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digital-humanatees · 7 years

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Final Essay

Jessica Stockey

Digital Humanities

Professor Tomás Crowder-Taraborrelli

23 May 2017

Take a Look at Your Selfie

An Analysis of Social Media, Its Trends and the Nuances of Digital Identity and Expression

More and more, the rise of digital technologies, most notably the Internet, has given way to a rise in the usage of social media in the everyday lives of billions of users. Nowadays, depending on the social, political and cultural climate, it can be considered rare to find an individual not engaged in some platform of social media. Users turn to various social media sites for a variety of reasons. For some, sites may be a platform used to voice opinions, share personal details, voice political or religious views, or to speaking out on certain issues/topics. For others, that platform may take the shape of artistic expression. Many individuals may turn to social media as a platform on which to capture highlights from one’s life- to look back on, to show others or both. These sites also serve as a way to connect individuals nearby or even around the globe. Most social media profiles often reflect a mix or some combination of all of the above. Thanks to the variety of its function, social media appeals to a large range of audiences- especially to younger generations that have experienced all it has to offer, even amongst the downfalls and consequences that come with it. As time goes on, and the prevalence of social media seems to grow, there can be seen the development of certain trends, the development of digital identities and new methods of expression. This paper attempts to explore the perceived roles these developments play in the lives of certain individuals, who may be representatives of the experiences of those on a wider scale, and the nuances that arise between different digital experiences. An emphasis is placed, specifically in the framing of the interviews, on the usage of Instagram based on its prevalence as a platform and relevance to the topic.

As social media becomes more prevalent in everyday lives, there can be seen the cultivation of certain online personas and certain norms associated with this. In this day and age individuals can rise to a degree of fame solely based on the quality of their social media and where certain pre-existing celebrities can take their fame to the next level through the use of social media. This is possible because social media gives users the ability to “self-consciously construct images of themselves.” (Marwick, 2013, p. 191). Nowadays, its possible to create a kind of digital identity- an extension of oneself online and it’s even possible to find some form of success from the ability to do so well. In many ways it’s easier than ever to a reach a status of notoriety online in one’s social circle whether that circle be big or small. Social media is the platform. A smartphone, with a camera and an arsenal of editing apps, coupled with user’s creativity or ability to mimic are the tools. And the Internet gives the formula for success through online videos and articles featuring tips and tricks for becoming “Instagram Famous” or at the very least, seeing an increase in follower count. Using strategic methods, people can, “imagine a self or a life and use social media technologies to bring this self into being.” (Marwick, 2013, p. 193). Aesthetics, themes, good captions, photo quality, uniqueness, an image of authenticity, etc may all be taken into account when it comes to the crafting of one’s online/ digital identity. In many ways, this breeds a series of rules and expectations that users may feel pressured to follow. These platforms may “shape identities via the norms they push.” (Baym, 2015, p.137).

The flipside to this is that over the years, there’s evidence that as social media becomes more and more structured with the presence of specially crafted digital identities, there’s a growing need for an escape from all this. On the one hand can be seen the development of beautifully crafted, aesthetically pleasing Instagrams, VSCOs, Tumblr’s, and even Facebooks. On the other hand, there’s another side to these sites developing- the rise of Finstas (Fake Instagram’s or a more private Instagram), multiple Tumblrs for one user, personal/ even intimate Facebook posts, etc. Users appear to crave a more personal from of expression and audiences appear to value a sense of authenticity. There is both the creation of a “self that is simultaneously authentic and carefully edited.” (Marwick, 2013, p. 196). As well as the development of expression striving more towards the authentic and less concerned with the carefully edited. It seems that more and more, as there is a rise in the very public nature of social media, there’s increased demand for a more private form of expression. And yet, this is not always the case. Each individual has a different situation when it comes to social media as there is no one universal experience and in some cases, that experience is marked by a lack of usage.

This next section will be an exploration of this idea and a look at the diversities in digital experiences with a special emphasis on Instagram as the major social media platform discussed.

Interview 1

The individual interviewed is an avid user of Instagram. They have one account characterized by frequent posts and changing themes ranging from heavily edited posts adhering to a certain style or color scheme to unedited photos with simple captions and feature a mix of seemingly purely artistic photos as well as personal ones.

Question: What is your preferred platform of social media?

Answer: I would have to say Instagram. It’s definitely the one I use the most.

Q: What is it that draws you to Instagram? What do you get out of the experience?

