Acting interactively in a digital world

Abstract

The virtual world that computation now presents to us and involves us in, otherwise known as digitisation - collapses the 'self; personal identity to which we have become accustomed to in the last four hundred years, is challenged by the illusion of many selves, transforming our experience of the usual. Digital technology predicates this change; we are no longer happy with just being John Smith, our namesake, and the technology allows, even encourages this; it presents us with the possibility of playing in an infinite game where we can be many other beings, other types of people, rather than staying as 'who' we are. The combination of separate, unique, historically evolved representational technologies, best stated as counterfeit, production and simulation, distinctions established by Baudrillard [1] allows this diversity of self to evolve in a digitised environment. This paper will focus on Spielberg's film Catch Me if You Can, the narrative describing the actions of its game playing protagonist, Frank Abagnale - who exemplifies digital man - adopting many personas but in a pre-digital world. This study offers a clear understanding of the nature of interactivity and its relationship to representation and human action. Semiotic analysis of these distinctions will be included.