According to danah boyd, members of our generation are ‘digital natives’ – we are ‘always on’ and constantly connected through social media (2012 p.72). Social networks like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are mediums for virtual communities. For example, Instagram allows you to post visual content, creating a public profile available to your friends and followers and allowing you to post on alternative social networks, increasing connectivity.
Social capital is the rapport we have with people and how these relationships benefit us. According to theorist Ferdinand Tönnies (Siapera 2012, p.192), how individuals associate with each other has shifted; especially during the industrial revolution where people left villages to work in factories in cities, shifting from community (Gemeinschaft) to society (Gesellschaft). These forms of sociality differ in that community is constructed through natural will, these relationships being associations which are self-fulfilling and by choice, for example friends, whilst society involves rational will and goal-orientated associations such as citizenship; networks which benefit modern society. This shift has encouraged association between strangers by bringing people together and therefore encouraging connectivity. However, according to Robert Putman (Siapera 2012, p. 195), social capital is eroding in America and Western societies, less people sharing strong bonds or purpose, which he describes through the metaphor of bowling. Although participation in bowling is increasing, there are less signing up to leagues. Sherry Turkle also backs this belief in her 2013 TED talk – Are we connected, but alone?
As Turkle discussed in her TED talk, ‘we turn to technology to help us feel connected in ways we can control’ (TED, 2013). Online platforms such as Instagram allow us to alter photos using filters and editing tools, redesigning our image and controlling our self-presentation. However, in doing this, are we compromising our ‘real selves’ for likes and flattering comments? 18 year old Australian model Essena O’Neil had over 612,000 followers on Instagram, recently quitting the social media site as it was consuming her life. Although having over half a million followers, she still felt alone. O’Neil refers to herself as an online celebrity, and like her ‘so many people strive to be ‘popular’ online to validate themselves, manipulating photos and captions’, to receive likes and followers (Hunt 2015). According to the Stress and Wellbeing in Australia survey 2015, the more teenagers use social media, the more likely they will experience FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). FOMO includes fear of exclusion from in-jokes – 78%, missing out on experiences – 54%, fearful their friends are enjoying themselves without them – 60%, and being excluded from organised events – 63% (Trieste 2015 p.18).
Although digital communities encourage connectivity and allow us to overcome proximity, have we become too reliant on technology? We have replaced face-to-face chit-chat with carefully edited and controlled online communication to avoid the pauses and hesitations of impromptu conversation, and to present ourselves as we wish to be seen.
boyd, d 2012, Participating in the Always On Lifestyle, in Mandiberg (ed) The Social Media Reader, NYU Press, pp 71-76.
Hunt, E 2015, ‘Essena O'Neill quits Instagram claiming social media ‘is not real life'’, The Guardian, 3 November, viewed 17 November, <http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/nov/03/instagram-star-essena-oneill-quits-2d-life-to-reveal-true-story-behind-images>
Siapera, E 2012, 'Socialities and Social Media’, in Introduction to New Media, pp 191-208.
TED-Ed 2013, Connected, but alone?- Sherry Turkle, 19 April, viewed 4 November 2015, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rv0g8TsnA6c>.
Trieste, L 2015, ‘Social Media Stresses’, Wyndham Leader, 17 November, pp 18
