The Concept of Embodiment - Essay Example

INTRODUCTION The Internet increased the spread of information in different parts of the world. Throughout the 1990s, a lot of people acquired computers and there was a general increase in the volume of communication that occurred between people, using the Internet. One of the mediums through which people communicated and exchanged ideas was through the use of Social Media. To the average person, the term “social media” refers to Facebook, Twitter and other websites that enable people to open accounts, form networks, share information in a flexible manner and also interact with other people by bringing them onto their network. This creates a system through which people can communicate and share huge volumes of personalised information without having to resort through several challenges and difficulties. From a Communications perspective, social media has various facades and connotations within which it can be deduced and evaluated. This include amongst other things, a view that it is a major communication tool, system and outlet that allows people to interact and also share huge volumes of information with few restrictions and limitations. This paper examines the embodiment of the social media from a communications perspective. To this end, the paper will explore the fundamental research question: “To what extent can social media be critiqued and understood through viral logic and what practical applications can be made of it”. The paper will thus evaluate various theories and concepts from books, journals and other secondary sources in order to provide critical answers to this fundamental research question. THE CONCEPT OF EMBODIMENT The concept of embodiment has to do with the presentation and identification of a given concept. Embodiment refers to giving a form to different parts and different components in order to give it a collective and holistic view and ideology. A body is a cognitive presentation of duality into a single entity (Blackman, 2008). In the modern concept, there is a tendency to identify and give a view of a given idea or conception to the mind and body (Blackman, 2008). In other words, there is the need to give a conceptual view to something that does not exist in the physical form and also give a name to something physical that has different components. Thus, philosophies seek to bring things that exist in thought into a full existence (Blackman, 2008). Therefore, the idea of a body is more of getting and putting together a view on something that exists and it involves the hard, and soft aspects of a given idea or concept. “Speed, movement, mobility, fluidity, multiplicity and flows are all concepts that are profoundly reorganising how the ontology of both subjectivity and corporeality are examined, understood and analysed with contemporary cultural theory.” (Blackman L. , 2012, p. ix). This implies that the concept of embodiment is about trying to put together a definition and identification of a given idea or phenomenon based on the dominant culture of the time. In other words, embodiment is about trying to get a type of view about a given activity or process based on the contemporary philosophies and views of life and other social and cultural systems of a given society or timelime. Ideal concepts are therefore presented through various embodiments (Townley, 2012). This means that embodiment is about stereotypes and ideal methods of viewing various ideas, concepts and systems that are put together to define a given view or concept. Therefore the attempt to define something like emotions and other abstract idea will mean trying to find a way and method of defining the core concepts and ideas. Therefore, authority, ethics and general consensus defines a given concept and system (Skilling, 2012). Therefore the concept of a “body” changes with the different circumstances that come up within a given society. The idea of body is an unstable view and categorisation of different ideas and concepts and this changes with time. SOCIAL MEDIA Social media is a collective term that means web-based services that allow individuals to do three things: 1. Construct a public or semi-public profile within a bounded system; 2. Articulate a list of other users within the system where they share a connection; 3. View and transverse their list of connections and those made by others within the system (Brunty & Helenek, 2011). This implies that the social media system is mainly about a network on the Internet that allows users to register, log in and create an account. Through the account, they are able to connect to other members of the network “Social media are web-based tools for interaction that is adaptive to conversation, allows users to share content such as photos, videos and links to resources” (Gould, 2013). Social media is therefore a flexible system through which communication occurs and this allows people to reach a set of connected parties who will get automatic access to information that they put out on their profile. “Social media refers to the activities, communication and behaviour among communities of people who gather online to share information, knowledge and opinions using conversational media and web-based applications to make it possible to create and easily transmit content in the form of words, pictures, videos and audios” (Powell, Groves, & Primos, 2012, p. 26). This implies that social media puts together a process and system through which conversation and views can be shared and critiqued by different people that enable them to share ideas and evaluate information and views. “Social media differs from traditional media on a number of levels but mostly because it is multipath, multi-directional dialog between individuals (person-to-person), influencers and companies.” (Powell, Groves, & Primos, 2012, p. 26). Therefore, social media has various pathways and approaches in which information can be shared. The diversity of communication systems enables different people to identify various methods and approaches of sharing information and discussing phenomenon. Social media is steeped in interactivity and due to this, information can be shared and this can enable people to provide new ways of influencing others (Cross, 2010).Social media allows an ordinary communicator to become a mass communicator (Cross, 2010). Social media can also convert a monologue into a dialogue (Hansen, Shneiderman, & Smith, 2012). Social media is a system of information through which mass media tools and information are made available to different people who share information and analyse facts. VIRALITY & EMOTIONAL