Anonymity’s Constructions and Deconstructions of the Self

Thomas DeGloma’s book Anonymous: The Performance of Hidden Identities (2023) astutely illuminates anonymity, but also provides an opportunity to explore wider theoretical and societal issues, including democracy and conceptions of the self. This essay takes the book’s theoretical ambitions seriously and, in doing so, identifies several ways the overall project could be pushed forward. The essay’s reflections thus revolve around issues such as the morality of anonymity, the book’s methodology, the relationship between community and individualism, and the dynamic relationship between democracy and individual appearance.