Postmodernism through Social Media
Postmodernism is a difficult term to define because there is no one singular definition of it. In postmodernism, each person has the ability to create their own reason, definition, or concept of truth. In terms of the Internet, there are always multiple sources or definitions for a specific term or concept. The Internet provides a space for all to analyze and interpret multiple definitions, voice their opinion and contribute to what they believe is the truth. To me, postmodernism is our ability to question what is thought to be the truth.
Sherry Turkle examines the concept of postmodernism in relation to social media in her text Life On Screen, Chapter 7 “Aspects of the Self”. Postmodernism is a valuable theory for understanding social media because it allows users to create and recreate multiple selves. Turkle states that on the Internet, users are able “to build a self by cycling through many selves” (Turkle 178). This corresponds to the new, postmodern notion of “identity as multiplicity” (Turkle 178). In multi-user dungeons (MUDs), users can create a character who is completely unlike themselves in real life. They can also be engaged in multiple MUDs and have different personas in each forum. The same concept can be applied to other social media, such as having multiple accounts on one or many sites. Social media allows us to recreate ourselves in a different world. It allows us to escape from real life and enter an alternate dimension. This dimension is a place where we can be anything we want, but this may not be reality. MUDs and other social media allow others to discuss certain things they wouldn’t normally discuss because they are protected by the anonymity online.
George Ritzer views the Internet as a means of "keeping the conversation going" (Ritzer). For example, Ritzer explains that the Internet opens up conversation between users, rather than restricting it to limited ideas and opinions. Ritzer also discusses how the Internet creates the “prosumer," or a combination of a producer and consumer, in the user. In modern thinking, there is a demise of both the consumer and the producer while simultaneously giving birth to the “prosumer.” Contrarily in postmodern thinking, the Internet makes the user into a “produser". The “produser” is a “productive user” who has the ability to comment on anything online, mashup various phenomenons, etc (Ritzer). This type of produsage produces artifacts, which Ritzer claims are “inherently incomplete, always evolving, ever finished” (Ritzer). Ritzer also discusses how “Web 2.0 has no hierarchies” (Ritzer). This aligns with postmodernist thinking, because hierarchical differences are readily visible in society. However, when one goes online, there are no such hierarchies. Everyone is seemingly equal online, or at least has the ability to be equal.
Social media has benefited from postmodernism because it allows people to create a new identity, or identities, for themselves. For example, video games are sometimes viewed in a “nerdy” perspective in our society. Although video games are widely popular, for many, it is not really the “cool” thing to do to hold lengthy, in-depth conversations about video games. However, there are many game discussion forums online where gamers can hold in-depth conversations about their favorite video games. In his article, Joel Lee discusses how video gaming is similar to a sport and lists the top 7 video game discussion forums (Lee). Gamers can remain anonymous through the use of a username, rather than using a real name. This allows for someone who is embarrassed about their video gaming to be able to express their views and talk to others who have similar interest.
Social media sites, such as YouTube, have also contributed to the rise of the gamer. Video games are now the “cool” thing to do online. For instance, a popular YouTuber known as PewDiePie is famous for recording himself playing video games online while commenting with obscene language and lewd comments. On the Wiki page about him, they identify him as a “web-based comedian and video producer” (“PewDiePie”). By doing something that is traditionally geeky or nerdy in real life, PewDiePie is well-known and has millions of subscribers, receiving over 8 million views on some of his videos. He has created a career out of playing video games. This is something one might not think is possible to do in real life.
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| Famous YouTuber PewDiePie |
The Internet has allowed for people to create multiple identities and express certain viewpoints they would be hesitant to identify with in real life. Through the postmodernist viewpoint, social media has allowed us to not only create new or multiple identities for ourselves, but its also challenges societal norms.
Lee, Joel. “7 Big Gaming Forums for Non-Stop Video Game Talk.” MakeUseOf. N.p., 07
Mar. 2016. Web. 29 Mar. 2017.
PewDiePie. “PewDiePie. YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2017.
“PewDiePie.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 26 Mar. 2017. Web. 29 Mar. 2017.
Ritzer, George. "The Internet Through a Postmodern Lens." Cyborgology. The Society
Pages, 08 Dec. 2012. Web. 29 Mar. 2017.
Turkle, Sherry, “Aspects of the Self” Chapter 7. Life on the Screen, Simon and Schuster,
New York, NY, 1997.
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