Social Media: Follow Up Thoughts

         The past several weeks have given me a good idea of the role that social media plays both in our lives and in popular culture. I have learned what the myth’s, rituals, formulas and issues are with social media of all forms. Though I feel that social media can create problems in our culture I do think that it has become so much a part of a culture that we are in a no turning back situation. Social media provides us with entertainment, enjoyment, networking and socializing, all of which are society thrives upon.

            Of the topics that were analyzed I feel that the popular culture topic that best relates to social media is rituals. There are many rituals involved in social media and networking. These rituals involve the participant and the creator. I think this topic is most relevant because social media has become a part of all of our lives. There are applications on our mobile phones that allow us to constantly check in on our networking sites. The accessibility of social media has made it more ritualistic. People may check their Facebook account in the morning when they wake up, they may check it on their break and during lunch. They check these sites while they are bored and before they go to bed. The patterns that we create are ritualistic.

            There were several things that I found interesting while studying the popular culture aspect of social media. There is a social media website in Denmark, DKBN. This social media website claims to create a celebrity out of local people. This website has a rating system that allows members in physical communities to rate members of the opposite based on their photos posted on the website. The article about this particular social network really showed how narcissistic we have become. Additionally, what was once considered to be a problem, judging others and making your thoughts public, has now become totally acceptable. Hearing that these teenagers in Denmark want others to rate them, shows how we have really lowered our selves. I think social media makes these things easier, humiliating and hurting individuals, flirting and cheating and being self involved (Red Associates, 2012).

            Studying popular culture and social media has really opened my eyes to some of the issues involved with social media. To be fair, I think that social networking is really where career placement is heading in the future, but I think that people rarely utilize many of these sites for this purpose. Many companies are requiring a check to your internet presence, and a recent radio show was stating that some companies are even requiring your username and password! In the future I will be more aware of social media and my involvement in it. I want to stay level headed and protect myself. This analysis has taught me that social media will likely always be a part of our lives; and that we must adjust accordingly and act responsibly.

The Formula of Social Media

         When considering social media there are several patterns that are apparent. These patterns or formulas are about different areas of social media and networking. The large focus on social media tends to be about the individuals utilizing these media sites for networking. There are formulas involved for the creation of these projects and the “life” of the websites themselves. With all objects its creation begins somewhere and its “life” is what varies. I believe that social media follows this formula as well.

            Projects, whether they be internet based or not, being with an idea. The creators for these websites begin with an idea. The idea leads to brainstorming and development. In the article “How to Start a Social Networking Site,” the author suggests deciding what you want your social network to offer, what you want it to look like and what you want the members to be able to do, and who the web host should be (How Stuff Works, 2012). Once this has been decided the creator begins the development stage. The developing involves creating your site based on the decisions the creator has made about the sites abilities. Once the site has been created and members are sought after the site moves into a different stage.

            In the formula for social media we have began with an idea, moved to development and created the website. What comes next in the formula is about growth. With all social media there seems to be a formula with the growth of a website. The website begins with a gaining trust from its members followed by steady growth; these websites gain popularity and gain more members. After what can generally be considered an influx of members the social media site remains steady. As we have seen with MySpace these websites can also lose momentum. It is up to the creator of the website to maintain its members and appeal for its members (Social Media Today, 2011.) The loss of momentum can occur because a newer media site is available, or because issues arise with the original site. MySpace lost momentum for two reasons according to TIME; these are the bombarding of ad’s to net-workers and a failure to innovate (Time Techland, 2011).

            Following the gaining of members, the website must maintain itself. The next step in the formula is survival. From TIME we can see that the websites must be innovative (Time Techland, 2011). The reasons why members choose to move from one site to the next is what the other site can offer. Being innovative is necessary for long term survival. Something that Facebook, Pinterest and Google+ tried to do was to put a stipulation on how you could enter into this social media website. This gained ultimate appeal for future members. Facebook initially only offered entrance based on what college you attending. Following this Facebook chose to make the website free and open to all. Though the website is now available to any who wish to create a page, some countries are still waiting to have an area for them created. Facebook keeps the desire up. For Pinterest and Google+ members must be invited by other members. By creating a desire for the website, and being innovative with their draw in, these sites are trying to gain an edge on the others.

            Social networking and social media is a large part of our daily lives. We often consider our personal formula’s in social networking. Though our dedication to these websites is important for their survival it is interesting to understand what is happening behind the scenes. From the idea to the survival of a created site, there are many steps involved in its development. The final step in the formula following survival is “life” or “death” so to speak. Though we have not yet seen MySpace come to an end, had it not been bought with new investors, it is possible that we could have seen its demise. I think for all, the end is never in sight for Facebook, but what about Google+? We will never know what the minds behind the sites are thinking, but I am sure we will be able to see how they are faring based on the amount of people discussing them at the water cooler.

