The reason facebook is so ingenious is because every person's account centers on their own face, or faces, but the ones they got to put up themselves. Who do you want to be? Okay, you got it. Keep looking at it long enough and you'll believe it too. Then we all, or I at least, pretend we are everyone else on facebook, and click on "profile" to see what "we" look like through their eyes. I might create a facebookish site with the twist being, only you can see your own profile. So it is just a one-page site. Pretty easy to develop, eh? I think people would still do it. Because no one looks at one's facebook picture as much as oneself. And the more you look at it the more you're like hey, that's me. I think that is me. And when you can identify yourself as such you take a bunch more pictures of yourself as such and it changes and changes and you become the changing picture of what you want to be, at least in your own mind. I feel better about my identity knowing there is this page up. Maybe I am just super narcissistic? Maybe other people spend more time being creepy looking at other people's faces but I generally prefer my own.I know that when someone requests my Facebook friendship, before confirming, I often go to my own profile, reading over it to make sure that when I grant this person access to my profile, they're going to think I'm cool. Which is inherently an uncool thing to do.
On Facebook, I'm in the group "People who want their eye to touch another person's eye." Now, do I actually want that? No. Ew. But I think it's funny, and I think it's funny that I'm the only member, and I want people to think I'm funny -- quirky even. ? Ew. What is up with that.
Trying to be "cool," and I just end up being embarrassing. I wonder if it's possible to be cool on Facebook.
5 comments:
I do that too! Look over my content, I mean. What is up with this new blog interface Ellen? And am I in a different eye touching fb group? I don't get why you would be in that club if you're not REALLY into it. You know this is something that has never been done before, right? Like we don't even know what will happen when two eyes DO touch. But you can bet it will be miraculous, and might blow the world apart.
I suggest you reconsider your stance, which, incidentally, will allow you to remain in this club for valid reasons, and people can still think you are quirky (not to mention visionary. pun intended).
also, i want to say that i am deeply deeply honored to be referenced next to Prof. Parker in your blog. Is it because we *deconstructed* facebook together, ellen? Is it?
I was just on Facebook a couple minutes ago, and it also made me reflective. But more about how quickly my life is progressing and all the friends I've made along the way. Friends are valuable to me, because when I was younger, I didn't have any. Not because no one liked me (lol) but because...well, I've entertained you with stories of my religion before.
Anyway, now I guess I reflect a little on how the Internet shapes people's identities. I grew up with the Internet, essentially, and started blogging when I was 14. Writing about myself, and other things, and eventually reading and joining communities and communicating with people across the globe has shaped my identity. And social networking sites shape identity, too. This is giving me ideas for research projects.
Thank you for contributing to my geekiness, Ellen.
I agree that the Internet is or can be shaping our identities, but I think Cassie's point, that in terms of Facebook, it's a deliberately constructed, virtual identity (even moreso than our physical world identities). So there's some interesting dialogue that goes on between who you actually are (whatever that means) and how you'd like to literally represent yourself online. How much overlap is there, and where do your notions of who you'd like to be come from? Does your real self get informed by the virtual self you create? Keep me posted on the research projects. Nerdiness abounds.
Cassie: I included you next to Parker because I ran into him at KAM's the other night, and he said that he really wants you to Facebook him.
Post a Comment