Essay series
From ‘We’ to ‘I’: The Rise of Identity
Five essays on the long shift from “we” to “I”. They trace how meaning moved from the group to the individual, how social media sped that up, and why being seen now feels like survival. Some of the figures in them are rough estimates made in 2025, not findings.
How Social Media Moved Meaning from ‘We’ to ‘I’
Part one of the ‘We’ to ‘I’ essays: how social media shifted meaning from shared causes and greater forces to personal stakes, identity and individual voice.
6th April 2025
The Pendulum of Meaning: Why We Swung from ‘We’ to ‘I’
Part two of the ‘We’ to ‘I’ essays: how the search for meaning swings between the collective and the individual, and why it has swung so far towards ‘I’.
7th April 2025
Why Identity Sits at the Centre of Modern Life
Part three of the ‘We’ to ‘I’ essays: how meaning moved from the collective to the individual, and why identity now sits at the centre of modern life.
7th April 2025
Fight to Be Seen: Identity’s Survival in the Digital Age
Part four of the ‘We’ to ‘I’ essays: from surviving as a group on the ancient plains to the lone digital cry of ‘I’, and why being seen now feels essential.
8th April 2025
The Market of Meaning: When Identity Is Bought
Part five of the ‘We’ to ‘I’ essays: from the shared meaning of ancient labour to buying identity online, and how consumerism may shape the self in years ahead.
9th April 2025