I Own; Therefore I Am
An Exploration of Materialism in Digital Communities
 |
| Selfie #1: Selfie modified using “HiddenFace” generative AI filter on Photoleap app, overlayed onto a Canva social media advertisement template. An Instagram post related to the incident from my personal account was then cropped and overlayed onto the image. |
In the realm of digital media, the influence of material possessions on our online identities has become increasingly significant as a method of engaging with audiences and communities. Through a blend of introspection and scholarly analysis, my research delves into this phenomenon, shedding light on the interplay between possessions, identity construction, and online visibility. Central to this exploration are five AI-generated selfies, which I meticulously analyze to reveal how material scarcity can serve as a barrier to digital inclusion, exacerbating existing socio-economic divides. Drawing upon the theoretical frameworks of Jean Baudrillard and Russel Belk, I illuminate the symbolic nature of possessions, showcasing how they morph into potent representations of identity in the digital realm. In my paper, I balance a discussion between the dangers selfies pose in perpetuating online exclusivity with their potential uses as transformative instruments for change. I further investigate selfies’ abilities to amplify marginalized voices while challenging dominant narratives as a means to foster inclusive online environments, drawing on the research of Christina Neumayer, Luca Rossi and Douglas Kellner to inform my conclusions. As a whole, my research underscores the pressing need for platforms to recognize and accommodate diverse experiences. By embracing initiatives aimed at enhancing digital literacy and fostering equitable platform design, we can collectively pave the way for a more inclusive and empowering online future.
The Creative Process: The Ghost in the Selfie
 |
| Selfie #2: AI edited selfie placed overtop AI generated background with Canva sticker overlayed. |
 |
| Selfie #3: An example of the first step in my creative methodology, one of the selfies edited using PhotoLeap’s “HiddenFace” filter effect. |
 |
| Selfie #4: AI Generated selfie edited in Canva with overlay of “Breaking News” sticker, edited onto a bus stop billboard advertisement. Created to show the irony of ‘clickbait’ which uses trauma and possessions as a means to sell content. |
 |
| Selfie #5: Commentary on the “collage” trend on social media which features a “glimpse into the daily life of the creator”. Left: A photo of myself collecting items from my burnt apartment. Top Right: A “shelfie” of books located on a shelf in the burnt apartment. Bottom Right: AI selfie created from description of items lost in the fire. |
My research topic was inspired by recents events that occurred in my personal life. On January 26th, 2024, my apartment complex was set afire by an arsonist and I lost my home and all its contents overnight. In creating my selfies, I embarked on a journey of self-exploration as I prompted the generative AI application, “Photoleap” to reform personal photographs into an amalgamation of my previously-owned objects. The results served as exemplars of Baudrillard’s theory of simulation, as the objects lost their sole value as material items and became part of a larger whole, transforming into symbols of my identity. The selfies were then imported into Canva, edited onto various advertisement templates as a means of eliciting discussion towards the ways materialism is encouraged among, and projected upon, social media users. Final adjustments were made in the digital art software, “Procreate”— a widely utilized application among digital artists. In using Procreate, I discuss the LAION-5B dataset which Photoleap draws from for its AI-generations. As much of the artwork collected for this dataset is scraped from social media sites themselves, a considerable portion of the data used to create my own selfies likely originated from Procreate itself, thereby exemplifying the cyclical nature of digital media as these tools continue to influence each other and progress the evolution of electronic resources as a whole. In describing my methodology, I discuss the history of iconography in portraiture, emphasizing the persona I attempt to display to my online community through the objects portrayed in my selfies. I speak of “The Ghost in the Selfie”, utilizing the 1989 film “The Ghost in the Shell” to compare my selfies and display of possessions to a physical receptacle which both contains and reflects my soul. Using this comparison, I reflect on Belk’s theory of the “Extended Self” and discuss the difficulties individuals may face when attempting to untangle their personal identity from their belongings in a technology-dependent society where physical reality blurs with physical simulation.
Incorporating Feedback: The Voice of Reason
Much of the feedback I received for the first draft of my research encompassed issues regarding the tone and structure of my writing. In writing my work, I subconsciously drafted it into an essay format, as this was the academic format I had the most experience with. To elevate my research, I took the time to completely rewrite my paper, diving further into my research and challenging my hypothesis with research which contradicted my perspectives and evidence. I reevaluated my arguments to integrate these opposing perspectives in order to strengthen my reasoning. Certain sections were added to include additional discussion towards solutions to proposed problems, as well as to develop the analysis of previous research into the topics of materialism and digital representation. Overall, I incorporated specific feedback relating to the formatting of the paper, defining each section and labelling each new argument with its own subheading. I believe this dissection of my research into smaller components not only made my work easier to navigate, as I was able to create a simple Table of Contents, but also made each of my points easier to follow. The titles for each heading were intriguing, and feedback I received on the second rendition stated that the catchy titles helped keep readers interested in my research throughout the paper.
