As
I looked at this week’s discussion, and opened the various links, I asked
myself how we have gotten to this place in both academia and sociality where we "study selfies." Of course, I then read what Elizabeth Losh was doing, the
fascinating stories, essays, a class syllabus, blogposts, signed up for the NYU’s
Theresa Senft website and was sent her PDF “Microcelebrity and the Branded Self.”
This all made it very easy to grasp the potential. Many scholars are actively
studying the effects of selfie culture and the reasons for both its wide
acceptance and mass popularity. I come from a generation of taking pictures to
remember special moments—and then waiting impatiently for them to be developed,
hoping you came out looking good, and managed to capture the essence of the
moment (without cutting anyone’s head off, having sun glare destroy the whole thing,
or accidentally putting your thumb on the lens). Of course, if you owned a
Polaroid Instamatic, you could have a photo in 60 seconds---WOW! Quick pictures
were at Woolworth’s photo booth, four poses for a quarter---but only in black and white. Don't be frightened at the old photos...
My generation also
hoped to capture special moments OR make a statement with our look or style, and having somebody
want to photograph us was quite flattering. BUT, rarely (if
ever) could we record our own face anytime we felt so compelled, and would have
been thought vain if we did. Being involved in the performing arts as a young
woman meant I needed a photo portfolio or at least a headshot, and these were
expensive tools. Now, one can take their own "headshot" each time they have a
new haircut, try some new makeup, or think they look particularly dazzling. We
have come a long way baby! Miriam Posner’s UCLA course specifically addresses young
adults in this digital age, addressing the use of social media and selfie culture. Liz Losh does a remarkable job of showcasing all
these important scholars, their interest and active investment in this new
phase of scholarship. There was so much information I felt overwhelmed at times
but was amazed at the potential for new pedagogical tools through this seemingly
simple facet of social media.
I really enjoyed the section on NYU’s Theresa Senft; perhaps
the fast response added to my curiosity. She put selfie scholarship on the fast
track by creating a Facebook group for scholars to join and share “bibliographies,
curate images and disseminate new work.” The response was so overwhelming, she
had to create a smaller network! “Selfies Research Network” was the result in
collaboration with Miriam Posner (UCLA) and Fordham’s Alice E. Marwick. The
outcome is a learning environment, creating and researching the Pedagogy of
Selfies. This work proves of interest in the fields of psychology and
ethnography (to name a few) as well as the value of self-expression. Marwick
points out the way people, particularly the younger group growing up in this
digital age, use media in strategic ways to increase their popularity. This can
be narcissistic, and border on exhibitionism but if they are trying to market
themselves professionally (or their strategies will eventually mature into that)
they are using these tools wisely. Below is a rare sister selfie.
If instead, they are posting selfies each
time they put on new lipstick or wear a sexy dress, the former conclusion may
stand. Self portraits are an old concept but not everybody feels comfortable about having one. With today's trend towards selfies, that is rapidly changing. The discussion of Twitter by Marwick and danah boyd talks about “Context
collapse and imagined audience.” These are real issues, as people rely on
followers, short witty remarks, likes or re-tweets, and (of course) pictures.. Everything must be quick,
and visual artifacts have to please an “imagined audience.” Theresa Senft
recognized this potential for students to pay attention through pictures instead
of “reading in isolation” and used it as a tool. Selfies develop a form of online identity, can work
as either self-promotion or self-absorption, star-seeking tool or professional
promotion. Camgirls—a term I just learned---seem to have gained popularity, are
less subject to scrutiny, and easier to create effectively. On this note, Amanda
Todd’s suicide received 19 million views; this sad, vulnerable girl misused the
Web once and then suffered consequences beyond her ability to handle. Senft
notes: “An image in networked space has value beyond its visual presentation.”
Mark Marino and his Code literacy Week from 2010 and its innovative approaches
to service learning and selfies fits in with our tentative plans for the final
project! And I truly love the concept of Netprov and can easily see where
selfies could enhance the improvisational nature of these online presentations.
Cannot wait to try that out…
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