Space. The final frontier. These are the voyages – Okay so
I’m not actually talking about Star Trek, I’m talking about space in a more
metaphysical sense, one that holds more relevance to place and identities. When we find a space it is simply an unattached space that holds no
meaning, yet over time and through familiarity the alien space becomes a place
that holds person meaning. These concepts of space and place are not only
geological, but are also virtual; this final frontier of virtual space allows for
people to construct their identity as they are introduced to a variety of
ideologies and beliefs; particularly through social media networks.
Take for
example the social media blogging website Tumblr, a platform that allows people
to express themselves and their opinions while also creating networks, identity
and spaces. I have been a member of Tumblr for four years now, yet I have chosen
to remain a wallflower, never expressing my opinions, but, unlike me, many find
it a familiar space to express and develop their identities. These identities
are developed through shared knowledge or narratives, and these narratives in
themselves have the capacity to make a space meaningful (Van Luyn, 2015).
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| Retrieved from: https://www.flickr.com/ |
A
large aspect of creating a personal space can be linked to the concept of an online
blog’s similarity to the traditional diary. McNeil (2003) argues that these blogs
are the evolved form of a diary, and the same could be said for social media
sites, the world of news, journalism and knowledge is constantly changing, where newspapers and magazines are being adapted
for the modern technological society, as can be seen in the article, How Tumblr is changing Journalism.
This new frontier of virtual reality is continually evolving, and adapting as we mould and shape our online experiences, but have we ever stopped to consider that perhaps our virtual realities are shaping us instead?
References:
Van Luyn, A. (2015). BA1002: Our Space: Network, Narratives and the Making of Place, Lecture 3:
Space and Identity: Genre and Transformation. Retrieved from: http://learnjcu.jcu.edu.au
McNeill, L. (2003). Diary 2.0? A Genre Moves from Page to Screen. In Rowe & Wyss (Eds.), Language and New Media: Linguistic, Cultural and Technological Evolutions (pg 313- 325). USA: Hampton Press.
Macmanus, R. (2011). How Tumblr is Changing Journalism. Retrieved from: http://readwrite.com/2011/09/13/how_tumblr_is_changing_journalism
Image Reference:
NS Newsflash. (2011). Newspapers B&W. [Image]. Retrieved from: https://www.flickr.com/photos/62693815@N03/6276688407/in/photostream/
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ReplyDeleteI myself, have not got Tumblr although have also used other social media sites such as Facebook and news blog; Politico, to find my news as opposed to opening up a newspaper or magazine. I can particularly relate to your comment on being a “wall flower” on social media. I’d rather observe than share any more than a photo or a ‘Happy Birthday’ comment on a friend or family’s profile. I don’t necessarily agree that the blog is an evolved “diary” as McNeil (2003) has argued. I believe that the blog should have its own genre which McNeil briefly discusses as it is so diverse and very public, a place for discussion and idea exchange as well as the personal thought and reflection “self-narrative” (Van Luyn, 2015) aspect. Although, I do agree on your final statement as Van Luyn (2015) also mentions “Narratives symbolically construct identity in online spaces.” I can’t help but wonder if our online spaces are constructing our identities.
ReplyDeleteVan Luyn, A. (2015). BA1002: Our Space: Network, Narratives and the Making of Place, Lecture 3: Space and Identity: Genre and Transformation. Retrieved from: http://learnjcu.jcu.edu.au
McNeill, L. (2003). Diary 2.0? A Genre Moves from Page to Screen. In Rowe & Wyss (Eds.), Language and New Media: Linguistic, Cultural and Technological Evolutions (pg 313- 325). USA: Hampton Press.