The inclusion of additional embedded images within my paper allowed for me to further extrapolate my concepts while drawing on specific evidence shown in visual format. This complemented my topic while encouraging visual engagement, improving the clarity of my arguments and ensuring a more direct correlation between statements and evidence.
In order to elevate the creativity of my selfies and enhance my arguments using original visual evidence, I pushed my selfies beyond their basic AI generations and transferred them into various software to make further edits. I included imagery of the process steps in Selfies 2-5, playing with different online trends that are commonplace on Instagram and other photo-based social media apps to generate discussion around problematic or beneficial elements of possession-based content.
Ethical Considerations: The Digital Divide
Drawing on previous research into topics of online popularity and media sensationalism, I pivot my discussion towards the exacerbation of existing inequalities through algorithmic favouritism. In digital environments where selfies are most often circulated, wealth often dictates visibility and influence, as those who perpetuate affluent personas shape cultural trends and ostracize marginalized voices from mainstream digital discourse. As a result, impoverished voices are often left to vie for attention through the commodification of their personal struggles, sharing traumas with large audiences as a means of garnering donations and empathy from a large audience base. Certain platforms take advantage of this market, such as “Invisible People”— a non-profit which shares short interviews with homeless individuals, highlighting their personal struggles as means of enacting political and social change towards housing inequities. Though the intentions of such platforms may be positive in nature, they highlight the transactional nature of digital engagement where trauma is exoticized as a substitute for wealth and opulence. Consequently, the materialistic bias which shapes the foundation of digital landscapes exacerbates preexisting inequalities through algorithmic hierarchies. While social media platforms ostensibly offer equal opportunity for expression, the reality is that those with financial resources have a distinct advantage in amplifying their voices and reaching wider audiences. This systemic exclusion, perpetuated through identity-displays such as selfies, reinforces the notion that the online world is reserved for the privileged few and raises ethical concerns regarding the exploitation of hardship for online visibility and support.
 |
| Comments appended beneath a brief video interview featuring Patrick, an individual experiencing homelessness, whose deeply personal and emotive narrative garnered significant attention on Instagram. Patrick’s interview exemplifies the monetization of trauma in exchange for online interaction. |
Transliteracy: Balancing Academic Accessibility
Central to my research is the notion of media accessibility, emphasizing the imperative for digital, media, and information literacy to be attainable by all communities, regardless of educational backgrounds or socioeconomic status. Sue Thomas, in her 2013 presentation on transliteracy, underscores the significance of nurturing these skills from early childhood, advocating for the integration of new technologies and communication strategies in order to encourage adaptability in rapidly changing digital environments. Reflecting on the conversion of my research into this blog post, I contemplate the potential advantages and disadvantages of this transformation.
Rendering academia into informal spaces can be effective in bridging the digital divide discussed in my research. The difference in language increases accessibility to audiences beyond the academic sphere, eliminating the need for technical expertise and prompting collaborations between researchers and the public (such as crowdsourcing initiatives, for example). Moreover, the various integrated tools inherent within blogging platforms boost interest through storytelling, visuals, and interactivity, encouraging the exploration of new topics. This interactive approach uses engaging methods to promote critical thinking by presenting evidence and diverse viewpoints in a more digestible format.
Conversely, there are several potential issues to consider when translating academic research into other modalities. Simplification risks losing nuisance and causing misinterpretation, potentially distorting findings. Condensing research may inadvertently emphasize certain aspects while neglecting others, skewing reader understanding. Authors risk losing credibility in their research if their arguments are ineffectively communicated or unsubstantiated claims are made, highlighting the risk for an increased sensationalism of certain topics. Furthermore, contextualizing the significance of research within theoretical frameworks is essential for reader comprehension, a requirement that can be limited by the constraints of citation integration in blogging platforms.
Overall, while translating academic research into blog formats can help make research more accessible to a wider audience, it is essential to approach this task with caution and integrity to ensure that the original intent and integrity of the research are preserved. The involvement and collaboration of communication experts can safeguard this accuracy and credibility while inspiring the development of transliteracy among diverse communities.
