Y.Q Thesis Outline

First Draft

I think this article will be academic or a script-based text with some theoretical analysis.

Here I would like to give a relatively clear introduction towards the main topic of my thesis and project: I'm working a topic which mainly about the identity disguise on social media. I was inspired by the growing political propaganda ads and spam on social media platforms. Although we often choose to ignore them, they will inevitably stay in the subconscious and subtly affect the way we think. I am also experiencing these effects myself. For example, when I am browsing the comments below some news reports, my consciousness will gradually be pulled by the opinions of those anonymous commenters. Some comments with intense emotions seem to be a kind of irresponsible 'democratic' catharsis without taking any risks, so how can I define the “authenticity”through the huge amount of commenters and their attitudes and consciousness without knowing who they are and their position. So I was interested in this kind of new interaction which is invisible, lack of real communication and interactivity. How does this new way of virtual interaction and socialisation affect the development of the real world?

Here’s a short essayistic text about my research (a little bit abstract): When you look at the screen while rubbing your eyes, you experience subtle visual differences, perceived weightlessness, and déjà vu in the blink of an eye due to the turbulence caused by the dimension switching. No matter where you turn in life, you cannot avoid staring at the screen. The unfolding virtual world is as common as eating and sleeping. Scenes and situations replaced by screens and networks, and there is no longer any transcendence, only an ever-expanding surface, which has become smooth and fragile under the pulling of countless disguised consciousnesses. The world built across the screen keeps bringing back the impulse of imagination and emotion to the origin. How can we find a crack in this smooth and fragile surface to escape?

I think I will start from a basic analysis about the script. A story based on a real experience of friend of mine. (which you can trace it here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uZKf4i8QpAcVBRxEdinB5ocY9Tq9Ccq_/view ) I think most of my research has also been taken from what were mentioned in this story. This is a story about using the dating app to chat with strangers, there were some keywords mentioned in the story. For example, the annoying functions of the social software, like once you click on the chat window, the platform will automatically prompt a “READ" sign. I feel like a feature like this can somehow be associated with "monitoring" and "information leakage", i.e. remote exposure of your state (are you watching your phone right now?) . So when we add our comments under the videos or reports we browsed, does it mean that our speech and state are also being observed and monitored by others (platform mangers/ governments/ nobodies)? I think these key points will bring the story to some larger context, a sociopolitical context.

On the other hands, in the story, two strangers talked about some current social issues, for instance, air pollution. So from this part, I was thinking about the “Second-order Observation”, which about a new way of thinking and observing in the online world. It includes knowing each other through their profiles, posts; clarify their social position through the mainstream opinions appeared online. But we are not sure about the accuracy of these voices, so when we are talking about real affairs anonymously, where is the “real protesters”in these comments and analysis. Or most of us just follow the endless emotions and attitudes led by someone blindly. Are these serious discussions or conscious and emotional orgies?

And then I will based on these questions and keywords to find some theoretical references to support. And give an objective analysis in this article. And all the three key issues will be the three different chapters maybe. 🤔

Second Draft

https://drive.google.com/file/d/14cpPWMK7roOaYq4EfkLkUUmcOym-De38/view?usp=share_link

Third Draft

CHAPTER ONE:Does the virtual space purify the real world and absolutise the imaginary world?

1.1 Profile/Nickname/Posts:

You and Your Profile^[1]

Chapter 1: BAMBOO BAY: THE JOY OF TOURISM

Chapter 5: IDENTITY: The COMPLEXITY OF IDENTITY

In chapter 1, there's a nice example about Profile Value,Online Profiles enabled people to start a second-life,it provides everyone with an orientation for self-shaping and self-presentation.Then in China, more and more people are willing to spend several hours to edit their selfies and profiles in order to earning more likes and feel that they 're accepted by the mass. And through chapter 5, I hope to start with the original form of identity and analyze how our expressions of identity has changed with the rise of digital identities.

1.2 Narcissistic Space:

I think based on the examples and analysis in 1.1, as digital communication becomes more and more disembodied(Digital communication is communication without eye contact.)the smartphone is more like an electronic mirror, which opened up a narcissistic space, an imaginary realm in which I wrapped myself. Just like the girl in my script, she told an experience of being locked out of the room, at that time the dialogue is more like a self-reflective narration without having any eye contacts or real interactions.She's actually told the story to herself, and stared at herself in an imaginary world. This will lead to people falling into narcissistic spaces, immersed in self-expression and association, absolutize the imaginary world.

At the end of this section, I hope to add another thought, that is, the destruction of this narcissistic space by the intervention of others.The huge amount of "likes" or self-presentations like the main character create a positive space, but the experience of others' intrusions interrupt the imaginary mirror. Like when the stranger gave some different opinions, she began to question whether the feelings and opinions she has just stated are acceptable, at which point the narcissistic space is broken by the intrusion of the Other.Digital media to some extent diminish our ability to deal with negativity. This point of view can help me lead to the following chapter. In order to deal with the negativity, how to find a shelter to hide and protect our ideal identities?

CHAPTER TWO:Is this imaginary world a better shelter for identity disguise?

2.1 Rear Window:

The script reminded me of the movie directed by Alfred Hitchcock.Wheelchair-bound photographer Jeff sat by the window and enjoyed watching the burlesque life of his neighbors. One day he thought hehad witnessed a murder. The suspect also realized that Jeff, who lived opposite, Some of the visual details in my video also came from this film, which also raises a question about surveillance others under a safe shelter. In 'Rear Window', the telescope and window became his shelter. In contrast to the rear window, in the digital window, the intrusion of reality, the intrusion of the 'other', may not exist physically. The digital window follows the generalized imagination, shielding us and our identities from reality more effectively than the rear window. In my script, the main character mentioned an annoying function of the software, like once you click on that message, the other one will receive a "Read" prompt, which means the other will know you have already read the message, and this also made the character feel unsettled. I think this could relate to some kind of surveillance, there's a pair of eyes watching you behind the screen.

Related Points:

1/keep distance with the"other". 2/surveillance 3/intrusion of the other

2.2 Bot Army & Political Manipulation on Social Media Platform:

In this section， I would like to bring into a social context, to provide some examples about the representation and impact of identity disguise on the current network platform.

Proxy Politics: Signal and Noise^[2]

Real Time: Making Digital China^[3]

Chapter 9: Speed Politics of Danmu

CHAPTER THREE:What do people want to gain from it?

I'm still 🤔,in the script, I think the girl used dating apps in order to divert attention, but what's the core reason? Should I do some interview to support my research?