R5:Subjectification

Jordan Radway 

Blog Post #5

      Foucault has coined this term that he refers to as "Subjectification" and he explains that it "refers to the construction of the individual subject. The concept has been often used in critical theory, sometimes with Louis Althusser's concept of interpellation". Even though Foucault was not around by the time the Internet was invented his research still proved relevant to the effects of social media on a psychological level. 

   "Foucault died before the advent of the internet, yet his studies of social conditioning and identity formation in relation to power are applicable to life online. Seen from a Foucaultian perspective, social media is more than a vehicle for exchanging information. Social media is a vehicle for identity-formation. Social media involves ‘subjectivation’ ". Foucault was big on saying that social media was very good for sharing information. Most of the time we don't even think we are sharing information because it seems so normal to us so we are sharing information invisibly, " The performative aspect of sharing shapes the logic and experience of the act itself". Foucault's main objective was to analyze the effects of social media and how it effects us psychologically. 

     "A wealth of commentators are exploring how social media is refiguring forms of economic activity, reshaping our institutions, and transforming our social and organizational practices. We are still learning about how social media impacts on our sense of personal identity." Social media has become such a big part of our society that it almost seems like we can't live without it. It gives us this sense or desire to "empower and inform their tribes and communities". With social media Foucault was saying that us being so concerned with sharing with others, posting paragraphs online, liking pictures, etc, all of these actions satisfy "a deep psychological need for recognition. Whatever it is that drives it, it draws us back to share and share again". 

Links:
Share on social media
-http://www.sho.com/shameless
- http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/

Not share on social media:
-http://www.newsweek.com/science-can-explain-ufos-sighting-alien-abductions-550149
- https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/04/world/middleeast/syria-gas-attack.html?_r=0


      My idea of social media is that it is a huge part of our society now and it really influences public opinion in many ways. Its for the most part a lot of peoples source of news. That is how they find out what is going on in the world. People are constantly communicating and sharing various items over social media or the Internet and they don't really see how much it is effecting them. It is taking over our minds and we do not even know it. Im not saying that it is a bad thing to use social media, because I myself use social media everyday in some way. These links above are two things that say a lot about me because I am a huge fan of the TV series Shameless and I also love the game of basketball and ESPN is where I do most of my watching of basketball during the seasons. The other two links are things that I read in my spare time but would not post up on my social media because they may draw some unwanted attention and its not necessary for me to post stuff like this I just read it and keep my comments to myself.