With social media becoming such a huge part of everyday life now, people are definitely more eager to share information on the internet than in person. Is the person we present ourselves to be on the internet who we really are? Yes and no. In the ever-growing world of social media, perception is everything. We all have an ideal version of our self, and due to social media, we can present our ideal selves rather than our real selves on outlets such as Facebook. We are able to entirely create our own online identity by using these social media tools, basically we can choose exactly what we want others to see. Personally, I don't worry too much about unflattering photo's like many other people I know, however I am quite cautious of everything I type and like to steer clear of this by rarely posting anything online.
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| My sister and I being ourselves - Jokers (*shh.. listen to the people judging my hair and face*) |
Granted you can truly "be yourself" on social media platforms, it is quite easy to say things that you would not normally say and portray yourself as someone you're not. Looking back on my Facebook timeline I can definitely confirm that my 17-year-old-Facebook self is not an accurate portrayal of who I really am. I cringe at how often I butchered the English language with slang terms. It is easy to forget that the image we portray of ourselves online is what everyone else gets to see; not just our friends and family, but even potential employers. Maintaining a respected online presence has now become more crucial than ever.
It is no secret that everyone's life looks a lot better on social media; we all fabricate and manipulate what we post online to some degree. I mean, no one wants to look like they lead a normal average life now do they?! :/
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| Classic Sunset Photo BUT From Los Angeles ;) Life Instantly Cooler.. |
References:
Marshall, P.D 2010, "The Specular Economy", Society, vol. 47, no. 6, pp. 498-502
Hi Amy,
ReplyDeleteI like how your blog post begins with the concept of the specular economy, and a clear definition preceding it. The remaining parts of your blog were very relatable and an interesting read. I completely understand how there are some things we need to carefully consider when posting or writing things for the online world. Furthermore the concluding discussion you had written was very interesting. Most posts made by people on social media are almost always about the good aspects of their life, while the negative is omitted. This makes it seem like their life is completely perfect and always exciting, when in reality it has its ups and downs like everyone else.
Very interesting piece, great introduction and use of references from the readings. Im similar to you in the fact i dont post on facebook for the same reasons you don't. The personal aspect of the blog really enhanced it a including the picture, it gives the piece a nice touch. It seems as though you really understand the topic and this is highlighted by how well this flows as a blog.
ReplyDeleteThat was a nice post! Thanks for constructing it in such a way as to take the reader on a journey from the theoretical concept (which you nicely defined at the beginning) through what you clearly defined as being your opinion and thus gave us an insight on your representation of reality and the world around you. I've found that it easy to sound judgemental through this approach, but you've managed to avoid this downfall and keep a humble tone throughout your post, while at the same time challenging the readers' views and provide us with interesting avenues for discussion. The photo of you and your sister is epic! Very funny indeed :) It does support your point in a very nice way and you've positioned it in a strategic way that cleverly supports your argumentation. It would have been nice to see a bit more referencing to some of the generalisations you've made, but that's a minor point considering how you framed your argumentation as being limited to your own experience (or so it seems to me). This being said , some points did need referencing though ;) (especially in the last two paragraphs). You have a very engaging writing style and I look forward to read more from you in the future.
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