A: It makes me feel good when people like or comment on something. Originally I never had an Instagram or any form of social media in high school or anything and I never really had the desire to have one. But then when I moved to California for college, my best friend told me, “Oh you should get an Instagram so we can stay connected. You can see what I’m doing, and I can see what you’re doing. We can stay in touch.” And that sort of thing. So I got one, and when I posted my first picture, it made me feel nice to see the likes and comments and such. It made me feel nice to see that she had seen it, that we were staying in touch. And then that sort of spiraled to wanting other people to see it. I started seeing how many likes I was getting and comparing them to how many likes other people were getting. It transitioned from wanting to stay connected to my friend to wanting to be connected to other people too. So I feel like that’s my current motivation- is trying to get connected to the world.

Q: Does social media, Instagram specifically, serve as a form of self-expression for you? If so, how so?

A: Yeah, I mean, I like talking pictures of things that I find interesting, you know? Sometimes if it’s more abstract, I know it might not get as many likes. I know that like, a picture of me may get more likes, but I have to think, who am I posting the picture for? So even though I know that a picture wont get as many likes, I’ll still post it because I view my Instagram as a documentation of my life. So I want to capture that moment, when that particular thing spoke to me so that I don’t forget it. But then the other part of me thinks about the connection between an artist and its audience. Because I feel like as an artist, you have to consider how commercially viable your work is. So I guess you just have to strike a balance between self-indulgence and selling out.

Q: Do you know what a Finsta is and do you have one?

A:Yes I do. It’s where you post all of your drunk pictures or like pictures that you may not want everyone to see or that you think are funny- like meme-worthy stuff. But no, I don’t have one.

Q: Is there a reason that you don’t have a Finsta?

A: I just think that they’re sort of dumb.

Q: What do you feel you get out of having a regular Instagram that you don’t feel the need or desire to have a Finsta- specifically as a form of self-expression?

A: Well I feel as though, if I’m not comfortable posting something on my regular Instagram, then I probably shouldn’t post it in the first place. And I enjoy just having one account, so one, I don’t have to worry about another account and how many followers that has. And two, I want to provide a full complete picture of myself and I’m able to have more variety because everything is posted there. It’s a more fleshed out portrait.

Q: Do you feel that your usage of social media has developed/ created a digital identity of who you are?

A: Definitely.

Q: Do you feel that your digital identity is separate or different from your identity offline?

A: No, they’re the same. I like to portray myself honestly, or at least I try to. Because, I mean, most of my followers know me in real life, so they’d be able to call bullshit if something was fake.

Q: Do you feel as though social media has created certain trends, norms, or expectations of how you should present yourself online or offline? If so, is that a bad thing?

A: No, I don’t think that social media itself has created certain trends. I think that those trends come from society. I think that having social media, and that communication helps those t rends spread faster and go viral. But I mean, most of these things are little things like, oh, look at the Unicorn Frapp I ordered. I don’t think it’s either good or bad, it’s just the way that society is working. In the same way that I don’t think that humans are necessarily good or bad.

In many ways, this user’s experience embodies the Marwick’s idea of a self or identity that is both authentic as well as carefully edited. ( 2013, p. 196). Though the individual feels as though they’ve developed a digital identity, they do not feel as though this identity is separate from their identity offline. In social media and digital expression, they find both a sense of identity as well as expression. The two are not mutually exclusive. But there are certain nuances when it comes to the freedom they feel in what to post and the factors that influence this decision making. They feel an obligation to be true to themselves and view Instagram as a platform to document what they felt/ what inspired them in a moment perhaps because, “our image of who we are, mentally and physically, is based on long-term remembrance of facts, emotions, and experiences; that self-image is never stable but is subject to constant remodeling because our perceptions of who we are changes.” (van Dijck, 2007, p. 3). But they also feel an obligation towards the desires of their audience and have a sense of what may be perceived well via likes or what may not be which is a factor in their decision making- in the crafting of a sort of image. All of this begs the question, can there be freedom found in the increasing. All of this begs the question, can there be freedom found in the increasingly structured nature of social media with the adherence of certain norms and expectations? This individuals experience gives way to the possibility that one can have a very controlled digital image that matches their real life.

Interview 2

The individual interviewed is an active user of Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Their accounts feature a variety of content ranging from personal, to raising awareness or speaking out on social justice to sex education. In addition to their more public accounts, they actively post on Finsta account which they update frequently with photos and captions often of a more personal and vulnerable nature.

