MY FACEBOOK PROFILE : COPY, RESEMBLANCE, OR SIMULACRUM? Dr David Kreps ISOS - University of Salford Presented at ECIS, Galway , June 2008

Dr David Kreps ISOS - University of Salford

Presented at ECIS, Galway , June 2008

INTRODUCTION A BRIEF INTELLECTUAL HISTORY OF THE SIMULACRUM SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES MY FACEBOOK PROFILE –COPY, RESEMBLANCE, OR SIMULACRUM? CONCLUSION

INTRODUCTION

A BRIEF INTELLECTUAL HISTORY OF THE SIMULACRUM

SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES

MY FACEBOOK PROFILE –COPY, RESEMBLANCE, OR SIMULACRUM?

CONCLUSION

Intellectual History “Artists, writers, and scientists do not hesitate in their creative efforts and researches to borrow ideas outside their own special fields” - Wiener, P. ‘Dictionary of the History of Ideas’.

“Artists, writers, and scientists do not hesitate in their creative efforts and researches to borrow ideas outside their own special fields” - Wiener, P. ‘Dictionary of the History of Ideas’.

‘Black boxing’ the user Deconstruction of the ‘computer user’ Social/sociological context of users Post-structuralist understandings of the Self Intellectual history of the simulacrum.

Deconstruction of the ‘computer user’

Social/sociological context of users

Post-structuralist understandings of the Self

Intellectual history of the simulacrum.

Simulacrum Plato Nietzsche Deleuze.

Plato

Nietzsche

Deleuze.

Plato’s Cave Simulacrum: an image; a representation; an insubstantial, superficial, or vague likeness or semblance Plato, ‘Sophist’ and ‘Republic’ The Cave - Theory of Forms - Ideas.

Simulacrum: an image; a representation; an insubstantial, superficial, or vague likeness or semblance

Plato, ‘Sophist’ and ‘Republic’

The Cave - Theory of Forms - Ideas.

Illustration © Scott Mayhew.

Inversion of Platonism Nietzsche : The Twilight of the Idols Accused the decadent Christian philosophers of the previous two millennia of ignoring the reliable input of their senses and resorting to mere constructs of language and reason - a distorted copy of reality.

Nietzsche : The Twilight of the Idols

Accused the decadent Christian philosophers of the previous two millennia of ignoring the reliable input of their senses and resorting to mere constructs of language and reason - a distorted copy of reality.

Gilles Deleuze Inverting Platonism means overturning “both the world of essence and the world of appearance” Plato’s Theory of Forms satisfies a more primary motivation to sort out – to faire la difference – between true & false images.

Inverting Platonism means overturning “both the world of essence and the world of appearance”

Plato’s Theory of Forms satisfies a more primary motivation to sort out – to faire la difference – between true & false images.

The Agora Deleuze locates Plato in the agora Empire vs Athenian democracy Transcendence re-introduced A claimant is well-founded only insofar as he/it resembles or imitates the foundational Idea.

Deleuze locates Plato in the agora

Empire vs Athenian democracy

Transcendence re-introduced

A claimant is well-founded only insofar as he/it resembles or imitates the foundational Idea.

Redefining Simulacrum Different not in degree but in nature An image without resemblance Internal difference / identity that exists in and of itself Warhol’s Campbell Soup cans: which is the originary model?

Different not in degree but in nature

An image without resemblance

Internal difference / identity that exists in and of itself

Warhol’s Campbell Soup cans: which is the originary model?

The Mask - Hierarchy of Idea, copy, false copy, broken: only Masks are left - The Platonic illusion is that a face exists behind the mask - Simulacrum no longer a ‘false’ copy in relation to a supposedly ‘true’ original The Mask is all. Ron Mueck (Australian, b. 1958). Mask II, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

- Hierarchy of Idea, copy, false copy, broken: only Masks are left

- The Platonic illusion is that a face exists behind the mask

- Simulacrum no longer a ‘false’ copy in relation to a supposedly ‘true’ original

The Mask is all.

Difference The old, imperial element of transcendence – the inclusion of which was Plato’s error – is thus jettisoned The purely immanent theory of Ideas is free to begin with the simulacrum itself Difference becomes the great Idea.

The old, imperial element of transcendence – the inclusion of which was Plato’s error – is thus jettisoned

The purely immanent theory of Ideas is free to begin with the simulacrum itself

Difference becomes the great Idea.

Social Networking Sites Range of different technological features fairly consistent Ecademy/LinkedIn: professionals MySpace centred around music Bebo/Habbo/ClubPenguin: children Facebook: many disperate social groups together in one space.

Range of different technological features fairly consistent

Ecademy/LinkedIn: professionals

MySpace centred around music

Bebo/Habbo/ClubPenguin: children

Facebook: many disperate social groups together in one space.