References
Adam. (2019, February 19). Does it spark joy?. Know Your Meme. https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/does-it-spark-joy
Ai Art Generator: Create AI art in Seconds. Photoleap. (n.d.). https://www.photoleapapp.com/features/ai-artgenerator#:~:text=Our%20features%20utilize%20stable%20diffusion,your%20doodles%20into%20detailed%20artworks.
Al-Sharif, H. (2020, June 1). Symbolism in the arnolfini portrait. artmejo. https://artmejo.com/symbolism-in-the-arnolfini-portrait/
Atton, C., & Hamilton, J. F. (2008). Alternative journalism. SAGE.
Baudrillard, J. (1981). Simulacra and simulation. The University of Michigan Press.
Baudrillard, J., & Lotringer, S. (2005). The conspiracy of art: Manifestos, interviews, essays. Semiotext.
Belk, R. W. (1988). Possessions and the Extended Self. Journal of Consumer Research, 15(2), 139–168. http://www.jstor.org/stable/2489522
Belk, R. W. (2005). Changing consumer: Changing disciplinarity. In The Changing Consumer (pp. 153-169). Routledge.
Belk, R. W., & Llamas, R. (2011, January). (PDF) the nature and effects of sharing in consumer behavior. Research Gate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/291907271_The_nature_and_effects_of_sharing_in_consumer_behavior
Belk, R. W., & Llamas, R. (2011, January). (PDF) the nature and effects of sharing in consumer behavior. Research Gate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/291907271_The_nature_and_effects_of_sharing_in_consumer_behavior
Brennan, T. (2004). The transmission of affect. Cornell University Press.
Capezio, O. (2014, June 5). Hyperreality in the POST-MODERN age. Academia.edu. https://www.academia.edu/1972804/HYPERREALITY_IN_THE_POST_MODERN_AGE
Capezio, O. (2014, June 5). Hyperreality in the POST-MODERN age. Academia.edu. https://www.academia.edu/1972804/HYPERREALITY_IN_THE_POST_MODERN_AGE
Carbon, C. C. (2017). Universal principles of depicting oneself across the centuries: from renaissance self-portraits to selfie-photographs. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 246418.
Carstens, Deborah S,PhD., P.M.P., Doss, S. K., PhD., & Kies, S. C. (2018). Social Media Impact on Attention Span. Journal of Management & Engineering Integration, 11(1), 20-27. https://login.ezproxy.library.ualberta.ca/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/social-media-impact-on-attention-span/docview/2316725647/se-2
Chayka, K. (2023, February 10). Is A.I. Art stealing from artists?. The New Yorker. https://www.newyorker.com/culture/infinite-scroll/is-ai-art-stealing-from-artists#:~:text=The%20alleged%20wrongdoing%20comes%20down,of%20their%20tools%3B%20and%20their
Changing the story of homelessness. Invisible People. (2024, February 8). https://invisiblepeople.tv/
Chua, T. H. H., & Chang, L. (2016). Follow me and like my beautiful selfies: Singapore teenage girls’ engagement in self-presentation and peer comparison on social media. Computers in human behavior, 55, 190-197.
Dezuanni, M., Reddan, B., Rutherford, L., & Schoonens, A. (2022). "Selfies and shelfies on #bookstagram and #booktok."
Dittmar, H. (1992). Perceived material wealth and first impressions. British Journal of Social Psychology, 31(4), 379-391.
Dittmar, H. (1992). The social psychology of material possessions: To have is to be. Hemel Hempstead: Harvester Wheatsheaf.
Dittmar, H., & Halliwell, E. (2005, August 26). The role of self-improvement and self-evaluation motives in social comparisons with idealised female bodies in the media. Science Direct. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1740144505000379?via=ihub
Dittmar, H., Bond, R., Hurst, M., & Kasser, T. (2014). The relationship between materialism and personal well-being: A meta-analysis. Journal of personality and social psychology, 107(5), 879.
Extended self. Extended Self - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics. (n.d.). https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/psychology/extended-self#:~:text=The%20explanation%20proposed%20by%20social,than%20objects%20that%20are%20not.
Federal Plain Language Guidelines. (2011, May 1). Federal Plain Language guidelines. Plain Language. https://www.plainlanguage.gov/media/FederalPLGuidelines.pdf
Flaxman, S., Goel, S., & Rao, J. M. (2016). Filter bubbles, echo chambers, and online news consumption. Public opinion quarterly, 80(S1), 298-320.
