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Title variants
The expositional and relational aspects of the self: Digital narcissism from a wider perspective
Languages of publication
Abstracts
In the presented essay the diagnosis of narcissism as a socio-cultural ‘disease’ is discussed in a wider anthropological context of expositional and relational aspects of personal identity, based on selected narrative-oriented theories of the subject. According to them, the process of finding or creating the genuine self depends on how one presents oneself (the expositional aspect) to others (relational aspects). It creates a ground on which contemporary forms of ‘digital narcissism’ can develop. The article shows how these aspects have already reached their deviated form in ‘celebrity culture’ (analysed in the classic work by Christopher Lash), only to be brought to their extreme in the era dominated by interactive social media. Researchers seem to overemphasise the scope of this phenomenon and the risk it entails, as they don’t take into account more ‘passive’ usages of social media. The asymmetry between the ‘stage’ and the ‘audience’ – those who show themselves and their lives on the screens, and those who observe it – is still maintained, even if access to the ‘stage’ seems to be easier than in any epoch before. It is an assumption that supports a purely theoretical concern that eventually no one will be left to continue watching (a fear of an empty ‘audience’ discussed for example by Andrew Keen in The Cult of the Amateur). After all, a path to digital fame – the dream of every coeval ‘narcissist’ – is not as simple as it is often assumed. Even if, theoretically, available to everyone, only a few will be able to use this opportunity in its entirety. Most users will ultimately give up after their multiple tries to attract other people’s attention and accept their role as viewers prove ineffective. Another problem that derives from the ‘celebrity culture’ is that one can put oneself out there, on the public ‘stage’, not only through extraordinary achievements, talents, self-determination and hard work, as it supposedly was in the past, but also through an excessive, grossly offensive or outstandingly distasteful behaviour. As Umberto Eco put it, reputation has been replaced by publicity (in some cases no matter the cost). Nevertheless, there are still definitely more ‘admirers’ than ‘idols’ – more followers than the ones that are followed.
Publisher
Year
Volume
Issue
Pages
43-57
Physical description
Contributors
References
Document Type
Publication order reference
Identifiers
Biblioteka Nauki
1856991
YADDA identifier
bwmeta1.element.ojs-doi-10_26112_kw_2020_108_04
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