Thin-stagram

Instagram... while it's not your typical social networking site, where creating strong relationships with other users, despite the barrier of distance, is not a mere possibility but a reality. Instagram filters out all the rubbish our friends post about long days at work and their endless uni assignments, and allows users to see the juicy stuff their eyes desire. Such as last nights dinner, and Rihannas latest outfit or lack thereof. See my distinction? 

http://creatememe.chucklesnetwork.com/memes/136580
/if-i-didnt-instagram-my-food-today-did-i-even-eat

Instagram allows an individual to develop and mould an identity based on values, beliefs and characteristics. Creating an Instragram profile, for example, lets individuals display information such as religious views, interests, experiences, sexual orientation, education and work. This is important for the positive development of self-concept as the view of an individual from their peers can leave a great impression on how they view themselves (Adler & Rodman, 2009, p.32).  Networking platforms such as Instragram create a virtual landscape for users to create their own concepts and ideas about their personal social experiences, and communication of such ideas is instantaneous and available in an aesthetically pleasing manner… Well most of the time anyway. 

However, while this platform has the ability to shape and mould the way individuals view them self in a positive way, it can also be detrimental for their health…

As you can see there is a clear juxtaposition between Instagram and pro-eating disorder groups. Hashtags such as #thinspo, #thighgap, #thinspiration are prevalent on the platform. Encouraging users to partake in the dangerous behaviours that caused them to fall victim to their various diseases in the first place.

Instragram offers these groups a medium in which they can actively engage with fellow users. Due to the nature of the platform, in which connection is purely image-driven, users are at a far greater risk of comparing themselves to others.

The implications of grooming profiles such as the users I mentioned in the above video include the creation of a negative self-concept shaped by ideological moulding. Ideology plays an enormous role in the eradicate discourse that runs through the mind of suffers of eating disorders. Ideology is a thought process that helps to make sense of surroundings. According to Freeden (2003) “we simply cannot do without them because we cannot act without making sense of the worlds we inhabit” (p. 2). An ideology is a foundation of an individuals actions and opportunity.

According to McKee (2001) “there is no simple, single, correct interpretation of reality, it becomes very important to understand how media texts might be used in order to make sense of the world we live in. We cannot simply collect facts about our society – statistics, for example – and then say that we understand our society and culture, because these facts and statistics are just more texts. If we want to understand the world we live in, then we have to understand how people are making sense of that world” (p. 143).

Reflecting on the creation of this video I felt that I struggled greatly. With no prior experience in video editing it was an interesting feat putting together content that wasn’t too bland. For a large portion of my video I used screen grabs from users I found on Instagram using hashtags to support my arguments. I was hoping to be able to post some form of short clip into my video and do a voice over, over the top, but saving and uploading this sort of material was a little beyond my technical expertise and thus I kept uploaded content to screen shots and images.

Gaining supporting evidence for my argument was surprising a lot easier than expected, which was revealed to me after a quick search on the Library database Ebscohost. I found a plethora of supporting journal articles that outlined the connection between eating disorders and social media. This allowed me to gain a broad understanding of how these platforms, in particular image sharing channels, support the encouragement of pro-eating disorder groups.

This assignment gave me a very basic introduction to video editing, and the importance of allowing yourself time to create such content. While I experienced very little technical difficulties, I was glad I had the leeway to fix any issues if they had arisen.

Reference:

Adler, R.B. and Rodman, G., Understanding Human Communication, 10^th edn, Oxford University Press, New York, 2009, ch. 2, pp. 31 – 65

Cabral, BV (2012), 'Looking for change: Towards breaking down 'habitus'', Applied Theatre Research, 1, 1, pp. 17-27, International Bibliography of Theatre & Dance with Full Text, EBSCOhost

Freeden, M 2003, Ideology : A Very Short Introduction, Oxford: Oxford University Press, eBook Academic Collection (EBSCOhost), EBSCOhost

Instagram.com, (2014). Instagram. [online] Available at: http://instagram.com/ [Accessed 6 Sep. 2014]. 

Klaehn, J. (2005). A critical review and assessment of Herman and Chomsky’s "Propaganda Model". Filtering the news: Essays on Herman and Chomsky’s Propaganda Model. Montreal, Black Rose Books, pp. 1–20. 

