While on my daily stroll around the internet, I stumbled across a youtube clip titled, “Video Stores Explained To Modern Kids” by BuzzFeed. This clip talks about the loss of interactions and tangible actions with the popularization of the Internet. And this got me thinking about the effects of technology in the “Transit of Life Narratives” as discussed by Gillian Whitlock. But more specifically, what effect does the method of marketing life narratives through digital means differ from that of the physical transaction?
One evident effect of the digitalization of life narratives is the emergence of the variety in forms they now come in. As discussed extensively in my Arts Studies class, new forms of social media such as Facebook has become a popular means of transmitting life narratives. This created higher accessibility for the readership but at the same time it has given many power and authority to write autobiographies. While reading one of my colleagues’ blog post regarding the right for all to express their narratives, I wondered if the right of many to do so originated due to this technological advancements and for many to share their stories literary from their bedrooms.
As discussed once again in class, the spread of power to share from the industry to the people has become a prominent shift in the transit of life narratives. Currently, the act of picking and choosing which life narratives are to be shared is done by, not the publishing industry, but by our own hands. It avoids the necessary detour of the publishing corporations trying the best to fit the consumers needs. Instead, it drives right into the demands of individuals and by the collective actions of the individuals, we can assess what our collective demand is.
However, this raises questions regarding the authenticity of not only the works, but the way readership critique and value these works. After all, as the number of people with access to any social media increases, so does the quantity of life narratives out there on the internet. Naturally, as quantity increases, the value of these products goes down. As we casually scroll down stories on facebook, do we ever think of the effect of we have in not appreciating these stories. Sure, there is an abundance of uninteresting and unnecessary narratives, but aren’t these unworthy stories neglecting the whole genre of life narratives? Some might argue, many stories are picked up online and become a phenomena. Well are they picked up because of their direct cry to our sympathetic element?
Going back to my point of authority and no tangible interactions within the process of producing and consuming these life narratives, we are forever losing the values of the life narratives and are generalizing life stories as they can only be seen as touching stories. We fail, myself included, to question the effects to what these narratives are trying to tell us. Is it a call for human rights? or is it to raise awareness for our behavior? The one act of clicking the share button does not justify the consumption of life narratives.
Hi Makoto,
After reading your post I’d like to explore on what you have said here: “Currently, the act of picking and choosing which life narratives are to be shared is done by, not the publishing industry, but by our own hands.” I think you raise a valuable point. In the past 10 years the entire publishing industry has been dropped on its head. In regards to the publish industry, e-books have seriously changed the way we consume narratives. We no longer need to leave the comfort of our home in order to pick the hottest and latest items. Moreover, if we look on the role that technology has played in the transmission of life narrative, I’d like to bring up the “vlog.” People share hours and hours of their lives on youtube for other people to consumer. I personally used to be obsessed with “vloggers.” I would watch their videos of their life and feel as if I had a personal connection to these people that I have never met before. All in all, it is clear that technology has dramatically altered the way we consume life narrative, and it will be interning to see where it goes.