A collective identity can be formed through multiple avenues such as through the internet, through a collective inclination towards certain books, or through an institution such as school or work. The question should not be do they need in-the-flesh contact, but to what extent is it necessary. A collective identity is based entirely on a persons feeling of belonging within a community, organization or encompassing idea. Each individual person, some more than others, have the the opportunity to situate themselves in real life situations with real human contact. In this digital age it has become apparent that certain people do not posses this biological ability to socially interact in the real world and have then taken the internet as a crutch to fulfill their self esteem. In these situations I believe people put such a large portion of their trust into online communities that a real and true collective identity can be formed. I believe that groups no longer need in-the-flesh contact to generate a collective identity, but at the same time I believe groups that include in-the-flesh contact have a much stronger identity as their interactions with each other are more than just digital, they are also physical.
As I previously stated a collective identity is most definitely possible but may be not as reliable as an identity formed in real world situations. I don't believe there is a collective action for social change without some form of collective identity. All of those people who scroll through their twitter feed skimming over one activist group or another are all candidates for each of those groups collective identities. Many people who just click like to support a cause, and then five minutes later have forgotten about their contribution completely, are not necessarily a part of the causes collective identity. This does not mean that there is no collective identity within that organization. The core contributors and creators of a cause have already formed a collective identity and although the thousand or so likes they get on the groups Facebook page might not represent the size of collective identity, that does not mean there isn't one. In order for an organization to thrive there must be passion and a shared understanding, this can be expressed through likes on a page but the collective identity that is formed by the group may be much smaller in numbers than it appears.
I agree that because of the technologically driven world we live in today, a persons worth is often associated with their online presence and friend count. Employers may search up names of their potential employees to ensure they are good candidates but I don’t believe any online advocacy is nearly as dangerous as in-the-flesh protesting. The point of online social-change efforts is to access the masses though a global common ground. When there are thousands of people liking and commenting on a new wave of activist movements, there becomes strength in numbers. When you tie yourself to a tree, there are real and immediate dangers such are the wood chipper calling the police to have you arrested for imposing on their day job. When you are online commenting on a status accusing someone of being insensitive to your cause, you become a dime a dozen. The internet is filled with people who don’t have the courage to speak up in real life situations who feel empowered by the protection of their computer screen. Online activism may have the ability to access a widespread audience to spread awareness, but even have the number of people liking something on the internet would make a profound impact if they rallied a march or protest.
The internet can be used for protest, but is not nearly as impacting as protests in the streets of real life. No matter how dependant our society has become on tautology and the internet, we are inherently physical creatures. The most impactful protests and marches are large gatherings of people. The Pride march is an excellent example. Not only does it get the attention of everyone in Toronto, but people from all over Ontario and neighbouring provinces come in to join in the collective identity expressed through costumes, dances and music. Online, a protest cannot have an impact, but it is a valuable tool to coordinate and support real world actions.
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