Lopez-Guimera, G, Levine, M, Sanchez-carracedo, D, & Fauquet, J 2010, 'Influence of Mass Media on Body Image and Eating Disordered Attitudes and Behaviors in Females: A Review of Effects and Processes', Media Psychology, 13, 4, pp. 387-416, Communication & Mass Media Complete, EBSCOhost,

McCabe, J 2009, 'Resisting Alienation: The Social Construction of Internet Communities Supporting Eating Disorders', Communication Studies, 60, 1, pp. 1-16, Communication & Mass Media Complete, EBSCOhost

McKee, A 2001, 'A beginner's guide to TEXTUAL ANALYSIS', Metro, 127/128, p. 138, Communication & Mass Media Complete, EBSCOhost

Nedc.com.au, (2014). Eating Disorders in Australia. [online] Available at: http://www.nedc.com.au/eating-disorders-in-australia [Accessed 7 Sep. 2014].

Vpfunworld.com, (2014). funny meme pictures for instagram | Funny Pictures tumblr quotes Captions. [online] Available at: http://www.vpfunworld.com/funny-meme-pictures-for-instagram/ [Accessed 7 Sep. 2014].

quickmeme, (2014). Please tell me why you follow me on instagram But Don't like any of my pictures. [online] Available at: http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/3qx4uk [Accessed 7 Sep. 2014].

hiding behind the food...

You could call me a trendsetter, or merely a sheep amongst the ever-growing crowd of hipster healthy foodies snapping trendy pics of their latest creation to upload to insta… Well, I’m here to introduce you to my online alter ego @nutritionalbite.

screenshot of my instagram account
@nutritionalbite (6/8/2014)

‘…Oh no... Here we go again. Another food blogger trying to convince us why we need to ditch the burger for a pot of steaming KEENWA, or whatever that supposed 'superfood' is…’

It's exactly this kind of stereotypical thinking that keeps my online identity hidden in disparity. An anonymous agenda, sharing my passion with a world willing to listen. A faceless inventor, bursting with a rich array of creations. But who am I to my followers? Nothing but a soulless, lifeless provider, unable to make connections due to the incomprehensible pursuit of remaining hidden from judging eyes. Stereotypes help us to build an ideal reality, which can be drawn upon and related to, to create a way of viewing a particular entity. A stereotype is ‘… negative behavior by any member of the oppressed community [that] is instantly generalized as typical …' (Shohat & Stam, 1994, p.183). Stereotyping has the ability to induce positive effects on shaping the individual habitus by producing the impression of what right and wrong is, however; they often tend to be negative. 

The question I find myself continually asking is; am I the only one? Apparently not… According to Hongladarom (2011) the art of hiding ones true self behind the creation of pseudo personality is rising in the realms of the online world as “ the newly created persona, allows the person behind to say things in such a way that would not be possible if the person revealed who she really is to the world. Another situation is that more and more users are connected with those whom they do not know before. This is understandable given the situation where many are putting up invented semi- anonymous profiles”(p.537).

My Instagram account allows me to separate myself from my personal reality, and be someone who I aspire to become. Removing the perceived negative feedback we often receive from our peers creates a harmless sense of freedom. According to Marshall (2010) ‘we are moving into … the “specular economy” where collectively we are becoming more conscious of how we present ourselves and how others perceive us and this change is migrating to the epicenter of our knowledge economy’ (p. 499). The online world not only provides a forum where we can display ourselves in full, embracing the plethora of digital platforms, it also offers a safe haven for the tentative creatives like myself to gain confidence without divulging our most sensitive information.

The account is also a channel where I can connect solely with like minded individuals, as with the use of strategic hash tags allows me to attract only those with similar interests to my page. This level of engagement creates a space where inter-connectivity is heightened through the juxtaposition of similar belief systems and aspiration for understanding. Through the use of the app ‘Instafollowers’ I can gauge which photos & recipes my followers respond positively to, and those that aren’t so successful. This useful tool provides me with statistical data outlining how my followers are engaging with my account, including likes, comments and following. As such I am able to adjust future posts according to feedback from analyzed data. 

mind map created on bubbl.us https://bubbl.us/?h=21e1af/44e029/22xq4./AchSvE&r=1909369164, comparing the differences in my digital presence (6/8/2014)

This mindmap shows a clear contradiction between my two divergent online identities, and while my personal online accounts (facebook, LinkedIn etc) may provide private information about myself, they are disengaged, and lacking any real personal substance. Interestingly, while my online alter ego @nutritionalbite lacks the background information, which allows followers to fully connect; the account is socially viable, with frequent updates and engagement with fellow users. It is almost as if, combined, I cover the full spectrum of a fully active and dedicated digital persona, however I am disjointed, by the sheer fear of being judged by my peers. According to Merrin (2009) this shift towards individuals operating multiple digital personas is continually expanding, as we are seeing “the rise of optional media worlds: the fractal proliferation of entire, personally created, chosen and managed media environments” (p. 24). 

