The Specular
Economy: Examine the concept of the ‘specular economy’ in
relation to your own social media use.
OUR SPECULAR ECONOMY
Thanks to the development of new media forms, such as Facebook,
Twitter, Weibo & Instagram, many more of us are now “constructing online
public personas” (Marshall 2010, p. 498), and consequently a new form of
economy has emerged. It is the specular economy, which refers to our collective
heightening consciousness of how we present ourselves and how others perceive
us (p. 498-499). In this blog entry, I am going to examine the concept with the
choice of Instagram.
In Marshall’s article, he suggests that the current specular
economy is related to the “Me-generation” in the 1970s and links to
individualisation that highlights individual expression. However, yet, the
economy differs today “in its new construction of how to self is reconstituted
through the screens of engagement and interactivity that serve to organise and
shape our lives” (Marshall 2010 p. 499). For example, many of us including the
celebrities have got an Instagram account, which symbolises “a new quasi-public
presentation of the self and a version of ourselves” through various texts and
images under specular economy.
In Instagram, we may post photos and short videos up to 15 seconds.
We may circulate “images, information, text, conversation and interpersonal
exchanges” (by screen caps) (Marshall 2010, p. 502) on Instagram to create our
personas. Through the photos and videos we have shared, we display ourselves to
the others and shape our own persona. For example, some of my peers post photos
of their clothes or clubbing to construct an outgoing, chic persona. For one of
my friends who work as a reporter, he often uploads photos of social issues to
construct his professional, caring persona. By revealing photos of our private
bits, we have been producing different personas.
Yet, uploading photos and short videos is not the only way for us
to construct our own persona. We may give unique hash tags to our photos,
“like” particular photos and comment on others’ photos and videos to shape our
persona, as our words and actions represent our intentions, which may help us
shape our persona too.
To conclude, what Marshall (2010) says is significant, “what is
built into new media is the exchange and interchange of a networked culture”
(p. 500). The various functions on Instagram has allowed a social network to
emerge, provide an interactive medium to construct our own personas and become
an active member under specular economy.
References
Marshal, P.D 2010, ‘The Specular Economy’, Society, vol. 47,
no. 6, pp. 498-502
I like how you have chosen one particular platform to focus on here. I also feel as though Instagram in particular offers the opportunity to shape a public perception of yourself, with the ability to show only small and select parts of our lives. It would have been great if you'd included some photo or video content just to make the post more interactive and visual and to provide examples for your statements. Since it is a scholarly blog also, perhaps even one or two more sources or further research to back up your knowledge and points. Nice work!
ReplyDeleteHi Leo,
ReplyDeleteI quite enjoy reading your post about specular economy with your personal experience and the examples of your friends of using Instagram. You made the concept you wanted to discuss, the specular economy, very clearly in the first paragraph. You also effectively quoted from Marshall’s words to define the specular economy as constructing online public personas. I also agreed with your conclusion that exchange and interchange is significant in our networked culture. I would have liked for you to use hyperlinks or pictures which can exemplify and further expand understanding and attract the interest of the readers. Overall, nice work!
Violet
Hi Leo
ReplyDeleteGreat post. I like you discuss about the use of social media and the roles that people are playing in them. I think you are right about people are show the other an image that they want to be thought as. For me, I try not to show to much about myself on Facebook or other social media, and let the other to think I'm a good student ( Not only because my family can see them as well). Also, I like your idea about how people construct their own persona, I didn't think about that.
Thank you for your blog.
Hey Leo,
ReplyDeleteI liked how you started of your blog post with a defining quote of the specular economy so that anyone that stumbles across it can pick up on what you are saying and enjoy it! I also thought it was a really great idea to choose one particular media form so that you could focus in on it opposed to spending your time discussing several forms of social media. You've made it very clear how easy it is to create a persona simple by posting photos and adding hashtags on Instagram and I find this very interesting! The only thing I would suggest would be to add a picture or video within the post to break up the text but besides from that it was a fantastic post! Great work!
hey, nice enjoyable post to read was that structured very well. I think starting with a defining quote and closing with a strong point made it an easily accessible post that rounded off nicely. I think in order to take full advantage of the blogosphere platform the use of an image or a video would have complimented your post nicely and broken up the text. I would have also liked to see you go in to more specifics about your personal use of instagram. The idea to focus on one form of social media as opposed to many was very wise. keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteHey
ReplyDeleteThis is a great post because it hones in on the one media forum and really dissects its value and effectiveness. Your representation of Instagram is an accurate one and there is no doubt that it plays a big part in shaping an online persona. This is done by what we upload and what we choose to like and comment on, which is a point you have clearly touched on. Its an interesting argument when you speak about the creation of a persona through material goods. It's a great point and really well written. A great part of our online persona lies in how we try to portray ourselves through a series of images and this is touched on quite regularly throughout the post.
Leo, I do enjoy reading your blog post because you gave me your personal experience, your friends’ as well. First, you gave a clear definition of the specular economy and you quoted it from Marshall’s article which supported your point of view. The organization of your blog is well and clear that allows reader to follow easily. However, the aid of photos and short video can help attract readers’ attention, so you can improve your blog in this way. Anyway, good post! Keep it up!
ReplyDeleteHi Leo, your blog has mostly concentrated on the manner in which Instagram as a media for communication creates but has not appropriately communicated how the media type shapes the persona of a particular celebrity. In accordance to your statement ��By revealing photos of our private bits, we have been producing different personas�� I think you need to facilitate supporting information based on peer reviewed articles.
ReplyDeleteAlso I think some parts of your blog post did not connect exactly to the issue that you were trying to discuss especially the manner in which Instagram as media platform has contributed towards economic benefit. However, in this case, you have presented a strong argument on Istagram and the manner in which it has contributed on changed persona.
Anyway, you have done a good job!