IRL
A review of

IRL

Finding Realness, Meaning, and Belonging in Our Digital Lives

Chris Stedman • Broadleaf Books • 2020

Authenticity Online

by David Meyer

Chris Stedman explores the moral and philosophical implications of online communities in terms of personal authenticity and purpose.

Internet communities spur social movements even as social media creates distance by enabling people to disguise their true selves. Many web users exist in a gap between their online and offline lives, though their online postings – like virtual tattoos – stay permanently etched in digital history.

Chris Stedman analyzes multiple philosophical, emotional and moral aspects of a digital presence and suggests improved online habits anyone can develop to find honest community and create meaningful connections even in the digital age.

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