Relationship between Social Media Networks and the Concept of Home - Essay Example

? Relationship between social media networks and the concept of ‘home’ Giuseppe Piazza Photography and the Home 24/11 Consider the relationship between the uses of new social media networks (SMNs) – like Facebook – and the concept of ‘home’. In answering the question you may wish to refer to one or several of the following: ‘family’, ‘friendship’, national identity, globalization, ‘the relationship between virtual communities and virtual selves. Your answer must involve an analysis of specific SMN pages (including images) and should refer to at least one of the texts on the module reading list. You must also include any SMN pages that you discuss as part of your essay submission. Introduction Home refers to the region, state or place that an individual properly belongs, as well as where he or she finds refuge, satisfaction and rest (Morley 2000, p. 10). It is not normally fixed in space despite the fact that it can be located somewhere. This is attributed to the fact that one person can grow up in one place and decide to settle in another area to start his own family. In both cases, he can call the place he grew up as him, and at the same time call his new place home. In this regard, home can be said to represent an individual’s organisation of space over a period of time (Moores 2005, p. 18). Other scholars have argued that home goes beyond physical space. In this regard, they imply that home is characterized by rhetorical territory (Cannon 2012, p. 45). That is, peoples’ character is said to be at home when they are at ease with people who surround them or share life together. This calls for the capability to be understood by others without difficulties, and following other people’s instructions and reasoning without lengthy explanations. On the other hand, it is said that an individual’s rhetorical identity is considered finished when the people who surrounds him does not understand the explanations he gives for his actions, the enthusiasm displayed or the criticism made (McIntyre, Williams, & McHugh 2006, p. 36). In this scenario, one can be said to have lost touch and is facing ‘un-homely’ situations. Home involves speaking without providing background information (Bachelard 1994, p. 25). Additionally, a lot can be understood from a few words; thus, no footnotes needed when passing out information. Home also gives people a feeling of security, comfort, family, intimacy, comfort and privacy (Nyman 2009, p. 227). Therefore, going home can mean returning to a firm position that one knows, is accustomed to, feels safe, and his emotional relationships are at extremely intense. From all these we can ascertain that every human being needs to have something that he or she can hold on to and call home (Gay, Redman, & Evans 2000, p. 113). Home is an essential component of human life necessary for an individual to function properly in the society (Chapman & Hockey 1999, p. 58). This is attributed to the fact that home gives people an opportunity to develop, and mold themselves into the people they want to be in life. Therefore, an unstable and poorly managed home can affect an individual’s upbringing and make him an irresponsible person in the society (Spencer & Pahl 2006, p. 35). Home and Social Media Networks Several social media networks are related to the concept of home. Social networking refers to grouping of people into definite groups such as neighborhood subdivision or small rural communities (Boyd & Ellison 2007, p. 230). In as much as social networking can be in conducted in person, it is extremely popular online. This is attributed to the fact that there are several people in the internet who are out to gather and share experiences and information, as well as meet new people (Wetherell & Mohanty 2011, p. 120). Websites are commonly used in social networking, and the most commonly used social media websites include; Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, YouTube, Friendster, just to mention but a few. In this paper, I would focus on Facebook since it is the most popular social media network with millions of users all over the world. In this regard, it is better placed to demonstrate the relationship between social media networks and the concept of ‘home’. For an individual to operate on Facebook, he or she must sign up for an account. While signing up, an individual fills in details which include his name, country, town, academic, work experience, among others. An individual can also upload his picture so that people can be able to see him or her. After that, an individual will start by adding friends in order to interact and share opinions, views and experiences. It is amazing that Facebook will suggest for someone some friends based on the mutual friends they share. This demonstrates that Facebook recognizes that these two individuals may have something in common and that is why they have many friends. In most cases, these individuals could have grown up together or went to the same institutions of learning. In this way, Facebook promotes the friendship that was nurtured at an early stage in life. When one wants to update anything on Facebook, there is always a question that pops up, ‘What’s on your mind?” This question gives an individual an opportunity to express his concern, fears, problems, as well as opinions. Therefore, one can use this platform to share some of his sorrows and pains he or she is expressing at that time. For instance, if one is undergoing through some painful moments in life, he or she can update, “I am in pain.” This update will make his friends and anyone who can assess that person’s profile to try and find out what is happening to that person that made him or her make that update. In this way, Facebook will act as a ‘home’ for that individual. This is because the Facebook friends will give him or her comfort, care and the love that home provides. The Facebook family consists of several people from all over the world. Their geographical position does not hinder them interacting with one another or sharing information. It is exciting to note that Facebook users (family) have a way of communicating with one another. They have shortened some words that only Facebook users can understand. For instance, you may find someone using certain words such as “LOL” or “KML”. These words simply mean, Laugh Out Loud or Lots of Love, and Killing Myself Laughing. If used outside Facebook social network, one may struggle to decipher the meanings of these words. The fact that Facebook provides a platform where its users can freely express themselves and be understood without difficulties qualifies it to be termed as ‘home’. It is also worth noting that Facebook makes its users (Facebook family) to be at ease when updating their statuses. This is because they can update anything that they want so long as it does not go against Facebook policies. These policies are there to maintain social norms and avoid abuse of the social media network. Social media sites encourage globalization since they promote fast flow of information and ideas to several people within a short period of time. Globalization entails integration through exchange of world views, products, cultures and ideas (Naficy 1999, p. 28). Several companies and institutions are using Facebook to pass information to people all over the world. For instance, Rhoehampton University has a page on Facebook that facilitates interaction of the students, staff, members of the public and any other person who would like to know the activities that are happening in Rhoehampton University. The person managing the page keeps the university’s community informed of anything of importance that they need to know. Additionally, students use this