Racial Identity and the Influence of the Electronic Medium in Erik Loyer’s Chroma (2001)

Abstract

Abstract This article explores racial identity and experience within the electronic environment. Through a close examination of Erik Loyer’s electronic text Chroma (2001), chapters 5 and 6, I focus on the self-identification and (self-) representation of African-American people, in particular, within the electronic environment. This essay employs the paradigm of a virtual society called “mnemonos” in order to create a parallel to the real world and comment against the restriction of self-identification of African-American people in the U.S. The present essay will also demonstrate that the electronic medium offers greater freedom for self-identification and self-representation to African-American people. However, it also argues that on occasions the aforementioned freedom can be illusionary.

Keywords

• Erik Loyer
• Chroma
• African-American
• self-identification
• mnemonos