In the West, social media has been blamed for a number of ills, from alienation to depression. Some even believe them to be creating a generation of narcissistic electronic addicts who are incapable of reflective, individual, original thought.
However, as a global study shows, this is not necessarily the case elsewhere in the world. The “Why We Post” project has just been published by nine anthropologists, led by Daniel Miller of University College, London. The study was shared by the Economist.
The study participants worked independently for 15 months at locations in Brazil, Britain, Chile, China (one rural and one industrial site), India, Italy, Trinidad and Tobago, and Turkey. They embedded themselves within families and their surrounding communities. That, the team believes, let them form a nuanced view of the roles of social media in their study sites which could not be gained by analysing participants’ public postings.
The Truth About Social Media
These fly-on-the-wall perspectives refute much received wisdom. One of the sceptics’ biggest bêtes noires is the “selfie”—which is often blamed for fostering self-regard and an undue focus on attractiveness. “Why We Post”, however, reveals that the selfie itself has many faces.
In Italy, girls were indeed seen to take dozens of pictures of themselves before settling on one to post. In Brazil, many selfies posted by men were taken at the gym. But in Britain, schoolchildren posted five times as many “groupies” (images of the picture-taker with friends) as they did selfies. Britons have also created a category called “uglies”, wherein the purpose is to take as unflattering a self-portrait as possible. And in Chile, another unique genre has developed: the “footie”. This is a shot taken of the user’s propped-up feet, a sign of relaxation.
The Critical Meme
The often-humorous, marked-up images known as memes have also come in for criticism. They debase traditional forms of public debate, lament some, spreading far and wide with little context.
But memes serve different purposes in different cultures. In India they tend to focus on serious and religious issues; Trinidadian memes are more often send-ups of politicians. Yet in all cases, Dr Miller sees meme-passing not as limiting what social-media users think and say, but as enabling discourse. Many users happily forward memes laced with strong ideological messages about which they would not dare to comment individually.
Behind the Mask
Critics also often view the online personae people create for their social-media postings as false fronts designed for the medium at hand. Trinidadians, however, disagree. They see online profiles as more representative of a person’s true self even than what is seen in real life. And, though the perceived loss through social media of the anonymity that once characterised online life causes much hand-wringing in the West, young boys and girls in Turkey see things differently. Social media permit them to be in constant contact with one another, in full view of their parents, but to keep their conversations and photos to themselves.
In rural China and Turkey social media were viewed as a distraction from education. But in industrial China and Brazil, they were seen to be an educational resource. Such a divide was evident in India, too. There, high-income families regarded them with suspicion but low-income families advocated them as a supplementary source of schooling. In Britain, meanwhile, they were valued not directly as a means of education, but as a way for pupils, parents and teachers to communicate.
A Big World
“Why We Post” thus challenges the idea that the adoption of social media follows a single and predictable trajectory. Indeed, the Chinese sites show that the use of such media can vary from place to place within a single country.
The study also refutes the idea that social media are making humans any less human. In Dr Miller’s words, users are merely attaining something that was latent in human beings.
You can read the full post on the Economist.
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I think its usually the people who don’t use social media, and therefore those who don’t understand it and can’t perceive it’s values, who are negative and critical about it. They are also the ones who tend to constantly criticise young people, for example, and complain that things were so much better in the past. Really? I don’t think so. Its just different. Its a shame people have to be so judgemental and negative. There are always two sides to everything, as this post demonstrates. Those people misusing social media would still be the same type of people, they’d just be doing it somewhere else instead of on social media. Its just another tool, like books, TV, radio etc. (I’m quite placid, Nick, but negativity does wind me up! ???)
Lol – fair enough.
Yep, it’s a tool. You can use it or abuse it – your choice 🙂
Thank you for sharing. Very interesting. Though there are some obvious cultural differences and influences, it must in the end, surely come down to the individual and how they view and use Social Media.
