I’ve spent some time thinking about the topic of “onstage” and “backstage” performances in online settings like Facebook. As we stated in class, not all “performances” in the online world are completely fabricated. Some may in fact reflect an individual’s true thoughts and personality. Nonetheless, I came across an interesting web-tool known as Generatus (www.generatus.com). The site allows users to enter their name and gender, as well as any category tags. The program will then “generate” status updates for you. You can continually click the generate button until you find the status that you like. Certainly, someone could use this site to authentically express their feelings and personality. But it seems more likely to enable people to fabricate their online selves. Instead of having to think of an interesting tweet related to your actual daily experience, Generatus will quickly provide you with a funny or profound update. If no one knows about Generatus, they may think you actually thought of that ingenious pun for your Facebook status. The program makes it easy to inflate and fabricate your “onstage” performance.
It is tempting to prop up certain aspects of yourself and purge others for the sake of having a more appealing online performance. In a way, sites like Facebook provide people the opportunity for a clean slate. It’s a new environment in which people encounter you, except that in this environment, you have almost total control over what is displayed. If you dislike your physical appearance, you can simply manipulate the camera-angle and settings to put forth your most “presentable” self. In this mediated environment, if you’re speaking with someone whom you dislike or you are intimidated by, there is a certain barrier allowing you to control how you communicate. This mediated advantage doesn’t exist in face-to-face interactions. Likewise, in your “about me” section, you could fabricate all sorts of interesting things about yourself. You could claim to be an experienced wake-board surfer and actually have only touched a board once in your life. In a face-to-face interaction, it may be more obvious that you were indulging a bit. In the online world, no one could really know. The mediated environment allows the users great power in shaping their online “self.” Programs like “Generatus” only further enable users to indulge in their fabricated online performances.
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First, I agree there is an opporunity for people to create a 'persona' on the internet, but I dont think that the desire for people to create and fabricate fake 'personas' is specific to the medium of internet, and I don't believe the internet encourages or promotes this more than any other medium.
ReplyDeleteThink about TV, about how much is done before a show. Makeup, scripts, and yes, camera angles... are all VERY controlled on TV. Yes, you are seeing a real person, but that is their TV persona. I believe that this can also apply to any medium. Just as you can say on the internet that you are a wake-board expert, I dont see how saying it over the radio (for any other medium for that matter) is much different. So, I dont see the internet as any different in that sense.
The difference with the internet is that the middle man, or 'delivery mechanism' becomes irrelevant. All communication is now direct, there is no longer a gatekeeper. You can say what you want, and the audience is now the fact-checker, there is no 'network' or manager to filter content. If they don't buy it, they wont listen and you wont have an audience. Yes, people can still try to deceive others with an 'illusion', but I believe with the transparency and word of mouth power of the internet, this cannot be sustained. The masses will eventually find out and you will be discredited.