CONTAGION Information shared on the social media often prompts communication. However, at other times, social media information causes people to take definite actions or get people to think and behave in certain ways. This could be a possible angle through which the embodiment of social media can be done from a technical perspective of virality and emotional contagion. This is because such concepts can help us to understand the idea and the essence of social media and how it works together to help to communicate ideas and views. “Emotions are presented through media systems and programmes. Emotional contagion is the tendency to automatically mimic and synchronise expressions, vocabulary, postures and movements with those of another person and consequently, converge emotionally” (Coplan, 2006, p. 27). This implies that emotional contagion is a means through which people get to connect with other people through the exchange of information and communication. This implies that social contagion is steeped in the need for people to influence others and get them to move from one point to another in through the views of others. Social media is a powerful media system through which people can share information and communicate ideas in order to get people to automatically mimic and attempt to work and behave like other people. Social media is powerful because it is a valid communication procedure or system and it is important and vital for information to be shared and analysed. Social media in itself is a tool of social contagion. This is because joining a given network or system on a social media platform has its root in the need for identification and a sense of belonging (Cross, 2010). This is because people connect with others on social media fundamentally because they have some kinds of commonalities and connections. Hence, they seek to use the social media to enhance it and promote communication and discussion and the sharing of information and data. This enables people and parties to become more connected and more intimate and inclined towards information and data that is shared by people on a given social platform. The social media has a tendency towards collective excitement and this prevents people from taking decisions and exercising critical judgment on the needs and estimation of people (Shepard, 2011). This is steeped in the principle of social contagion which is based on the fact that people take actions when they are in a given group or a given crowd simply because they mimic what other people do without being independent in their thoughts and actions. Studies of emotional contagion and other similar processes indicate that when people are in crowds, they tend to do things as and when the members of the crowd do this (Shepard, 2011). Thus, when people are on social media platforms, they tend to behave like everyone else on the social media platform. People tend to evaluate and review other people’s views and opinions based on what is presented on the social media platform. Thus, there are numerous social vectors and pointers that get incited and ignited when people are sharing emotions and ideas and this is spread throughout the social media based on the principle of virality (Kroker & Kroker, 2013). Thus, many people take actions and undertake various steps just because other people are doing it and in order to blend into the group, people accept it and the information gets them to move and undertake various actions and processes because of the information that others share on social media portal. In studying the Arab Spring and its influence by social media and virality, Sampson identifies that reputation, adaptation and opposition are the main ideas and views that promotes the spread of information throughout the social media platforms (Sampson, 2012). The social media involves sharing information and people judge credibility of information from the reputation of people who own the accounts. Thus, when there is evidence that an account belongs to a given person who has a given reputation, the person’s information is kept as compelling and credible. Hence, there is a tendency for people to take action on the basis of information that is presented to such persons and such people. When a person perceived to be credible shares information, the information is adapted and shared by people who do so through their social network. This allows the information to spread through various channels and the information moves around quickly and it is strengthened by sharing it through different accounts and amongst different people (Sampson, 2012). Opposition may come up and people might be upset about the information and critique it on various social media accounts. However, as the information spreads through the social media, there is a synthesis and some people might accept the information whilst others might reject it. However, the information spreads any way and it can be used to spread information. Sampson’s theoretical view includes: 1. Reputation 2. Adaptation 3. Opposition 4. Spread & 5. Synthesis This implies that different people and different information is spread through online channels and other social media systems because there is a systematic framework within which people build an interest in information that is put out through social media channels. This enables people to share information and the social contagion aspects and processes of the exchange and sharing of information adds up to the distribution of information. The embodiment of the social media indicates that it enables people to share information and undertake various compelling action due to the social contagion theory. This is because people tend to take various actions and make various choices because information is spread through an unconscious but compelling system and process through which different stakeholders share views. This is steeped in the need to spread information through various channels of interpersonal discussions and review of various stories. As people accept it and interpret it through their own mental capabilities and frameworks, the information is consolidated and synthesised in order to get a conception and view of the information that is being spread. The social media creates a peer network system and the parties in the networks are connected through reconecptualisation of ideas and concepts (Shamir, 2012). This implies that network communication is done through charisma and acceptance of people’s views and ideas. However, once information is shared that is worth passing on, people use their social media network and spread it through the convenient and simple