Q: What is your preferred platform of social media?

A: For the last few years, I’ve used Twitter primarily, with Instagram a little bit. But really over the last few months, since I created a private Instagram or “Finsta” I’ve started using that much more.

Q: What is it that draws you to Instagram? What do you get out of the experience?

A: Instagram in general I really like because it’s a chance to share pictures but I also use the fact that it’s a picture to create captions. So I draw people in with the picture and use the caption as a chance to draw attention to an issue. Obviously social justice issues or as an opportunity to be vulnerable and make vulnerability more accepted.

Q: Does social media, Instagram specifically, serve as a form of self-expression for you? If so, how so?

A: With Instagram I like to try and create a pleasing theme based so in that sense, that’s something that I like about public Instagram. I try to take cool pictures and organize them by color and theme. As for Finsta, that’s almost like a daily journal. I’m completely honest on there and don’t have to worry about fitting myself into a theme or making things cute where as that’s definitely something that’s on my mind with public Instagram.

Q: Do you feel a sense of freedom that’s associated with your Finsta?

A: Definitely. Although, even with my Finsta, I have so many followers now that I’m definitely censoring myself a little bit now as opposed to when I didn’t have so many. The number of followers you have definitely impacts how restricted you feel whether it should or not. And I’ve had things screenshot and taken out of context so I make a conscious effort to not post anything that could be hurtful to me if shared with others or hurtful to other people. So even though I do feel a sense of freedom, I know that there have been consequences to what is posted.

Q: What role does your public Instagram play in your life or as a form of self-expression that you still value it and are still active on it despite restrictions you may feel?

A: I think I like it because obviously that’s my real name so people can find it. That’s a way to meet new people or connect with people. It kind of adds to my brand, I feel like there’s more ego related reasons why I like Rinsta (Real Insta) but I still try to use it for a good cause.

Q: Do you feel that your usage of social media has developed/ created a digital identity of who you are?

A: Of course. Anytime that you’re putting something out there, its an extension of the performance of identity that you’re putting out there everyday. And I do my best to be conscious of that and not create a completely different persona online, however, its inevitable.

Q: Do you feel that your digital identity is separate or different from your identity offline?

A: I try to make it as authentic to my real self as possible however I know that by nature of social media, I probably unconsciously try to paint myself in a more positive light. For example, I’ve had people construct an image of me through what they’ve seen on my social media and I sometimes worry that that’s going to negatively impact their image of me in real life.

Q: Do you feel as though social media has created certain trends, norms, or expectations of how you should present yourself online or offline? If so, is that a bad thing?

A: Yes of course. People see other people doing things and they’re inspired by that or they want to copy that. I think that it can be a bad thing especially for people who are younger or less conscious of that so it can perhaps take advantage of that. For example, the body positivity trend started with good intentions and lead to men taking advantage of that are trying to exploit women in that way. So in that way, something can be good in one sense and dangerous in another.

Q: Is there anything else you want to comment on the subject of social media, self-expression, identity, etc. ?

A: It’s interesting to think of all of the factors that go into what we choose to share and what we choose to hide or keep to ourselves. It’s not as simple as there merely being things you share with others and things you don’t. Its more complex than that. We share different things with different people.

This user’s experience is indicative a larger growing trend on social media, and notably Instagram through the creation of Finstas, that as there is a clearer development of a digital identity that’s more selective in what’s presented and performance-based in a sense, there is also the development of ways to attempt to find more freedom in digital expression. In many ways it seems as thought the individual views their public accounts as platforms in which they may unconsciously present themselves in a more positive light, though they try to stay authentic and promote a destimatization of certain issues such as vulnerability. And yet, the intricacies found between digital identity and expression can be seen in the fact that while there’s an effort to make vulnerability more accepted through the individuals more public accounts, they also turn to their Finsta in order to find more freedom to be vulnerable. This begs some consideration of the morality of the situation. Can one truly say whether this is right or wrong? Is it a negative thing to feel as though one can share some part of their identity to an audience on a platform and not want to share everything but perhaps instead share it in another way such as through the use of a Finsta? Perhaps the key to keep in mind is the idea that the interviewee ends with. Just as Negroponte makes the point that there “are not two distinct states of being, black and white. We tend to move between them, and, depending on time available, time of day, and our mood, we will want lesser or greater degrees of personalization.” (1996, p. 154), this individual makes the point that depending on a variety of factors, people may have lesser or greater degrees to which they personalize their social media and decide what to share.