 

References

How Stuff Works. (2012). How to Start a Social Networking Site. Retrieved on April 29, 2012

            from: http://computer.howstuffworks.com/internet/social-networking/information/start-

            social-networking-site2.htm\

Social Media Today. (2011). Social Networking Growth Stats and Patterns. Retrieved on April

            29, 2012 from: http://socialmediatoday.com/amzini/306252/social-networking-growth-

            stats-and-patterns

TIME Techland. (2011). Could What Happened to MySpace Happen to Facebook? Retrieved on

            April 29, 2012 from: http://techland.time.com/2011/07/15/could-what-happened-to-

            myspace-happen-to-facebook/2/

 

Sentimentalized Adultery

                As time progresses our world, and what has become acceptable in our world, changes. We as people, begin to feel and view things differently than we once had. What was once acceptable may no longer be an example of this would be slavery. Things that were once unacceptable may now be common place; an example of this could be the way children speak to their parents, or abortion. The key to these things is that they may have been happening all along, but what has changed is the acceptability of these acts to society. In the article “Sentimentalized Adultery: The film industry’s Next Step in Consumerism,” the author engages the reader to consider if adultery has now become acceptable, and in some circumstances romantic and enviable.

                Bonnie Zare, the author of “Sentimentalized Adultery” has chosen several films to analyze for her thoughts on this topic. The films used for the article are “The Bridges of Madison County,” The English Patient,” and Shakespeare in Love.” Though the movies differ in their storyline they all involve affairs. These relationships that are witnessed in the movies evoke certain feelings of its viewers. What the author is trying to describe is the acceptability and comfort level, even longing for adulterous relationships. The author explains that as time in the world has progressed, the reason these affairs are able to be an entire story line is because we as citizens find this topic comfortable, and even relatable. Her fear is that adultery may be unnecessary to story lines, but may be added for the appeal that they now have to the masses of viewers.  Ms. Zare also describes certain instances in our history that have brought us to a place that we relish in these relationships and even desire them for ourselves.

                The author of this article believes that several things have happened in the last eighty years that have brought us to this place. She believes that relaxed sexual morals, acceptability of divorce, woman’s independence movements and American’s new found sense of intense individualism have brought us to a place where having an affair means little to nothing. Her definition of sentimentalized adultery is “the depiction of a relationship in which one or more married person’s finds phenomenal passion and emotional satisfaction in an affair (Zare, pg. 30).” Are we so selfish that we no longer value our vows? Are we so selfish and narcissistic that we now must have affairs to keep ourselves entertained? Is no one willing to work for the rewards of an emotionally rich relationship? It would appear that our society longs to want what we want, when we want it. It would also appear that the film industry is giving us just that. Zare has broken these issues down and provided examples of these different relationships and desires in film; her article has shown that this is where the film industry is headed.

                I believe that we live in a society with a huge sense of entitlement and self. No longer are we attending community meetings, where we are responsible to work together (Zare pg. 31.)We are now awarded for first and second place, but also sixth, seventh and eighth. Our society and its members want to be acknowledged for all that they do, whether their actions were worthy of praise of not. Understanding this, we can see that marriages and relationships are probably more challenging now than ever before. We are desensitized to what is right, and what is wrong. There is an argument for the value of everything, and the argument now is “well I wanted it.” Because this is the mentality or our society, it makes sense that film makers and authors are including these story lines; these story lines are relatable for us. People want stories and films to be possible; they want to live their favorite characters lives. The author has made many valid points, the most important of these, that we can sympathize with the characters, even feel broken hearted for them when their affairs end. We are so desensitized to what this really means and how it affects those involved that these are our new love stories.

                Understanding that these things are unacceptable is very important. Though affairs have become the new norm, it does not make them right. Our society is running rampant with broken families, illegitimate children, broken spirits and little sense of family. The pain and emotional suffering of so many can be avoided by the long term and positive relationships that we both witness and become a part of ourselves. There is no longer a need to make things work, because your next option is always around the corner. I believe this article has shown how the film industry is adding to the desensitization of morality. The author makes many valid points and shows the slow rise of acceptability for these behaviors. The importance of this article lies in the truth that we are now a society of “I want what I want, when I want it, because I deserve it, and I am all that matters.”  We can no longer see beyond ourselves, and the film makers know how to make the almighty dollar, because the film makers want what they want, and this is how they get it. 

References

Zare, B. (2001). 'Sentimentalized Adultery': The Film Industry's Next Step in Consumerism?. Journal Of Popular Culture, 35(3), 29