Our society is heavily reliant on the
technology and machines that formulate social media, and now our worth depends
on the amount of likes, comments, and especially followers that we receive over
social media. Nancy Baym claims that the term, technological determinism,
emphasizes the effect machines have on individuals and on society (27). Personally,
I believe the importance of technological determinism stresses that the more
individuals use social media, such as Instagram, they tend to lose their sense
of place or authenticity, and thus our social lives are highly influenced by
technology (29). The more we used social media, the more it encompasses our
lives and embodies the essence of our social circle. As a result, the average
teenager’s life has changed immensely, and hence one’s worth is now based off
of their online popularity on social media.
In the case of Lilli Hymowitz, her Instagram
account went viral and her followers believe she is one of the coolest and
stylish girls in New York City. Throughout Reeves Wiedeman’s article, he states
that Lilli’s followers believe they know the real Lilli by simply lurking her
photos on Instagram. However, social media allows Lilli to only share photos
that she believes reflect her beauty, popularity, and overall highlights the
positive aspects of her personality and social life. Although Lilli may truly
be rich and attend some of the most exclusive parties in New York City, the
majority of her followers only respect and idolize Lilli because of the image
she presents online and not the girl that exists offline. Lilli’s followers
therefore do not know anything about the other aspects of Lilli’s life that she
may not wish to share over the Internet, and thus this provides her followers
with a skewed representation of Lilli. Some of the anxieties that Lilli
revealed throughout her Interview in Wiedman’s article states that Lilli hates
to be alone, and thereby she may worry that if she is not physically hanging
out with people in real life, then maybe her online popularity is a lie.
Through a technological determinist
perspective, Lilli’s Instagram account is a prime example of how machines
control individuals and our social lives. Social media therefore drives our
social lives and values, and thus sets unrealistic standards to define one’s
worth. These technological machines should not control us, since they have
manipulated us to believe that you should “edit your life on Instagram” in
order to be cool and accepted in today’s society.
Hi Kaitlyn,
ReplyDeleteGreat post with lots of applicable detail! Your point regarding loss of authenticity really resonated with me. Individuals self-confidence and worth is often motivated by recognition and popularity over various social media platforms. In today’s technological driven society, people are able to manipulate and select what they share with the public. The majority of people share only the best memories and experiences with their followers/friends. This projects the notion that they live an ideal life as no hardships are portrayed. Social media platforms such as Instagram, allow individuals to express themselves in a way, which may not be truthful to themselves. In fact, they can ultimately portray a false persona and image to the public. This is problematic (especially with the youth generation) as it often portrays a false sense of normalcy and can leave many feeling insecure. Technological determinism is relevant as it recreates the notion that technology ultimately interpellates everyday life.