Interview 3

The individual interviewed was formerly active on Instagram with both a public account as well as a Finsta. They have now been off of Instagram for ~10 months and are not present on Facebook.

Q: What is your preferred platform of social media?

A: Right now, I’m mainly on Tumblr and I have a Twitter that I use. I used to have an Instagram but not anymore.

Q: What is it that first drew you to Instagram and what did you feel you got from it?

A: I think what first drew me in was seeing people, art, lifestyles, and places I had never seen before. I loved it, I thought it was real at the time and I sort of vicariously live through them. I also liked that I could present myself on my own terms. I was also able to keep up with my friends who I didn’t see everyday.

I felt like I got to share my perspective of things via Instagram. I’m pretty shy in real life and I’m also into photography so I felt like it gave me a space of self expression. So Instagram is kind of like, this is what I’m doing and I want you to know that. It’s like your public identity.

Q: Why did stop using Instagram?

A: I started to have this sort of Instagram crisis because I felt that my Instagram portrayal of myself was becoming inaccurate to who I am. So there was this growing gap between my real self and portrayal of myself. So I started trying to be more transparent on my Instagram but I felt really vulnerable, like I was putting too much information about myself. I was trying to balance putting a polished image of myself out there but also something that was me. I felt like my Instagram was a more artistic expression of myself rather than my everyday life. For example, I had all these pictures of myself traveling and looking cute but that’s not my everyday life. I had this sort of identity crisis as far as how do I want to portray myself, how vulnerable I wanted to be and what aspects of myself I wanted to share going on in my personal life too that just made figuring Instagram more confusing. I felt like I needed to step back from Instagram and I needed to put it on the side and figure things out in my own life and I needed distance to figure out what I wanted/needed to take away from Instagram. I feel like the pressure of where I grew up, everyone has fancy Instagram’s and everyone’s trying to show off the life they live and the fancy clothes they have and I needed to take a break from that sort of thinking because I also know that it’s not really real.

Q: Do you feel that your usage of social media developed/ created a digital identity of who you are? Do you feel that your digital identity is separate or different from your identity offline?

A: Yes definitely. I felt like this person on Instagram that I was presenting was so cool and sure of herself but in reality I felt ugly, I didn’t like my body, I wasn’t cool or interesting and I think in some ways my Instagram made me feel better about myself, even though it wasn’t an accurate portrayal of me. My past Instagram there was definitely a gap between my identities. I was always wearing makeup in my photos but I don’t actually wear makeup everyday. I feel like my past Instagram didn’t portray that I’m actually goofy and awkward and clumsy; the fact that I don’t always have it together. I might be looking cool and clean on Instagram but in real life, when I was going through this in my first year of college, I felt like a mess.

Q: Do you feel as though social media has created certain trends, norms, or expectations of how you should present yourself online or offline? If so, is that a bad thing?

A: Yes. Where I grew up, it made me feel like I either had to be a bikini model or this subculture or Asian women who look really good in makeup and have really good outfits. I definitely felt that expectation. I feel like a lot of brands have taken off and maybe a trend is that people feel the need to categorize themselves based on social media. So you see a lot of Instagrams which look similar to each other because they try to achieve the same aesthetic or life style goals. Also, Coachella. I don’t know if it’s a bad thing but it makes me jealous a lot and feel pretty lame and not that great about myself.

Q: Do you know what a Finsta is?

A: Yes, I used to have a Finsta. Just the existence of Finstas show that our Instagram is not our whole identity. I saw different types of Finstas. Some were just party pics to keep people’s parents from seeing. Others were where people posted about their personal lives to keep their closer friends updated.

Q: Do you think you’ll go back to using Instagram and/or other social media? If so, why?

A: I think I do want to make an Instagram again but I want to adjust my direction with it and sort my real life out first. And I’d get a Finsta just to document memories I’ve had with friends and funny moments which I’ve captured. Eventually I want to go back to Instagram when I feel like I want to be sharing my life. Because I still feel the initial attraction to it as a platform for sharing how I’m doing, what I like, my thoughts, my photography, and so I can interact with others and see how they’re doing.

Q: Is there anything else you want to comment on the subject of social media, self-expression, identity, etc. ?

