, reflecting pure confirmation bias. However, he's not a psychologist, and he failed to foresee the impact that having a single online identity would have on the mental well-being of most individuals.

In her book Trick Mirror, Jia Tolentino astutely observes: "The dream of a better, truer self on the internet was slipping away. Where we had once been free to be ourselves online, we were now chained to ourselves online, and this made us self-conscious."

We all have diverse facets but were suddenly compelled to show a unified face. For many, the concern over how various aspects of our lives would perceive anything led to a regression to the mean. Consequently, people only shared the safest and most mundane things.

Presenting ourselves in a contextually dependent manner fosters psychological safety. For example, I wouldn't tell my dear mother about adventures with friends involving substances; that doesn't mean our relationship lacks depth. It just means it has a context it exists within.

Pseudonymity restores a vital aspect we currently miss: the ability to present different facets of ourselves within specific contexts. It allows us to navigate various social landscapes with authenticity and comfort, reflecting the multifaceted nature of human identity.

What do you think? Is the singular profile a burden? Do you see value in pseudonymity?

First, let's set the stage by exploring why the current social network model is harmful to mental health, moving beyond the usual discussions about compulsion. This understanding will shed light on the complexities of human identity and the role of pseudonymity in our digital lives.