Consumationist

The weblog offers a peculiar scenario to explore concepts in writing. There is a sense of liberation that parallels the type of privilege afforded by the vagaries of identity on the Internet (along with the informal aspect of this academic assignment)… yet there is also a degree of circumspection around the public revelation and subsequent exposure to the critique of the immediate community, in that of the fellow students and academics of MSTU2000. The exposure of an identity that will be read for what it is as it stands – (structured formations of letters, words, and images floating in an electronic netherzone glittering its way into anonymous monitors blinking on and off where ever the means of consumption allow the “white optic fibre” to perpetrate itself). I found the concept of community on the Internet dealt with in the reading (Baym) interesting… in that I use the Internet to a significant degree for communication and research but never for chat groups, multi-user domains, etc. Not that I have issues with the concept of the Internet as a social structure or questions on the effectiveness of communication (i.e. non-verbal cues, etc) on the Internet; although I often find myself thinking about the concept of identity within the parameters that the Internet offers. The Internet is a provocative area for identity and social meaning, in that the sense of limitless space offers new horizons for the development of public identity, expression and relationships based on a virtual interaction. The anonymity propels a sense of adventure whereby there is a lowered social inhibition to play with and extend identity. Of course it can also become a disturbing scenario whereby this facet becomes a power to manipulate and deceive like a spectre hidden within the machine. The weblog though, is like dipping your toes into an unknown pool of communities… a zone that exudes it own addictions to the ease and accessibility to forge and distribute expression… as such like all easily accessible formats can greatly devalue such an opportunity. I know why I’m doing this now… but why would I do this?

Further on… today we have “gift-economies” and “identity performance” implanted in our thoughts. The relationship standard to basic production and consumption ie money in exchange for good and services - is disentangled in the net economy whereby time and energy is committed to the generation of websites and the various other Internet engagements in exchange for nothing specifically tangible or recognisable. Thus the idea of the “gift economy” as noted by Howard Rheingold - where the exchange of information, data, etc is about cultural capital… one buys in a sense popularity and ego gratification from the claims of proximity, experience and didactic knowledge about the artist. But then this, of course, flows over into the area of identity performance, in that the question of authority versus opinion must be considered. Quite literally you can create your own narrative or multiple narratives… (in the recomposition of the virtual identity you are afforded the same sense of agency apparent in another Internet facet – hypertext) then it comes down to the engagement and acceptance from other online parties to consolidate these textual identities.
Not sure where I’m going here…

Festivals are also a rather interesting space for community to exist. Clearly people enjoy participating in them as they flock to them in large numbers… Big Day Out, Livid, Woodford, The Falls, Splendour in the Grass, Meredith… the many rave-style dance events… large scale exercises that as a participant can offer a myriad of social choices. It can feel not dissimilar to the liberation afforded by the anonymity on the Internet… a large grouping of people with a sense of anything goes within its boundaries… a hedonistic anarchy whereby a varied and continuous selection of music is provided for the pleasure and stimulation of the social interaction… along with alcohol, drugs etc. But as an environment for consuming music it can also be debatable regarding the question of quality… Two festivals that I have had the good fortune to attend, that for me, offered the most interesting selection of music and exhilarating sense of community have been overseas:
FUJI ROCK 3 days of a very mixed lineup in early August about 2 hours drive north of Tokyo in Nigata, Japan; and SONAR an incredible 3 days of experimental and electronic artists mid June set in central Barcelona, Spain. Overwhelming physical environments, fantastic array of artists especially in regard to the possibility of surprise (i.e. unknown artists), great sound systems… and the community that gathered at these events was like nothing I had ever witnessed before… just so different in behaviour (but maybe this was cultural).
I would recommend the experience to anyone.

|