platform to exchange their opinions and ideas on issues that affect the university. They express themselves freely on the page’s wall and highlight their criticisms, as well support of some of the projects initiated and run by the university. Rhoehampton’s University page has a photograph of the university as its wall cover. This photo depicts a serene environment that is extremely conducive for learning. It shows a place that is relaxing and motivating for any individual who seeks personal growth and identity. As McIntyre et al. (2006, p. 32) asserts home gives one an identity to develop into the person he or she wants to become, the page’s photo shows the environment that would mold one into becoming socially responsible people. The buildings show a place that would give an individual peaceful mind necessary for academic and personal growth; this is due to open spaces, green Victorian style building. The photo also communicates a thousand words to students from all over the world who are looking for universities to further their learning, it does this by representing what appear to be self-confident students immersed in a multi-ethnical surrounding represented by members of many races in the image. It simply informs them that they should not seek further, since the university can not only offer them academic excellence, but can also offer serene environment for personal growth. In this way, Facebook promotes globalization since many students from all over the world enroll in Roehampton University as a result of the information they obtain from Roehampton University’s Facebook page. On the hand, the Facebook page acts as ‘home’ for all students and staff of Roehampton University since they are able to use the platform on the page’s wall to chat, make friends, comfort one another, share ideas, and act as one big family. Social media facilitates meeting of new people and making new friends. These friendships have occasionally resulted into intimate relationships and eventual marriage (Judith & Danah 2004, p.78). It is worth noting that some of these families that are fruits of online social sites are leading happy and successful lives. In this way, social media sites can be said to create successful homes if they are nurtured well. For instance, there are certain Facebook pages that are created to facilitate meeting of new people. For instance, there is a page known as Soul Mate. This page aims at connecting lonely individuals with people who can fill the void in their lives and make them happy. The Soul Mate page the same facets as ‘homes’ since it provides comfort, as well as a sense of belonging to its members. The members are free to add anybody who is a member of the page and initiate chat with them. Since they share the same feelings and aspirations, the chats always acts as stepping stones to healthy relationships, some of which end up in successful marriages. The Soul Mate also has an exciting photograph as its wall paper. The wall paper has several pictures showing couples who seem to be happy with their lives, this is portrayed as typical ‘hollywood’ images of different sex couples in typical romantic settings, walking on beaches, watching sun-rises, holding hands wearing light relaxed colored clothes. It can be argued that this may demonstrate that the Facebook page strives to help lonely people meet their soul mates with whom they can lead happy lives. The message that the photograph is passing to Facebook users is that they should wait no more, instead they should click the add request express themselves openly to the other parties. The pictures show some couples kissing, some embracing, some laughing happily, and some holding hands while walking along the beach. It is quite a spectacular view seeing these pictures, and gives the impression that many people who visit the page have hopes of leading lives similar to ones shown on the photograph on the page’s wall. In regard to the picture on the wall, it can be argued Facebook demonstrates and acknowledges the concept that a marriage may create a happy home. This image would not affect us if we did not already have a dominant ideology that a happy marriage brings with it care, comfort and a sense of security that homes normally offer. For instance, from the picture that shows a man embracing a woman, one can imagine how secure and comfortable that woman is. In as much as the sun is setting and darkness is fast approaching, she is calm and firmly holding her partner. She is not worried of the darkness since she believes that the man is her security. Social media also helps in creating a national identity for its users (Sigmund 1990, p. 360). For instance, a group from Kenya opened a page to support their housemates in the Big Brother Star-game 2012, a reality show that drawn thirty five contestants from seven countries all over the continent Africa. The page known as “Team Kenya- Big Brother Stargame” was aimed at soliciting votes for the three Kenyan contestants. The page gave Kenyans a platform to unite together and identify themselves as people of one heritage and identity. It also made them appreciate one another and fight for a common cause of ensuring that their fellow Kenyan won. On the page’s wall, Kenyans shared sentiments of how they would work hand in hand to bring the victory home. The Kenyan page has the Kenyan flag as the profile picture of the wall. The photo on the profile was a unifying factor. It gave them a sense of belonging and a nationality identity. Additionally, they realized that they were bound by one home called Kenya; thus, they were willing to do everything that it takes to put it on the mark. In this scenario, social media played an integral role in ensuring that people understand their national identity in order to fight for a course that improves the image of their home (Vidler 1992, p. 30). In as much as the Kenyan contestants in the reality show did not win the prize, the impact that the social media site played in bringing them together remains and is not bound to end soon. This is due to Facebook triggering them into thinking that the page acted as their home from which they were made to perceive that they have the same identity and share the same challenges and experiences in their day-to-day life. Conclusion In conclusion, this paper has attempted to demonstrate how social media sites are closely linked with the concept of ‘home’. From the analysis of several Facebook pages, it is clear that both social media network and home gives individuals a sense of belonging and comfort. In this way, individuals facing turmoil, as well as life challenges can seek solace from ‘home’ which can be friends on Facebook or one’s family members. It is also worth noting that some social media pages give people a platform to express themselves and be understood with ease (Heidegger 1967, p. 40). For instance, the Soul Mate Facebook page gives lonely people an opportunity to express themselves. At the same time, they can also understand other people with whom they share the same experiences (Visweswaran 2011, p. 75). The photographs used on the Facebook pages also play critical roles in herding the visitors into what Facebook want them to believe they will gain from being a member, this distracts them from the reality of where they find ‘home’. They give an overview of what one should expect from the page in case he or she decides to be a member of the page (Perec 1997. p. 79). Therefore, an analysis of the social media proves that they have several facets that are similar to the concept of ‘home’. Bibliography Bachelard, G., 1994. “The House. From Cellar to Garret. 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Wetherell, M. & Mohanty, C.T., 2011. The SAGE Handbook of Identities, London: Sage Publications Ltd. Read More