Friendship Tendency to collect ‘friends’ in a competitive manner "It's not a real social network, it mimics the playground insecurities of primary school kids piling up best friends to find their social niche." (Pahl, Independent 2007)

Tendency to collect ‘friends’ in a competitive manner

"It's not a real social network, it mimics the playground insecurities of primary school kids piling up best friends to find their social niche." (Pahl, Independent 2007)

dana boyd Friendster (before MySpace) Profile “a static representation of self....a digital body... public displays of identity where people can explore impression management” Refers to Goffman but omits ‘giving off’

Friendster (before MySpace)

Profile “a static representation of self....a digital body... public displays of identity where people can explore impression management”

Refers to Goffman but omits ‘giving off’

Mask and Identity Wiszniewski & Coyne Critique of Platonist romance of identity in recent IT literature Self/soul identified with immutable world of Ideas above and beyond the more tiresome world of the physical e.g. Gibson

Wiszniewski & Coyne

Critique of Platonist romance of identity in recent IT literature

Self/soul identified with immutable world of Ideas above and beyond the more tiresome world of the physical e.g. Gibson

Mask and Identity... Romantic - celebrates the mask Different roles, dressing up, or living out a fantasy Empiricist - reality bytes “ our experience is also fraught with exposure to superficialities”

Romantic - celebrates the mask

Different roles, dressing up, or living out a fantasy

Empiricist - reality bytes

“ our experience is also fraught with exposure to superficialities”

Mask and Identity... Romantic & Empiricist Face behind the mask remains the true object Phenomenology Mask and what lie behind it are both subject to the same context

Romantic & Empiricist

Face behind the mask remains the true object

Phenomenology

Mask and what lie behind it are both subject to the same context

Mask and Identity... Critical Theory Mask is constituted by all the ruses of the capitalist system to conceal the hegemony of oppression Mask conceals the fact that there is a mask.

Critical Theory

Mask is constituted by all the ruses of the capitalist system to conceal the hegemony of oppression

Mask conceals the fact that there is a mask.

Mask and Identity... Radical Deleuzean The ‘essential’ behind the mask is shown to also be a mask Series of masks, each referring back to another influence, to a further context, beyond which there is no final fixed referent, no authentic face.

Radical Deleuzean

The ‘essential’ behind the mask is shown to also be a mask

Series of masks, each referring back to another influence, to a further context, beyond which there is no final fixed referent, no authentic face.

Identity/Question Identity too slippery and constantly unfolding to pin down or define Identity always a question never an answer.

Identity too slippery and constantly unfolding to pin down or define

Identity always a question never an answer.

February 2004 Harvard college students Stanford, Columbia & Yale during 04 May 2005 More than 800 college & high-school networks October 05 - International

February 2004

Harvard college students

Stanford, Columbia & Yale during 04

May 2005

More than 800 college & high-school networks

October 05 - International

Facebook... May 2006 - 6million users ‘grew up’ adding adult networks based around the workplace at first college staff, then businesses, corporations, institutions, and cities Dec 2006 : 12 million users.

May 2006 - 6million users

‘grew up’ adding adult networks based around the workplace

at first college staff, then businesses, corporations, institutions, and cities

Dec 2006 : 12 million users.

Facebook: Summer 07 April ‘07 - 20 million users May ‘07 - Launch of API for 3rd party apps November ‘07 - 50 million users May ‘08 - 70 million active (users who have returned to the site in the last 30 days)

April ‘07 - 20 million users

May ‘07 - Launch of API for 3rd party apps

November ‘07 - 50 million users

May ‘08 - 70 million active (users who have returned to the site in the last 30 days)

Facebook experience New ‘virtual’ groupings by the minute Commonality of studenthood in the US International community find everyone you know who might ever join an SNS.

New ‘virtual’ groupings by the minute

Commonality of studenthood in the US

International community

find everyone you know who might ever join an SNS.

Facebook profile Plato: Facebook profile a poor, virtual, second copy of the first copy of one’s essential, Ideal Self Trustworthy copy that truly resembles its creator? Or False copy, a simulacrum that reveals nothing of the true individual

Plato: Facebook profile a poor, virtual, second copy of the first copy of one’s essential, Ideal Self

Trustworthy copy that truly resembles its creator? Or

False copy, a simulacrum that reveals nothing of the true individual

Facebook culture... Present oneself, full real name, to those whom one already knows in real life Add ‘friends’ through recommendation via pre-existing networks or through chosen channels Befriending applications

Present oneself, full real name, to those whom one already knows in real life

Add ‘friends’ through recommendation via pre-existing networks or through chosen channels

Befriending applications

Burden Profile must achieve several things at once to several different potential audiences, both known and unknown Representative burden extremely complex.

Profile

must achieve several things at once

to several different potential audiences, both known and unknown

Representative burden extremely complex.

Deleuzian reading Profile as simulacral mask Hides no essential, Ideal self more authentic than the mask But one of its creator’s many masks Representative burden lifts, becomes more playful, and perhaps even more revealing

Profile as simulacral mask

Hides no essential, Ideal self more authentic than the mask

But one of its creator’s many masks

Representative burden lifts, becomes more playful, and perhaps even more revealing

Digital body Profile as Digital Body with life of its own Profile as public identity/question Continually co-created with the medium Explore new modes of being.

