Introduction
An investigation of Social Media and its effects upon society.
"In a world that has really been turned upside down, the true is a moment of the false" (Debord, 1967, pg. 4).
The overall question of identity has been something lingering inside my head for several months now. After all, I’m a freshman in college who has been plopped down in a foreign place and given a blank map to plot out. The question remains, have I found out who I am yet? In all honesty, no, I haven’t. The road stretches out much farther than I expected, and I simply need more time to plan my route. I know that might seem a little anticlimactic for an introduction, but I have discovered something that made my pondering worthwhile.
Here’s how it started.
It’s been a long week; I’m sitting in the library cramming for an upcoming chemistry test. I take a short glance at the time, and my phone woos me to stop studying with a colorful Instagram notification. All it requires is a quick password entry then bam, I’m in. I peer over to my textbook, then back again to my phone. I think to myself, “C’mon you’re stronger than this.” Seconds later, I’m completely distracted and entertained by the various images dotting my screen. Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, YouTube, the opportunities were endless to continue my preoccupied adventure. Eventually, I reeled myself back in with the false promise of finishing my chemistry chapter. I flipped my phone over and jumped straight back into the boring realm of polyatomic chemical ions. This proved to be a wasteful endeavor, and I glanced around looking for something to sidetrack me once more.
My phone lit up again, signifying another notification. I picked it back up and found myself moments later invested in YouTube. Eventually, I stumbled upon a TED Talk by Nicholas Christakis, titled, “The Hidden Influences of Social Networks.” I discovered that, Nicholas Christakis, is a sociologist who specializes in the fields of biosocial science and human social patterns. His TED Talk investigated the principles which guide people to form intricate networks of communication. Eventually, I realized that networking is a fundamental principle which unites individuals together – forming a society. One quote within the TED talk summarized this ideal further, “…our experience of the world depends on the actual structures of the networks we are currently residing in.” Christakis’ statement was one I seriously reflected on, especially considering how individuals today formulate connections with others via social networking.
I stood up and retreaded into the depths of the library, weaving back and forth between vast rows of books. The immense feeling of knowledge surrounded me and implored me to stop my needless wandering. I glanced up towards one of the wooden columns dotting my horizon and spotted a novel thrown out of circulation. The cover was torn and matted, but still legible. Intrigued, I took the book back to my desk and flipped through its contents, thus satisfying my desire for another distraction.
The novel was, “The Society of the Spectacle,” written by the French philosopher, Guy Debord. He was well-known for founding the Situationist International, (a group of social revolutionaries who published their theories across Europe during the 1960’s - a period of high political tension.) Overall, Debord’s novel is a philosophical analysis of how society has become increasingly image-driven through the limitation of personal expression by several means. The novel also extensively questions the power of mass media and its influences upon individuality within an increasingly superficial society. Despite Debord’s favorability towards the economic practices of socialism and communism, his analysis regarding communication perfectly embodies issues experienced in contemporary life. Debord theorizes that society is dominated by, “spectacles,” or superficial ideals that limit progress, “Waves of enthusiasm for particular products, fueled and boosted by the communications media, are propagated with lightning speed” (Debord, 1967, pg. 28). In reflection, discovering, “The Society of the Spectacle,” and, “The Hidden Influences of Social Networks,” incentivized me to radically question the role of mass communication in my life, specifically through investigating social media.
Here’s how it started.
It’s been a long week; I’m sitting in the library cramming for an upcoming chemistry test. I take a short glance at the time, and my phone woos me to stop studying with a colorful Instagram notification. All it requires is a quick password entry then bam, I’m in. I peer over to my textbook, then back again to my phone. I think to myself, “C’mon you’re stronger than this.” Seconds later, I’m completely distracted and entertained by the various images dotting my screen. Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, YouTube, the opportunities were endless to continue my preoccupied adventure. Eventually, I reeled myself back in with the false promise of finishing my chemistry chapter. I flipped my phone over and jumped straight back into the boring realm of polyatomic chemical ions. This proved to be a wasteful endeavor, and I glanced around looking for something to sidetrack me once more.
My phone lit up again, signifying another notification. I picked it back up and found myself moments later invested in YouTube. Eventually, I stumbled upon a TED Talk by Nicholas Christakis, titled, “The Hidden Influences of Social Networks.” I discovered that, Nicholas Christakis, is a sociologist who specializes in the fields of biosocial science and human social patterns. His TED Talk investigated the principles which guide people to form intricate networks of communication. Eventually, I realized that networking is a fundamental principle which unites individuals together – forming a society. One quote within the TED talk summarized this ideal further, “…our experience of the world depends on the actual structures of the networks we are currently residing in.” Christakis’ statement was one I seriously reflected on, especially considering how individuals today formulate connections with others via social networking.
I stood up and retreaded into the depths of the library, weaving back and forth between vast rows of books. The immense feeling of knowledge surrounded me and implored me to stop my needless wandering. I glanced up towards one of the wooden columns dotting my horizon and spotted a novel thrown out of circulation. The cover was torn and matted, but still legible. Intrigued, I took the book back to my desk and flipped through its contents, thus satisfying my desire for another distraction.
The novel was, “The Society of the Spectacle,” written by the French philosopher, Guy Debord. He was well-known for founding the Situationist International, (a group of social revolutionaries who published their theories across Europe during the 1960’s - a period of high political tension.) Overall, Debord’s novel is a philosophical analysis of how society has become increasingly image-driven through the limitation of personal expression by several means. The novel also extensively questions the power of mass media and its influences upon individuality within an increasingly superficial society. Despite Debord’s favorability towards the economic practices of socialism and communism, his analysis regarding communication perfectly embodies issues experienced in contemporary life. Debord theorizes that society is dominated by, “spectacles,” or superficial ideals that limit progress, “Waves of enthusiasm for particular products, fueled and boosted by the communications media, are propagated with lightning speed” (Debord, 1967, pg. 28). In reflection, discovering, “The Society of the Spectacle,” and, “The Hidden Influences of Social Networks,” incentivized me to radically question the role of mass communication in my life, specifically through investigating social media.