In this week’s lecture and tutorial, we focused on the ideas of simulacra, simulation, and spectacle. Within the discussion of spectacle, the idea of lonely crowds was brought up by Guy Debord.
While originally I felt disconnected from this topic, upon further discussion with peers and reading the blog posts and tweets of others, I began to understand and connect with the concept further. Debord even states that “modern reality [is] mediated by images,” something which I personally (and unintentionally) focus on as I curate my social media.
My remediation from this week is from Vampire Weekend’s Sydney concert in January 2020. As this is my favourite band, all I wanted to do was share this experience with my friends and followers on social media.
But from a personal perspective, why did I do that? Social obligation? Because I want to share my joy with others? For attention? To fit in?
Honestly, I don’t have an answer for that. Food for thought, I suppose.
References:
Debord, Guy 1967, ‘Chapter 1 “The Culmination of Separation”’, Society of the Spectacle.
This has always puzzled me. I tend to want to take some memento of the occasion as well, but some people attempt to film the whole thing! Like you remarked, for what? Why is it imperative that we have evidence of having had an experience and when did our experience become for the sake of appearing to have had for others. Of course, it’s a little more complicated than simply flaunting the copy…
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