Cyber Culture

For my final post I would like to look at narcissism. I posted a few weeks ago on how social media networking tools like Twitter and biographical websites encourage certain levels of narcissistic behaviour. In culture beyond the realms of the web it is rare to see people walking down the streets in their bikinis or saying deeply profound quotes in front of a large group of people .

Mourning is a crucial part of 'moving on' and is used to "describe a cultural complex of behaviours in which the bereaved participate or are expected to participate" (Wikipedia, 2010).

This week I would like to look at the whole mourning process that takes place on line, as a part of cyber culture, via social networking platforms such as MySpace but more commonly Facebook.

In 1979 a man by the name of Michael Aldrich invented online shopping and made it oh too easy for that woman to purchase those fantastic Prada heels or for that guy -going through a midlife crisis and cruising the net for a cure- to purchase that "flaming hot rod". Now decades later in the year 2010
US e-Commerce and On line retail sales are noted as having "projected to reach $173 billion" (Wikipedia, 2010).

E-commerce, or 'E-cash' as I like to call it, is just one of the many manifestations of cyber-culture. It is a different way to "buy buy buy" and "sell sell sell" without the messy rivalry that comes with being in 'the pit' (stock exchange venues) and a way in which any user can manage their own investments without having to hire a 'middle-man'.

Advertisements on the internet suggest you make the most of this tool by using it to "grow your business" or "e-conomise", phrases of which are seductive and cast a positive glow on trading your money through a network of computing devices and Internet connections and cross-overs.

Inspired by our recent New Media theory studies on the "cultural imperialism thesis" I decided to break down the effects of new media on aspects of identity creation this week.

In studies researching the effects of social media on web-users' identities, several showed positive effects. These imply that social interaction through social media on the web encourages identity growth, better 'real life' socialisation and better communication with friends and family.
By looking at sub-groups identified by Marshall and Burnett in Webs of Identity, one can see how social media is contributing to the evolution of identity construction and therefore life beyond the 'web bubble' and the impact on 'real world' culture.

If you thought that you wouldn't be able host a party or launch an event due to limited promotion funds or resources then you are mistaken.

Grahamstown recently played host to the National Arts Festival which is now marked as the second biggest arts festival in the world. I worked with my class mates in the New Media Lab to produce daily updates on the 15 day festival and by placing articles and multi-media products on the website I realised that now any user with access to a PC and an internet connection could take in the cultural arts explosion from their desks on the other side of the world.

After watching South Park (Season 10, Episode 8) Make Love not Warcraft I started to wonder about the probability behind some of the show's theories.