Absolutely. Individual preference always trumps trend 🙂
If I weren’t an author in need of a place to show my work, I don’t think I’d be on social media. I’d much rather sit with people and talk than share things online. My family, is just the opposite. They’re online with all kinds of personal exchanges. I have friends in Turkey, and they’re online all the time as well. Interesting information about other cultures and how they use this social media.
Interesting information about you, too 🙂
Thought provoking stuff here. Have to admit, in my real life, I see most of the negative aspects of social media, very few of the positives. Obviously, there are positives, and I attempt to educate my children on those and warn them away from the negatives (some of which will get them in criminal trouble). But I try to stress the importance of actual human interaction: playing with real live people, talking to people who are sitting next to you in real life, as well as all those other “boring, antiquated” ways of doing things. 🙂
Tsk – people sitting next to you?! That’s so dull 😀
The varying takes on social media are interesting and not surprising. The differences between generations strike me as even more significant. Another ten years, I think it’s going to be completely different 😀 I can’t keep up!
Tell me about it 😀
I noticed the United States was not even mentioned in this study. Is that because going in, the people who created the study figured it was a Lost Cause? LOL
I think most of the ‘western world’ unless reminded, sees the social output from the US as the norm, and these researchers wanted to dispel that myth … maybe.
I think the research was aimed at the US audience, so they probably thought everyone there knows what that is like.
😀
Fascinating research, Nicholas, and thank you for being plugged in enough to share.
Thank you! More than some, far less than others, I guess 😀
In many ways each of us is our own country. Our heads rule some days; hearts overrule on others.
I dabbled with Facebook and was bored beyond belief. Now I’m advised I should plant a new professional footprint there to promote my books. Not feeling like opening that door again, but if needs must, I might give it another go.
I made the decision to write 9 novels before devoting my time to marketing. Not the wisest move, in hindsight. My decision was pure procrastination.
I am low on the online totem pole (read learning curve… I live in the land of totem poles). Did I mention I was top in procrastination class?
Novel 9 went live on April 15th.
It’s time to address the art of marketing an indie-publishing business. Now comes the difficult task of summoning enough energy to face Facebook, tweet on Twitter, and be good in Goodreads.
Better late than never.
You will find one of my upcoming posts very interesting 🙂
As for social media, just pick the one that feels natural to you. For me, it’s my blog. I dabble with the rest, but in here I’m like a fish in the water.
Cultural diversity is a wonderful thing. Love the post and the comic strip cartoon, thank you!
Thanks 🙂
I’m not very gregarious in person, so I can say that on FB I’ve made more contacts and acquaintances that I’m comfortable with than I ever have in “real” life.
I know what you mean. Besides, residing in Greece means this is my only way of connecting with you 🙂
Very interesting but… I really don’t have the time or will to put in the effort of using FB sociallly – even for my writing. I know it’s a powerful sales tool, but it’s like my long-term aversion to smartphones – I’m just NOT going to put the time in! 🙁
Lol – fair enough. No one’s forcing you, you know 😀
Fascinating! It’s interesting to see how other countries view social media. Funny how no one mentioned the huge time-suck it can be.
Lol – I assume they took that for granted 😀
Some interesting conclusions here, Nicholas. Having just spent the weekend with my wife, stepson, his girlfriend, and my step-daughter, watching all four of them constantly holding tablets, i-pads, and smart phones, I am not so sure if it’s such a good idea. Actual human interaction seemed to be very low on the agenda…
Best wishes, Pete.
Seems to be a thing for us oldies, doesn’t it? 🙂
Very interesting stuff. Only the British could do uglies. 😉 Like it.
Lol – yes, that’s why I love you lot 😀
Interesting to know Nicholas how a National identity seems to have become set in the way each Country uses social media, to see that youth everywhere does not conform to one pattern as you’d expect,
Hugs
Excellent point! It is rather unexpected, isn’t it?