Profile as Digital Body with life of its own

Profile as public identity/question

Continually co-created with the medium

Explore new modes of being.

Phenomenology Phenomenological constraints Features and applications narrow what mask can display, prescribe the range of what one can be Figure of constraints our identities are placed under within sociopolitical context of the networked society.

Phenomenological constraints

Features and applications narrow what mask can display, prescribe the range of what one can be

Figure of constraints our identities are placed under within sociopolitical context of the networked society.

Romance? Romantic notions of the virtual profile gaining us freedom in the cyberspatial world from the perils and tribulations of the mundane? As illusory as the shadows of the allegorical Cave.

Romantic notions of the virtual profile gaining us freedom in the cyberspatial world from the perils and tribulations of the mundane?

As illusory as the shadows of the allegorical Cave.

Soup of masks Profile brings together masks of professionalism, family, social group, school friends, college acquaintances and net-friends A ‘soup’ of masks that interrelate and occasionally clash – ‘giving off’ more than we would sometimes wish

Profile brings together masks of professionalism, family, social group, school friends, college acquaintances and net-friends

A ‘soup’ of masks that interrelate and occasionally clash – ‘giving off’ more than we would sometimes wish

SNS Identity ‘Soup’ exposes our careful ploys – the identities we try to present in different contexts and at different times Foregrounds the chain of reference, the endless cycle of masks with no fixed final referent Brings us face-to-face with multiplicity of our own natures – who are we?

‘Soup’ exposes our careful ploys – the identities we try to present in different contexts and at different times

Foregrounds the chain of reference, the endless cycle of masks with no fixed final referent

Brings us face-to-face with multiplicity of our own natures – who are we?

A Facebook profile is: Neither copy, nor resemblance of any essential self ‘I’ might identify as ‘me’ A simulacrum, a mask in its own right combining many others Defined by its internal difference from the multiplicitous person it is supposed to represent

Neither copy, nor resemblance of any essential self ‘I’ might identify as ‘me’

A simulacrum, a mask in its own right combining many others

Defined by its internal difference from the multiplicitous person it is supposed to represent

Implications “Communities are affected by the individual identities of their population but likewise those communities also provide information to allow the formation of personal identities.” (Anderson 2007)

“Communities are affected by the individual identities of their population but likewise those communities also provide information to allow the formation of personal identities.” (Anderson 2007)

Identity formation Small rural or village communities, or formative phases of life Identity as Platonically essentialist or straddling Deleuzean multiplicities Individuals affect the formation of each others’ personal identities .

Small rural or village communities, or formative phases of life

Identity as Platonically essentialist or straddling Deleuzean multiplicities

Individuals affect the formation of each others’ personal identities .

Identity formation... In our Information Age “a direct pathway to individuals has been established which bypasses geographic community networks and traditional forms of identity formation.” Facebook in particular transcends temporal as well as physical networks

In our Information Age “a direct pathway to individuals has been established which bypasses geographic community networks and traditional forms of identity formation.”

Facebook in particular transcends temporal as well as physical networks

SNS identity formation Mediated influence upon identity formation Foregrounds and emphasises the Deleuzean multiplicity of our Selves Contributes to users understanding that each of us wears any number of masks according to context.

Mediated influence upon identity formation

Foregrounds and emphasises the Deleuzean multiplicity of our Selves

Contributes to users understanding that each of us wears any number of masks according to context.

Research questions Implications for nature of our identities Straying from some essential Ideal form or merely coming out in all their multiplicitous glory? Qualitative research on the nature of virtual identity, and the impact of social networking upon the Self

Implications for nature of our identities

Straying from some essential Ideal form or merely coming out in all their multiplicitous glory?

Qualitative research on the nature of virtual identity, and the impact of social networking upon the Self

IS research SNS - possibility not so much of representing ourselves on the WWW, but of exploring multiplicities of who we are Explosion of popularity owes more to this looseness than to the degree of authenticity SNS profilebuilder tools offer us in ‘representing’ our ‘selves’.

SNS - possibility not so much of representing ourselves on the WWW, but of exploring multiplicities of who we are

Explosion of popularity owes more to this looseness than to the degree of authenticity SNS profilebuilder tools offer us in ‘representing’ our ‘selves’.

Conclusion Plato Theory of Forms: transcendence back in Athens Democratic revolution Deleuze’s simulacrum values difference and uniqueness, albeit notions of the individual self become thereby more fluid, more contingent, more contextual – less ‘centred’.

Plato Theory of Forms: transcendence back in Athens Democratic revolution

Deleuze’s simulacrum values difference and uniqueness, albeit notions of the individual self become thereby more fluid, more contingent, more contextual – less ‘centred’.

Contact [email_address] Information Systems, Organisations and Society Research Centre University of Salford M5 4WT UK

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Information Systems, Organisations and Society Research Centre University of Salford M5 4WT UK