framework for sharing the information. Thus, based on the social contagion theory, a person displays information on the social media network and the person connected to the person shares the information and the information tends to influence other people and changes their attitude (Shamir, 2012). Hence, there is a process and a system through which the social media system utilises the contagion theory to modify people’s actions and processes in order to deal with matters and situations and also spread information through virality. In the Arab Spring, information was spread through the social media and people could accept the information and share it throughout the social media system (Sampson, 2012). This implies that social media is an important and significant process and system for sharing and exchanging information. This makes the social media more of a tool that can be used to disseminate information and also influence people in many ways and manners. Thus, from a technical communication perspective, it can be said that social media is a process and a system that is done through various methods and systems of sharing information and analysing information in order to share ideas and views over a network and system. FURTHER APPLICATION OF VIRALITY AND EMOTIONAL CONTAGION “Virality is an important interdisciplinary contribution to the understanding of network cultures not only because it puts into historical contexts of how crowd behaviour has been studied for the last hundred years but also because it helps anyone interest in attaining a more in-depth understanding of Gilles Deleuze’s philosophy: thus virality is a real contribution to assemblage theory and its relation to media archaeology in terms of network analysis” (Navas, 2010, p. 52). Virality in the social media gives an understanding about how people are influenced by sharing information through informal channels and other semi-formal or highly flexible systems. This is because the assemblage theory, mimicry and the influence of people through the social media enables people to share information and deal with issues and matters. Therefore, it can be applied to different branches of communication and the social sciences. And this presents an appreciation and practical application of the contagion theory through the application of different views and ideas (Barber, 2012). The social media and virality helps in the area of applying different social laws and the law of information and the psychological economy. This involves undertaking biological analysis and analogies to help people to understand the sharing of information and how information can prompt action and make changes. The contagious assemblages and the influence of event planning amongst other things, provides an important framework and an important system for sharing and exchanging information. The contagion theory enables researchers and analysts to learn about how people can be swept up by mass information and how this influences people (Stolley, 2013). This implies that the virality and effectiveness of sharing information via social media can be used in various practical processes and systems like marketing and psychology. This is because the social media provides a different and distinct platform through which information and other forms of data are put out in order to evaluate and assess the changes that occur amongst people. Thus, the information and process of virality and the contagion theory in the social network system can be used to assess and evaluate how information sharing through digital platforms and computers can affect people’s views and perceptions and compel them to take specific actions. Also, the role of virality and information sharing shows an insight into how emotions are excited and how people are made to feel and accept other people’s views. This can be used in practical projects like communication drives, mass communication processes and other forms of negotiations and discussion that could prove to be important and significant in improving the ways and means through which information is shared and parties are influenced. CONCLUSION The social media is a system whereby people can create accounts and form specific networks within which communication and the sharing of various forms of information can occur. The social media converts ordinary people into mass communicators and these networks allow the sharing and exchange of information through a relatively easy method and approach. Information sharing and data exchange on the social media creates some compelling processes and frameworks for the sharing of information. And a typical example is the Arab Spring which was a series of demonstration that was ignited throughout the Middle East and North Africa through the social media. The main process this happens is that one person gets information, shares it and people identify with it. The information shared on the social media is a thesis and this is followed by various forms of antitheses which leads to debates and an eventual synthesis which prompts action. Virality and the social contagion theory indicate that people get information and they identify with it and from there, they take decisive action based on the information shared through the social media. Social media’s role as a tool for communication is therefore based on the need and expectation for influencing people through various forms and means of virality which in turn, prompts the social contagion effect. The practical application of virality in the social media indicates that it could be used as a basis to explain why people share various actions. This can be important in explaining processes and procedures for marketing, mass communication and psychology. Bibliography Barber, C. (2012). Reviews in Cultural Theory. London: SAGE. Blackman, L. (2012). Immaterial Bodies: Affect, Embodiment and Mediation. London: SAGE. Blackman, L. (2008). The Body: Key Concepts. Oxford: Bloomsbury. Brunty, J. L., & Helenek, K. (2011). Social Media Investigation for Law Enforcement. New York: Newnes Publishing. Coplan, A. (2006). Catching Characters Emotion: Emotional Contagion Responses to Narrative Fiction Film. Film Studies , 26 - 38. Cross, M. (2010). Social Media Security. New York: Newnes. Gould, M. (2013). The Social Media Gospen: Sharing the Good News in New Ways. New Haven, CT: Liturgical Press. Hansen, D., Shneiderman, B., & Smith, M. A. (2012). Analysing Social Media Netowrks with NodexL. New York: Morgan Kaufmann. Kroker, A., & Kroker, M. (2013). Critical Digital Studies - A Reader. