Bernaisesource

  Online images of Dan Greenfields

“What is in a name?”  Shakespeare once asked. 

My name is Dan Greenfield.  Not a particularly common name, but apparently, not unusual either.

Recently, I did a Google search that produced a few sites that identified dozens and dozens of Dan Greenfields whose specific information could be obtained for a “modest” fee.  Seeking a less costly alternative (read free), I did another search and found a handful of sites with pictures of Dan Greenfields (yours truly included).  Now, to be honest, I did not include my middle name, which granted, would have severely limited my results.  

Why did I do this?  For one, I have for the longest time been interested in issues relating to identity, image and privacy -- including my own.  Through the years, I have grown accustomed to my name.  Along with my social security number, DNA, and personal chronology, my name is intrinsic to who I am.  But as the Internet so ably demonstrates, my name is intrinsic to others as well.  This discovery is a bit unsettling.  The presence of other Dan Greenfields chips away at my own sense of self.

To be sure, we really don’t have much control over our naming.  At birth, our parents or guardians give us our names.  But what we do with those names and our lives is up to us.

What is the point of all this?  This exercise highlights the relationship between individuality and online identity.  With the Internet we can extend and distribute ourselves in countless ways unimaginable to previous generations.  MySpace, match.com, blogs and other social media sites allow you to share personal information with both friends and complete strangers. Often that information is part of a permanent record.  In the case of job interviews, we may even come to regret what we choose to post.

And speaking of job interviews, Time Magazine recently ran a story about personal marketing consultants helping you stand out in the crowd.  Like products, companies and celebrities, ordinary folks can have unique brand propositions.  

According to Time reporter Jeninne Lee-St. John, there are a growing number of “personal branders” who use your online identity (links on Google, sites like MySpace) and proprietary tools “to determine which core attributes will sell your brand more effectively.”  With some many online forums to present ourselves, we are losing control of who we are and how others see us.  And let's not forget the ability of others to post our private moments for public consumption. Personal branders are supposed to help us reclaim some of this control.

As the Internet demonstrates, we are not alone.  Our lives are a click away.  For those seeking anonymity, this is not reassuring.  For advocates of user generated content, personal brand extensions and greater connection with the global community, the web 2.0 platform is a tremendous vehicle for sharing.  After all, I may not be the only Dan Greenfield out there, but at least I can now share my namesake with others.

Let me get back to you.

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