It is the “world’s largest social network” (Stross, 2010) connecting over 600 million users from more than 200 countries on an Internet page that was founded just 7 years ago (Socialbakers, 2011a). The founder, Mark Zuckerberg, was named “person of the year 2010” (Grossman, 2010) by Time magazine and is ranked number 40 on Forbes’ list of the world’s most powerful people with a net worth of approximately $13.5 billion (Forbes, 2011). Facebook, the social network this paper is dealing with, has become part of the daily routine of many users sometimes influencing their purchase decisions or even the way they perceive and see the world. Moreover, it has become an Internet brand which can now be regarded to be on an equal level with Amazon, eBay or Google. Without doubt, Facebook has to be regarded as an important feature of growing inter-connectivity which was made possible through the rise and spread of the Internet. The social network enables people to get in touch with each other, find so-called “friends” all over the world and to create a personal profile representing the user within the Facebook network. Facebook’s self-stated mission is “to give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected” (Facebook, 2011). Of course this ‘mission’ is not a revolutionary new idea in the World Wide Web as several social networks and micro blogging websites like MySpace, LinkedIn or Twitter show. Still Facebook is the most widely-known, preferred and fastest growing social network of today’s world. As a matter of fact it is also often claimed to be the most “influential social network” (Brennan & Schafer, 2010, p. 19) of our times.
Table of Contents
Introduction
1. Facebook & Harvey’s concept of the ‘time-space compression’
2. Facebook & the formation of identity and lifestyle
3. Facebook & multiple identities
4. Facebook & the perception of ‘the other’
Conclusion
Objectives & Core Topics
The primary objective of this paper is to examine Facebook through the lens of postmodern theory, specifically investigating how it shapes user identity and lifestyle to determine if the platform serves as a symbolic representation of contemporary postmodernity.
- Application of David Harvey’s "time-space compression" to Facebook's global network and mobile accessibility.
- Analysis of identity formation using Pierre Bourdieu’s sociological frameworks.
- Exploration of "multiple identities" and the dynamics of online self-representation.
- Investigation of the "perception of the other" and how social media facilitates the deconstruction of stereotypes.
Excerpt from the Book
1. Facebook & Harvey’s concept of the ‘time-space compression’
David Harvey’s concept of the ‘time-space compression’ is one of the most widely used characterizations of postmodernity. His concept emphasizes the “speed-up in the pace of life” (1989, p. 240) which is a major feature of the history of capitalism. Harvey points out that the most crucial effect on people is the way they perceive and interrelate to time and space. Due to new and spreading means of telecommunication “space appears to shrink to a ‘global village’” (ibid.) whereby also time is shortened to the here and now. Harvey derives several consequences of his observations stressing the fact that the pure experience of time-space compression can lead to different, positive and negative reactions. He describes that these reactions can be “challenging, exciting, stressful, and sometimes deeply troubling, capable of sparking” (ibid.) within political, social or cultural spheres.
Donelly summarizes Harvey’s characterization of postmodernity as “an era where there is an acceleration in time & space compression” (2002, p. 424) which is greatly represented by the social network Facebook within the World Wide Web. As outlined in the introduction of this paper, Facebook has more than 600 million users now and about 700.000 new users join the social network each day. It is claimed that Facebook is going to hit the one billion users mark by the end of 2011 (Akhtar, 2010). Given a world population of approximately seven billion people in the middle of 2011, Facebook would connect one out of every seven human beings in the world. Thereby it would create a network which comes close to Harvey’s idea of a ‘global village’.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: This section provides an overview of Facebook’s rapid growth and influence, framing it within the context of postmodernity and setting the paper's research agenda.
1. Facebook & Harvey’s concept of the ‘time-space compression’: This chapter explores how Facebook bridges geographical and temporal gaps, effectively shrinking the world into a "global village" through digital connectivity.
2. Facebook & the formation of identity and lifestyle: Drawing on Bourdieu, the author examines how users curate their profiles, cultural preferences, and status symbols to form and project their identities.
3. Facebook & multiple identities: This chapter analyzes how digital profiles allow individuals to synthesize contradictory identities into one unified, yet fluid, online presence.
4. Facebook & the perception of ‘the other’: The author discusses how the network facilitates communication between different cultures and enables the deconstruction of stereotypes by allowing users to represent themselves directly.
Conclusion: The final section synthesizes the findings, confirming Facebook's role as a symbol of postmodernity while acknowledging the limitations of its reach among the global population.
Keywords
Facebook, postmodernity, time-space compression, identity formation, lifestyle, multiple identities, social network, globalization, global village, Pierre Bourdieu, David Harvey, digital communication, online identity, conspicuous consumption.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this paper?
The paper explores whether the social media platform Facebook can be considered a symbolic manifestation of postmodernity by analyzing its structure and usage through various sociological theories.
What are the central themes discussed in the work?
The key themes include the acceleration of time and space, the sociological construction of personal identity, the representation of multiple facets of the self, and the changing perception of "the other" in a globalized digital era.
What is the primary goal of this research?
The goal is to determine if Facebook's features—such as profile creation, group membership, and mobile connectivity—align with postmodern conditions and consequences as described by theorists like Harvey and Bourdieu.
Which scientific methods or theories are applied?
The author uses a qualitative approach, applying established postmodern sociological frameworks—specifically Harvey’s time-space compression, Bourdieu’s theories on identity and status, and Hall’s concept of multiple identities—to the empirical reality of Facebook.
What topics are covered in the main body?
The main body investigates how Facebook facilitates global connectivity, how users manage their social identity through cultural preferences, how individuals handle dynamic and multiple identities, and how the platform influences international perceptions and stereotype deconstruction.
Which keywords define this research?
The research is characterized by terms such as Facebook, postmodernity, identity formation, time-space compression, digital connectivity, and sociological identity construction.
How does Facebook influence the concept of a 'global village'?
Facebook amplifies the "global village" effect by providing real-time connectivity across borders and time zones, and by increasingly integrating this connectivity into daily routines through smartphone technology.
How do the author's findings relate to the North African revolutions?
The author argues that Facebook allowed protesters to represent themselves directly to the world, thereby deconstructing previously held Western stereotypes about "the other" in the region.
- Quote paper
- Tobias Henze (Author), 2011, Facebook - The symbol of postmodernity?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/211204
