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Flâneur, as described by Prouty “is used to describe someone adrift in the city, a detached observers strolling through the streets at a leisurely pace.” (2009). What If I compare Paris’ nineteenth-century Arcades to Mark Zuckerberg’s Facebook, both hold a certain similarity as well as an obvious vast difference. Similarly, both have a structured formality, some-what controlled closed space. “The Paris arcades were the first places in which it was possible to feel at home in public space” (R. Prouty, 2009). I find this quite relevant to the idea of Facebook as you are can literally be ‘at home’ in a ‘public space’. Prouty (2009) also mentions the arcades created a feeling of security and organisation that was lost in the growth of an urban crowd. This to me again, represents an aspect of Facebook, where there is an ability to have security on your Facebook page (i.e changing security settings) Also organisation in adding photos to a folder or comments to a particular post.
Barnes (1997) states “The Flâneur enjoyed the fluidity for the stroll in the city- an unconfined ‘pedestrian’ movement where he could anonymously embrace the glittering spectacles of modern life without necessarily having to participate in them.” I feel as if I might just be a ‘cyber-flâneur’ of Facebook, I often find myself perusing through the sites – observing events, opinions or even relationships between Facebook friends. Limitlessly watching friends or strangers lives undetected. Although I wouldn’t consider myself a spectacle of display, I can admit I only post photos when I’m dressed up – going out or feel the photo is worth posting. Never do I feel I’m walking a turtle on leash for attention as mentioned by Prouty, but I don’t just post on Facebook for no reason. I can definitely relate to the Flâneur of the early Nineteenth-century, which goes to show how similar aspects of social structure remains the same between Paris and Australia, between 1900’s and 2015 and between Facebook and Arcades.
Barnes, G. (1997). Passage of the Cyber-Flaneur. USA: Otago University. Retrieved from http://www.raynbird.com/essays/Passage_Flaneur.html
Prouty, R. (2009). Turtle on a leash. Retrieved from http://www.onewaystreet.typepad.com/one_way_street/2009/10/a-turtle-on-a-leash.html
Prouty, R. (2009). The Well-Furnished Interior of the Masses. Retrieved from http://onewaystreet.typepad.com/one_way_street/2009/03/the-wellfurnished-interior-of-the-masses.html
Mark Zuckerberg. (2015). In Wikipedia. Retrieved August, 2015, From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Zuckerberg
The blogging Turtle. (2010). Blogging at the speed of a turtle. Retrieved from https://bloggingturtle.wordpress.com/2010/10/08/when-life-gives-you-lemons
You have brought up some very valid points in regards to the 'cyber-flaneur', especially the relevance of the cyber-flaneur to Facebook and the flaneur's of Paris in the 19th Century. Although, it would be interesting to consider the relativeness the cyber-flaneur has to familiarising a place to become a personal space in virtual reality, particularly as discussed by Gaylene Barnes (1997) the cyber-flaneur idly wanders through virtual space, "developing a virtual identity while connected", that is to say, by exploring and observing the cyber-flaneur is able to develop their identity and in doing so they create their own place among the chaos that is virtual reality. As you have stated Facebook is notorious for harbouring the cyber-flaneur through the ability to observe as a third party, yet I would also argue that Facebook also allows the cyber-flaneur to gain a sense of identity through observing as a wall-flower.
ReplyDeleteReferences:
Barnes, G. (1997). Passage of the Cyber-Flaneur. USA: Otago University.
I love the way in which you refer to yourself as a type of ‘cyber-flaneur’. I completely see where you’re coming from as this week’s lecture and readings have helped me conclude that I may be one too. Reading through everyone else’s blogs, there seems to be a recurring pattern with this assumption, which leads me to think, maybe we are all have a little ‘cyber-flanuer’ in us.
ReplyDeleteWe all enjoy the fluidity of a stroll through the internet (Barnes, 1997). The ability to move anonymously from one webpage to another, we find ourselves embracing the ‘glittering spectacles of modern life without necessarily having to participate in them’ (Barnes, 1997).
I find that in referral to the arcades, Facebooks similarity to them is very obvious on the news feed. It is the most public sphere of this social network, where everything you do on there will be seen. You are less likely to do something against the status quo knowing that all of your friends may see what you have done, and vice versa. I have found that a great example of this is when I am ‘trolled’ publically by a stranger or even someone on my friends list. Many of my mutual friends see this ‘trolling’ and the put their two words in. Back me up, show that they are there and watching. It makes you feel just that little more confident and supported in what you are doing, and isn’t that how people were meant to feel in the arcades? Safe, supported, and confident? At home and comfortable in this public sphere? I find this connection extremely interesting, and I agree that it shows that our social structures are still very similar to those from the 19th century.
Barnes, G. (1997). Passage of the Cyber-Flaneur. USA: Otago University. Retrieved from http://www.raynbird.com/essays/Passage_Flaneur.html