Hi guys,
When reading the Instagram Prom Queen of Instagram (PQOI) article, it reminded me very much of the technological determinism, which explains how technologies act upon and change society. For example, there are many technologies that are pivotal to how we live our everyday lives, such as Twitter, that we are dependant on regularly. These technologies we lived without previously with no issues, however if they were to disappear tomorrow there are many people who wouldn't know how to get dressed in the morning.
The PQOI article reminds me of this phenomenon as it shows how many young folk rely on Instagram (or other forms of social media), as a tool for all of their social interaction. Lilli Hymowitz, explains how regularly she is just chilling out by her pool on Instagram, and any time she is out actually socializing she is partying at big clubs, ones that she has connections to due to her Instagram fame.
This article also shows a negative correlation between time spent on Instagram and how many real life friends people have:
"Quezada, who plays basketball, largely posts himself in various states of dunking; he also spends the least time on Instagram — he posted just one video and five pictures all year, including a shot from the “Lilli’s Dark Circus”–watermarked photo booth — and everyone agreed that he has the most real-life friends."
This quote explains how Instagram has changed our view of what constitutes popularity. The PQOI article spends time discussing how Lilli is the most popular person of her age group in NYC because she has the most Instagram followers, but contradicts itself by telling us that Quezada has more real life friends than Lilli.
This can only be explained by technological determinism, and the idea that due to the change in technology, coolness or popularity is now determined not by face-to-face social interactions, but instead by a numerical representation of popularity which is determined by the amount of followers a person has.
Additionally, it is interesting to question if Lilli is popular or not. It is true that her fan base is huge, but her followers are fans of the image she presents of herself online, not of the actual person behind the screen who is evidently different from the person she presents herself as:
"Hymowitz asked her friends if they thought her Instagram captured her personality. “Definitely not,” Lee said. “Your Instagram is like, ‘She does cool stuff.’ It’s a lifestyle that people want to live.” Everyone agreed that Hymowitz was sweeter in person than the cool, even tough, persona she presented online."
I chose this theory because it was the one that stood out to me right away after reading both of the articles. I believe strongly in the theory of technological determinism because it is so evidently present in todays society, especially in the PQOI article. What do you guys think about this theory? Do you believe that technology has changed our opinion and definition of popularity? Do you think Lilli is genuinely "popular" or is she merely a person managing an account of that is associate with popularity?
Great read here Jamie! I strongly believe that the theory of technological determinism is the most evident theory of the article. I do believe technology has changed our concept of popularity. With the development of Facebook and Instagram, we've learned that there has become a social currency of "likes" and follows and people now define popularity based on those quantities. We may not know the individual but by seeing the audience someone can reach, we automatically assume they must be popular because people are interested. I feel that Lilli has become popular by association with her Instagram account. It is because who she is within the media world, that she can be identified and desired to be friends with. Pretty crazy what technology can do to society.
ReplyDeleteThanks again for the read!
Thanks for your thoughtful response Ryan. I like your point about how people assume someone is popular just because they already have likes. It is interesting because in real life, we don't all like the same thing. These social media forums have become more of a contest to show others how similar they are to people who are important. It is not about expressing your true self, but about creating a false image, in the attempt to promote the user to a position of power in the world of popularity.
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