The formative value of a room of one's own and its use in a hyperconnected world

Abstract

With the rise of Modernity, times and spaces became tightly controlled: a space for every time, a time for every space and a particular way of behaving in each. To ward off the fear that this might stifle the free development of truly personal identity, the moderns created a room of one s own. This space gave one the chance to be alone with oneself and to stop to think about the world, other people and the role one was called to play. This article aims to show, firstly, the extent to which a room of one s own has been and still is a fundamental formative space. Secondly, it analyses how such a room is currently used in a world where information and communication technologies tend to fill up every space, thereby hindering the enjoyment of solitude. Finally, it concludes with the need to bring back its traditional use if we want the new generations to keep developing as individuals, with their own authentic and, especially, autonomous personalities.

With the rise of Modernity, times and spaces became tightly controlled: a space for every time, a time for every space and a particular way of behaving in each. To ward off the fear that this might stifle the free development of truly personal identity, the moderns created a room of one s own. This space gave one the chance to be alone with oneself and to stop to think about the world, other people and the role one was called to play. This article aims to show, firstly, the extent to which a room of one s own has been and still is a fundamental formative space. Secondly, it analyses how such a room is currently used in a world where information and communication technologies tend to fill up every space, thereby hindering the enjoyment of solitude. Finally, it concludes with the need to bring back its traditional use if we want the new generations to keep developing as individuals, with their own authentic and, especially, autonomous personalities.