Free design tool: Presentations, video, social media | CANVA. Canva. (n.d.). https://www.canva.com/
Goetze, T. S. (2024, January 10). Ai art is theft: Labour, Extraction, and exploitation, or, on the dangers of Stochastic Pollocks. arXiv.org. https://arxiv.org/abs/2401.06178
Hawkins, M. A., & Rome, A. S. (2019). Identity relevant possessions. Journal of Strategic Marketing, 29(3), 206–226. https://doi.org/10.1080/0965254x.2019.1657170
Humans of New York. (2022, June 9). June 9th, 2022 (12/15). Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/102099916530784/posts/7978840122190018/?mibextid=WC7FNe
IMDb.com. (2019, January 1). Tidying up with Marie Kondo. IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8115560/
Invisible People. (2024, January 18). Invisible people on Instagram: “as a convicted criminal it’s nearly impossible to get a job. the system is broken. Patrick was released to homelessness and is disabled. even if someone would hire him, he cannot work #homeless #invisiblepeople.” Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/reel/C2QxrWGvIMx/?igsh=M2F2cDZjMzdzbDI3
Jacobs, S. and Herman Wasserman, (Nov. 2018). Siqalo showed how social media is reshaping protest narratives, News 24. Retrieved from: https://www.news24.com/Analysis/siqalo-showed-how-social-media-is-reshaping-protest-narratives-20180511
James, W. (2013, January 8). Chapter 02 WHO AM I?. University of Washington. https://faculty.washington.edu/jdb/452/452_chapter_02.pdf
Kellner, D. (2003). Media culture: Cultural studies, identity and politics between the modern and the post-modern.Routledge.
Khazraee, E., & Novak, A. N. (2018). Digitally Mediated Protest: Social Media Affordances for Collective Identity Construction. Social Media + Society. https://doi.org/10.1177/2056305118765740
Khazraee, E., & Novak, A. N. (2018). Digitally Mediated Protest: Social Media Affordances for Collective Identity Construction. Social Media + Society. https://doi.org/10.1177/2056305118765740
Liu, F., Ford, D., Parnin, C., & Dabbish, L. (2018). "Selfies as Social Movements."Oliva, K. (2017). Conceptualizing Social Wealth in the Digital Age: A Mixed Methods Approach. University of South Florida.
Netflix. (2019). Tidying Up with Marie Kondo. whole.
Neumayer, C., & Rossi, L. (2018). Images of protest in social media: Struggle over visibility and visual narratives. New Media & Society, 20(11), 4293-4310. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444818770602
Portell, M., & Mullet, E. (2014). Why do people enjoy watching natural disasters and human violence on television? A reversal theory perspective. Journal of Motivation, Emotion, and Personality, 2(1), 38-49.
Santa Ana, L. L. (n.d.). Art appreciation. Lumen. https://courses.lumenlearning.com/pierce-art/chapter/reading-the-fourth-level-of-meaning-iconography/#:~:text=At%20the%20simplest%20of%20levels,unrelated%20to%20what%20it%20depicts.
Smith, M-D. (2020, March 10). Appearing wealthy on social media has become its own industry. Macleans.ca. https://macleans.ca/society/appearing-wealthy-on-social-media-has-become-an-industry/
Stanton, B. (n.d.). Humans of New York. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/humansofny/
Stothart, C., Mitchum, A., & Yehnert, C. (2015). The attentional cost of receiving a cell phone notification. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 41(4), 893–897. https://doi.org/10.1037/xhp0000100
The United States Government. (2014, June 30). Federal Social Media Accessibility Toolkit hackpad. Digital.gov. https://digital.gov/resources/federal-social-media-accessibility-toolkit-hackpad/
Tiidenberg, K. (2017). Visibly ageing femininities: Women’s visual discourses of being over-40 and over-50 on Instagram. Feminist Media Studies, 18(1), 61–76. https://doi.org/10.1080/14680777.2018.1409988
Wikimedia Foundation. (2024, January 31). Simulacra and simulation. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simulacra_and_Simulation#:~:text=Baudrillard%20claims%20that%20current%20society,is%20a%20simulation%20of%20reality.
Wilkinson, J. (2018, March). Accessible, dynamic web content using Instagram. Information Technology and Libraries. https://ejournals.bc.edu/index.php/ital/article/view/10230
Willis, L. P. (2016). ‘Hey! What Did You Do to the World?’: Conceptualizing the Real with Baudrillard and Žižek. International Journal of Žižek Studies, 10(1).
Comments
Post a Comment