In the world of big data, our identities can be described in lines of code. A way of opening up questions of identity can involve imagining identities written as code, describing characteristics, likes, preferences, habits, dislikes, activities. Think about how identities are coded, whether they reflect or relate to anyone real, and how your own identity can be understood as just coding, and the possibilities for hacking the identity or code you’ve been given to create something new.
Step 1: Each person writes a series of descriptive statements. These can be fabricated or real.
“She walks to the shop everyday”
“She usually drinks three coffees for breakfast”
“She limps when she is tired”
Step 2: Mix up the statements to create a diagram of a persona. This may read like a poem.
Step 3: Write a code of your life. Descriptive statements.
Step 4: Write the overarching codes (basic and inherited) that have shaped the codes of your life.
Step 5: Together as a group and individually, reflect on which codes you want to keep and which codes you want to hack.
With thanks to Jessica Foley