While this may be seen as utterly negating of the point of communication and connectivity in the digital realm, which Sacks & Graves (2012) describe as a tool by which the individual can construct their social identity (p. 80), there are many more avenues where individuals can express themselves socially. Heng & de Moor (2003) argue “the internet provides its users with a platform to conduct potentially open discussion, debate and exchange of information, which gives equal opportunity to the participants, and is free from constraints of power relations” (p. 335). This is important for the positive development of self-concept as the view of an individual from their peers can leave a great impression on how they view themselves. The way we communicate is affected by our self-esteem, which is shaped by the way we view ourselves (Adler & Rodman, 2009, p. 34).

It’s funny how perception of self has such a powerful effect on the way we present ourselves. More often than not, this perception has been shaped by our own personal ideology. Ideology is a thought process that helps to make sense of surroundings. According to Freeden (2003) “we simply cannot do without them because we cannot act without making sense of the worlds we inhabit” (p. 2). An ideology is a foundation of an individuals actions and opportunity, and is a concept that is critical in the digital realm. While there is no distinctive force preventing me from engaging on a more personal level, my perception, which has been shaped by my ideology, is that if I do engage it will be received unfavourably. This is due to social comparison, which is the unrealistic interpretation of media images by individuals that inevitably has a negative effect on self-esteem (Milke, 1999, p. 190). 

screenshot from my personal twitter
account 6/8/2014

Screenshot from my personal twitter
account 6/8/2014

This got me thinking; perhaps my two distinctly different online personas can coexist, cohesively, without the perceived danger of exposure. With the launch of my most recent digital media platform Twitter (thanks ALC201!) I am trialling an amalgamation of my online worlds. As you can see from the above screenshots, I have taken creations from my anonymous food account and shared them on a platform owned by my private account. The Twitter-sphere just may be the device I’ve been searching for to expose my alter ego, as “digital storytelling is the art of combining narrative with digital media such as images, sound, and video to create a short story,” (Dreon, Kerper, & Landis, p. 5) 

 

Wordcount: ~890 (not including in text citations and captions)

REFERENCES: 

Adler, R.B. and Rodman, G., Understanding Human Communication, 10^th edn, Oxford University Press, New York, 2009, ch. 2, pp. 31 – 65

Dreon, O, Kerper, R, & Landis, J 2011, 'Digital Storytelling: A Tool for Teaching and Learning in the YouTube Generation', Middle School Journal, 42, 5, pp. 4-10, Education Research Complete

Freeden, M 2003, Ideology : A Very Short Introduction, Oxford: Oxford University Press, eBook Academic Collection (EBSCOhost), EBSCOhost

Heng, M, & de Moor, A 2003, 'From Habermas's communicative theory to practice on the internet', Information Systems Journal, 13, 4, p. 331, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost

Hongladarom, S 2011, 'Personal Identity and the Self in the Online and Offline World', Minds & Machines, 21, 4, pp. 533-548, Applied Science & Technology Source, EBSCOhost,

Marshall, PP 2010, 'The Specular Economy', Society, 47, 6, pp. 498-502, SPORTDiscus with Full Text, EBSCOhost

Merrin, W 2009, 'Media Studies 2.0: upgrading and open-sourcing the discipline', Interactions: Studies In Communication & Culture, 1, 1, pp. 17-34, Communication & Mass Media Complete, EBSCOhost,

Milkie, MA 1999, 'Social Comparisons, Reflected Appraisals, and Mass Media: The Impact of Pervasive Beauty Images on Black and White Girls' Self-Concepts', Social Psychology Quarterly, 62, 2, pp. 190-210, SocINDEX with Full Text, EBSCOhost

Sacks, M, & Graves, N 2012, 'How Many “Friends” Do You Need? Teaching Students How to Network Using Social Media', Business Communication Quarterly, 75, 1, pp. 80-88, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost,