Application: What would be the argument that social media now is either promoting or preventing ‘individualism’ as Tocqueville defines it?
The advent of social media has formed two, sometimes diametrically opposed, cultural currents. On one hand, there is strong pressure for a constant, never-ending development of the self documented through posts and pictures; yet, on the other hand, this force is always-already contained and directed into an assimilatory trajectory that identifies this self amongst or in opposition to a growing group of selves. In other words, it is sometimes difficult to tell whether social media works to promote or prevent individualism.
But Tocqueville has a very specific definition of individualism: it is a force that forgoes the public good for self-interest, something that inhibits a person from being able to be cooperative. We must think of social media as always being imbricated in systems of capital circulation, whether that capital is economic, political, cultural, or social. Every exchange carries a currency of some sort, whether it is direct of more skillfully concealed. Thus, to build oneself on social media necessarily requires a sort of Tocquevillian individualism that centers on a focus on the self.
At a narrative and less theoretical mode of analysis, we see how this type of individualism works through social media: groups do exist, but it's the cyclical valuation/devaluation of ourselves that we find relative to these groups that makes social media important to us.
As Tocqueville puts it, individualism is dangerous because it detracts from people's attention to and involvement in issues that go beyond their own immediate concerns. On one hand, the selectivity of what people see on their social media accounts and the attention they pay to themselves as they work to craft their image seem to fit into the self-interest that Tocqueville says takes priority over larger issues for many. However, social media is used to garner awareness for many of the social issues Tocqueville suggests are ignored by a self-interested public. Even so, if hashtag activism is the only involvement people assume, then the role of social media in Tocqueville's framework remains nebulous and may just further serve the self-interest of those who want to feel like they are doing good, but do not want to put in more effort to get involved with social issues.
ReplyDeleteI personally think that Tocqueville would view social media as promoting individualism. Individualism, as Sara mentioned, detract's from people's involvement in issues that are larger than them selves. This is crucial for society, as not everyone is equal, and when problems arise, it takes more than one person to find and receive a resolution. With social media, sure people can gather awareness for causes, but in a way that is selective to their own self-interests. Social media is all about an image a person displays on a screen, and currently there exists an obsession with being liked on social media. This definitely takes away from what should be the real focus, which is raising awareness.
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