A Virtual Reality
The space around us is relevant
to the individual. Many things occur at any one time however it is want we
observe, learn or who or what we interact with, that defines the space around us
(Wood, W.L, & Abramms, 2006).
In today’s society, approximately one billion of us communicate via Facebook (Kiss, 2012). For many, this is part of their “space” that they know to be true as they experience many different interactions through the social network.
They relatively new growth of communicating via virtual networks can be related to the historical figure of the flâneur. As Prouty (2009) discussed, the description of flâneur developed as the result of urbanism in the late 16th century in Paris. This urbanism can now be seen on the web in the form of blogs, social networks, wikis, internet forums, etc. The same way it was difficult for the authorities to police late 16th century Paris, it difficult to police what users put out on the web. This allows the user a power that in reality they may not have without consequence.
With Tumblr, my chosen virtual network, it is easy for the everyday person to create a space that is true and unique to them. The microblogging platform allows the user to post multimedia and other content to a short-form blog. Users can follow other users' blogs, as well as make their blogs private. This allows the creator of the blog the power to privatize or expose their blogs to whomever they want.
In today’s society, approximately one billion of us communicate via Facebook (Kiss, 2012). For many, this is part of their “space” that they know to be true as they experience many different interactions through the social network.
They relatively new growth of communicating via virtual networks can be related to the historical figure of the flâneur. As Prouty (2009) discussed, the description of flâneur developed as the result of urbanism in the late 16th century in Paris. This urbanism can now be seen on the web in the form of blogs, social networks, wikis, internet forums, etc. The same way it was difficult for the authorities to police late 16th century Paris, it difficult to police what users put out on the web. This allows the user a power that in reality they may not have without consequence.
With Tumblr, my chosen virtual network, it is easy for the everyday person to create a space that is true and unique to them. The microblogging platform allows the user to post multimedia and other content to a short-form blog. Users can follow other users' blogs, as well as make their blogs private. This allows the creator of the blog the power to privatize or expose their blogs to whomever they want.
References
Kiss, J. (2012, October 4). Facebook hits 1 billion
users a month. Retrieved from The Guardian:
http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2012/oct/04/facebook-hits-billion-users-a-month
Prouty, R. (2009, October 28). Aesthetics &
Politics . Retrieved from One-Way Street:
http://www.onewaystreet.typepad.com/one_way_street/2009/10/a-turtle-on-a-leash.html
Wood, D., W.L, K., & Abramms, B. (2006). Chapter
One. In D. Wood, K. W.L, & B. Abramms, Seeing Through Maps: Many Ways to
See the World (pp. 1-12). Oxford: New Internationalist Publications.
Hi there, I really like your post.
ReplyDeleteAs an avid Tumblr user, I agree with what you said about users having power online. Tumblr is full of anonymous people with a massive difference in opinions. A lot of these opinions clash and it often dissolves into hate-wars. This is where the anonymous have the most amount of power; its like being in the middle of an angry mob and it can be terrifying.
From your experiences moving through Tumblr, what do you think of the anonymous system? Is it a good thing that people can express themselves without a name, or is it too much of a dangerous power for the everyday person to have?
Hello, I really enjoyed your post.
ReplyDeleteEven though I am not a Tumblr user myself, I can see from what you said that it is similar to many other social networking sites.
I really liked your comparison of the 16th century flaneur and the one that is seen today on the web. It is interesting to learn that authority still has trouble policing what people say and do in an urban environment where you can remain anonymous. In fact, would you agree that it may be harder to control now than in the 16th century due to the impressive ease in which internet users can remain unnoticed?
Interesting topic- social controls on our behaviour really do come from our identity within the social network of family and community. It is scary how people behave when they are released from that constraint.
ReplyDeleteI like how you mention "space" and "power" in your post. This empowers social networking users to be free and courageous than what they usually are in the real world. It being their space ensures that they share their life experiences and their own perspective of the world without being discouraged as they can express themselves. Being part of a social network enables people to have power that they do not have in reality to be free and speak their minds.
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteI can really connect with the comment about tumblr being a personal and unique space. I joined a online SIMS network for the purpose of this class and I found that it is quite similar in that, it is a space that you can create a unique place. Tuan's readings says that "space and place are basic components of the lived world". I really think that virtual sites such as Tumblr, Instagram and SIMS are all virtual spaces that contrast Tuan's theory. These virtual sites are all proof that space and place are not only in the lived world but the virtual world too. I guess we do need to take into consideration that Tuan's readings is from 1977. Thus it just shows how the concept of space and place has evolved.