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. Navas, E. (2010). Virality and Social Context. New York: FT Press. Powell, G., Groves, S., & Primos, J. (2012). ROI of Social Media. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons. Sampson, T. D. (2012). Virality: Contagion Theory in the Age of Social Networks. Minnesota: University of Minnesota Press. Shamir, B. (2012). Follower-Centered Representatives or Leadership. New York: IAP Press. Shepard, J. M. (2011). Cengage Advantage Books - Sociology. Mason, OH: Cengage. Skilling, C. (2012). The Body and SOcial THeory. London: SAGE. Stolley, K. S. (2013). The Basics of Sociology. Darby, PA: Greenwood Publishing Group. Townley, R. (2012). What Makes the Ideal Male Body. Essex Sociological Review , 321 - 339. APPENDIX 1 JOURNAL SYNOPSIS JOURNAL This synopsis journal provides some basic information about the data and information that relates to the various matters and issues that were studied by the writer in the various seminars and symposiums. Basic Overview At the beginning I wondered why an obscure unit could be added to our studies. Communication and journalism are supposed to be carried out in a rather straightforward manner. But to learn about embodiment and conceptualisation of ideas seemed to be extremely problematic and unnecessary. However, I believe in the credibility of the academic organisers and I hold an inherent belief that nothing they present to us will be useless. So I entered this course with a very sceptical overview of the course and sought to question the essence of the things being studied in the subject. First Impressions This course began to make sense when I realised that there is a wide overflow of courses and disciplines in the social sciences. This is because the idea of social sciences and the humanities has evolved from the general British Colonial and French Imperialist view of training people to be critical thinkers in order to go to foreign colonies and make money for the nation. Social Sciences have come a long way and now, it is understood as a critical and crucial method of improving the way people think and also improving the ways and means through which a society can develop. This primarily has its roots in America’s system of developing its college education system and promoting liberty and human rights. Thus, numerous branches of the social sciences have emerged and some of them, a person will never even encounter as a structured discipline in my lifestyle. Courses like a degree in Criticism and others imply that there are many fields of discipline. My first impression about this course was the fact that it seeks to provide a bridging point for graduates to quickly synthesise and integrate things from different disciplines and perspectives in order to come up with important solutions to issues. This is because the essence of humanities is to improve the way people think and do things in a society. Therefore as a media and communication expert this course is to teach a student how to analyse a body of information from different disciplines. This is to help a person to find the best ways and means of analysing and critiquing information in order to provide answers to issues and deal with problems and matters in a critical and appropriate manner. Therefore, the idea of embodiment was seen as an important and vital process and procedure for analysing and evaluating things and processes. This helps me to unify different views and different beliefs that are done in order to teach and enhance my view of life and information. The theories of the first two seminars provided me with a strong grounding that made me let go of my doubts and scepticism about the course. I therefore began to appreciate the course and also accept it as perhaps the most important programme in the course that will enable me to be productive in my professional career. This is because at my age, I do not know where I will specialise after graduation and where I might even live. Hence, this course gave me the important tools to take decisions and sift through information in order to become productive and an independent and critical thinker throughout my working life. I therefore began to appreciate the lectures and took it more seriously. Visualisation & Communication Visualisation is an important and vital element of communication. However, most of us take it for granted. However, it is crucial and important in helping a person to share a lot of information. This has caused so many approaches to communication to evolve. This course enabled me to appreciate the use of photography and how authorities view visual representation in the journalistic field. Science and Emotions Science and emotions interact in a very interesting and compelling way. The fourth seminar enabled me to understand the affects of science and emotions. This enabled me to analyse and review different aspects and processes of the study and also evaluate important elements and procedures necessary for the completion of the various forms of interactions between the two aspects of society. Practical Aspects of Fieldwork There are numerous practical things like trauma and imaging that was also an exposition that was so new to me. I learnt about what happens in the field and how that influences journalism and the sharing of information through communication systems. Additionally, the importance of various means and methods of sharing information and data provided me with a process and procedure for understanding and evaluating the actual processes and procedures for sharing information. The position of social media and other dominant theories of the mind provided me with a strong understanding of how images and new media systems influences the way people think and the way people do things. Another important aspect of studies and analysis that I was introduced to through this course was the role of gender matters and issues. This involved an insight into gender matters and gender issues and how it has gained prominence and importance in the society we live in. These are issues that are disregarded in certain parts of the world, but it enabled me to understand and accept important things in the contemporary society. Final Overview This course enabled me to understand the importance of interdisciplinary applications and evaluation of ideas and concepts. It enabled me to evaluate and assess things from a broader perspective and a stronger and more critical position. I was introduced to theories and concepts that are essential. And more importantly and significantly, I acquired important tools and competencies in independent analysis and independent thought in various aspects of practical life and analysis. Read More