A: I feel like I might always have a love-hate relationship with it because I’m always drawn to it and eventually I’ll go back but I think I’ll just have to be very aware of the things I’ve learned from Instagram. Taking it from my own experience, I’m not as cool as my Instagram presents so I don’t have to get jealous of other people’s Instagrams because they’re probably not as put together as they present.

This experience provides valuable insight into the growing pressures that people may feel regarding social media and the creation of an online persona. Maybe it’s not that the mere existence of differences in identities online and offline but where it becomes damaging is when the gap widens to the point that the two feel like two separate people or when it feels as though there’s a form of misrepresentation. Scholars have shown that identity misrepresentation in digital interactions can have an effect on how individuals behave and perceive themselves. (Segovia, 2005, p. 54). The major issue is when this self-perception feels foreign or inspires feelings of inadequacy or feels inauthentic or misleading. Sometimes the way one presents themselves online drives a need/ desire to live up to this expectation that others of ourselves may grow to have as way the case with this individual. But when one’s social media serves as a sort of highlight reel of the best moments, it’s exhausting and impossible to live up to that on a everyday basis. And it doesn’t help when there’s a wealth of individuals online all living these seemingly perfect lives that inspire feelings of jealousy. Sometimes people try to live up to these standard or emulate them as it feels as though in this “postindustrial society, every citizen can construct her own custom lifestyle and ‘select’ her ideology from a large (but not infinite) number or choices.” (Manovich, 2001, p. 42). Social media allows users to construct their own custom digital identity and image of their lifestyle. In some ways they can select this through an infinite amount of stylistic choices like themes and pull inspiration from “successful” social media persons. But the reality is that this is not always a sustainable or healthy way of leaving. When couples with the pressure to have a level of authenticity, individuals may feel a push to share more than they’re comfortable with. There may be “negative emotional costs to self-branding, including anxiety, information overload, lack of time, hurt feelings due to audience comments and interactions.” (Marwick, 2013, p. 196). Sometimes, it’s necessary to take a step back from all of this. Sometimes, one must reevaluate what it is that they’re gaining from a platform and whether they feel a sense of homeostasis and balance between who they appear to be online and in real life.

At its core, social media by design is all about controlled perception. With it, users are able to decide what to share, when to share it, who to share it with and oftentimes, because they choose they angle that they’re viewed in, they select the nicest light. Even when it comes to ways to combat this very structured style of online interaction and expression, there’s never a guarantee of a complete sense of freedom. So how does one balance their identity online and offline? How does one find outlets of expression in this digital age when there’s often times a battle between obligation to share too much or too little? How does one create an authentic online self and should that even be an expectation? In many ways the great irony of social media and life is that individuals are taught that they should care, but not too much, and in the end, people are left often times caring too much and are often times left vulnerable to the expectations set by others, society and by themselves. And when these individuals care, they’re scolded by the very society or individuals who told them to care in the first place. Because now they care supposedly care too much and as such as labeled as self-absorbed, selfish, and selfie-driven. What this line of thinking fails to take into account is the fact that while social media is by design controlled perception, it did not develop as such alone. The key word here being the world social. Maybe it’s not that social media bred a culture of individuals who care what others think and who yield the tools to choose how they are perceived digitally. Maybe it’s that’s social media is an extension of what exists in human nature- the ability to choose how one is perceived in everyday life and the tendency to pick the nicest life. Everyday, people make choices on how they appear, what words they say, what image they want to project. How can one applaud writers and scholars for their ability to do so and the next second criticize those for doing the same but online? In either case, it comes down to the stories or information one tells, the way the tell them and the impact left on the audience. It’s the way it’s done and the subjects that may cause controversy. But at the end of the day may the digital, the sciences and the humanities aren’t as different as one may think.

References

Baym , N. (2015). Personal Connections in the Digital Age. Polity Press.

Manovich, L. (2001). The Language of New Media. Cambridge: MIT Press.

Marwick, A. E. (2013). Status update celebrity, publicity, and branding in the social media age. New Haven: Yale University Press.

Negroponte, N. (1996). “Less is More.” Being Digital. New York: Vintage Books.

Segovia, K. and Bailenson, J. (2005). “Identity Manipulation What Happens When Identity Presentation is Not Truthful.” The Social Net: Understanding our online behavior. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

van Dijck, J. (2007). Mediated memories in the digital age. Stanford: Stanford University Press.

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