Blog Two
Tumblr can be a wonderful experience full of social justice and fangirling. Finding ones way to that place on the internet can be difficult however, as people can sometimes take their own opinions too personally. Finding your place in a social network can be confusing and downright discouraging at times. Once you are among a community that shares the same values as yourself however, the space becomes much more welcoming and personal. As Barnes (1997) suggests in his essay, someone’s experience on a social network reflects their internal representation in that environment which manifests spatially in their mind; just as a map reflects its creators values (Kuttainen, 2015). Barnes (1997) further states ‘engaging with cyberspace is a form of virtual travel’. This concept holds a certain truth as Kuttainen (2015) also points out that a map is powerful and can shape the way we view the world. This can be observed by the company one keeps on their social network. Often I have found myself swayed to another’s point of view by simply reading about their opinions.
The way we access these places on our social networks is constantly being mapped in our minds,
connecting neurotransmitters together making it easier for our brains to make that connection again. Our real, physical brains are taking in this virtual information and creating its own map as ‘all people create a mental model of the space they inhabit due to a controlling drive to 'organize the environmental impressions into meaningful patterns’ (Barnes, 2015). Due to this our existence in these virtual spaces is constantly being affirmed by our very presence in them.
References
Barnes, G. (1997). Passage of the Cyber-Flaneur. Raynbird.com. Retrieved from http://www.raynbird.com/essays/Passage_Flaneur.html
Kuttainen, V. (2015). BA1002: Our Space: Networks, Narratives, and the Making of Place, Lecture 4: Maps. [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from https://learnjcu.jcu.edu.au/
Image Reference
Social Network Map. (2015). Retrieved from http://dearmirah.ca/post/111962987540
You have made some compelling points with regards to how we experience and interact with our social networks. It is interesting how different our experience can be when we find and interact with "social sites" (Barnes, 1997). On account of the internet been an endless strain of social networks and links to other sites, it is interesting how we begin to form mental maps to these places. I would also say that our purpose for been a part of a or many social networks influence the way we 'travel' (Barnes, 1997) through these spaces and whether we simply participate in strolling aimlessly while observing other users and what they post; with particular curiosity. Or if we more actively engage in posting and updating our profiles.
ReplyDeleteReferences:
Barnes, G. (1997). Passage of the Cyber-Flanuer. [Class reading]. Retrieved from https://learnjcu.edu.au