Log Me Off Before You Go-Go
The article Making Monsters: Lady Gaga, Fan Identification, and Social Media by Melissa A. Click , Hyunji Lee & Holly Willson Holladay discusses how Lady Gaga is using social media in order to create a large following of loyal fans: âsocial media, particularly Twitter, play an important role in the relationships Little Monsters have developed with Mother Monsterâ (Click, Lee, and Holladay). As seen in the quotation, these fans call themselves âMonsters,â and affectionately refer to her as âMother Monster.â Lady Gaga became well acclaimed for her unique and fresh approach to stardom. She heavily relies on social media in order to connect with her fans. Although I had never particularly loved Gaga enough to be a Monster, a close friend of mine definitely was. She followed Gaga on every social media site possible, especially Twitter. On the other hand, Cory Doctorowâs article The Internet is the Best Place for Dissent to Start suggests what were to happen if social media sites were to decrease in popularity, or to be exterminated entirely. If Doctorowâs idea were to over lap with Gagaâs approach to a fan base, almost her entire following would be lost. While the two articles themselves are very contrasting in content, the outlaying ideas can be examined individually, and pieces of each concept can be placed on top of each other, providing a unique outlook on what the world might come to without social media.Â
Doctorowâs article was a much more politically based, and seemingly authentic, source. Therefore, some terminology must be defined in order for the whole picture to come together. He refers to some people as being dissidents. A dissident is, by definition, a person who opposes official policy, especially that of an authoritarian state. With this knowledge in mind, it can be assumed that the article will be, by nature, about a governmental issue. He claims that âFacebook, Twitter, YouTube and other social media tools...reveal the social ties between dissidents, making it easy for secret policemen to swoop in and round up whole movements without having to bother with the tedious business of wiretapping and surveillance in order to figure out whom to arrestâ (Doctorow). If we are to simply take that concept, detach it from his argument, and reapply it to Lady Gagaâs Monsters, and how they connect with her, we are starting to see how valid his point might be. It rings true regardless of the situation. Ultimately, the Monsters have created strong social ties described by Doctorow, and have put themselves into groups such as on Facebook, that would make it easy for them to be eradicated entirely. It would save all of the people who are against Lady Gaga and her flamboyant ways to âswoop in and round up whole movements without having to bother with the tedious business of wiretapping and surveillance in order to figure out whom to arrestâ (Doctorow). See how easy it was to take Doctorowâs thought and apply it to Gaga? The versatility of the argument knows no bounds.Â
There are more ways than one for these groupings to affect fan bases. âThe increased potential for celebrity-fan interactions in social media allows fans additional opportunities to feel close to celebritiesâ (Click, Lee, and Holladay). This seemingly goes without saying. Of course there is increased potential. We are in the twenty-first century, are we not? Doctorow would be inclined to agree, as he claims that âwhile YouTube, Twitter, Facebook (and other popular social services) aren't good at protecting dissidents, they are nevertheless the best place for this sort of activity to start, for several reasonsâ (Doctorow). This is not a forsaken statement. However, what if we were to take Doctorowâs concept to the extremist level, and completely take out the internet and all forms of social media entirely. Would we be able to survive?Â
I think that is a very complicated concept. Some people would be able to adapt and move on. However, others would simply dwindle out of existence. Some people, like Lady Gaga. Her entire fan base of Little Monsters would be lost. Yes, they love her, and say they will follow her to the ends of the earth. And there are some creepy ones who might. But realistically speaking, it is an irrational idea. People who introduced themselves entirely dependent on social media will remain entirely dependent on social media. ââŠImaginary relationships with media
figures, including celebrities, are encouraged by the media industries, which âlavish
considerable effort on techniques that not only invite but virtually force this kind of
identificationââ (Click, Lee, and Holladay). The world could not exist as is without social media. Iâm sorry Gaga, but if social media go-goâs, itâs game over. Thatâs a wrap.Â
Click, Lee, and Holladay. Making Monsters: Lady Gaga, Fan Identification, and Social Media (2013, June). Retrieved from file:file:///Users/lanawest/Downloads/Click%252C+Lee%252C+Holladay+-+2013+-+Making+Monsters+Lady+Gaga%252C+Fan+Identification%252C+and+Social+Media%20(1).pdf
Doctorow, Cory. (2013, January). The Internet is the Best Place for Dissent to Start Retrieved from file: http://www.theguardian.com/technology/blog/2012/jan/03/the-internet-best-dissent-start