Essna O’Neill’s exemplifies Jose Van Dijk’s characterization of social media to a tee. Essna exhibited the pressure to expand through strategic alliances when her ex-boyfriend had initially suggested that they should date to increase their following and marketability. The competitive and hierarchical ranking mechanisms within the neoliberal economy are exemplified through her situation as she explains, “Companies know the power of social media and they are exploiting it... If you don’t think it is a business you are deluding yourself'. This hints at the fact that the under-the-radar, laissez-faire economy maintains corporate success. The competitive nature is somewhat expressed in her full-length video where she discusses how she saw certain bodies and wanted to look like them, and then she began to do so until she became an icon with many followers, subscribers, and likes.
This brings me to the popularity principle. It’s interesting because some people who protest Essna’s authenticity formed arguments based on the idea that the entire ordeal granted her leverage into an exponentially greater fanbase. She self-identifies as a vegan, which aligns with health and animal rights niches. Some people have suggested that her decision was in the vein of expanding perspectives of health awareness, as body-positive activism.
Is she just shifting her demographic and medium? If she plans to write a satirical book on her experience, is she using her acquired fame to leverage herself in a different industry with a different voice? Could it have become a strategy to gain an identity of a dignified, holier-than-thou, person of experience who left the mainstream only to tap into a market with a different market structure? A book could grant her income years later as opposed to the social media structure where she must constantly be posting? She even admits that she has always dreamed of becoming a writer.
Then again, I am not a social media icon, so I can not claim to know the extremity of the situation. I believe that there was some honesty behind what she was saying, but I also believe that like Kendall Jenner’s recent account deletion, once she feels like she needs social media again, she will be back for more. I mean, her fanbase of vegans were not necessarily bookworms that will be camping outside of Chapters waiting for an undetermined amount of time until her book becomes available. She might make a new and more professional account resembling that of her favourite authors, to symbolize her rebirth in the public eye, with a picture and a caption reading: NEW BOOK COMING TO A CHAPTERS NEAR YOU 💕📚👀
Is she just shifting her demographic and medium? If she plans to write a satirical book on her experience, is she using her acquired fame to leverage herself in a different industry with a different voice? Could it have become a strategy to gain an identity of a dignified, holier-than-thou, person of experience who left the mainstream only to tap into a market with a different market structure? A book could grant her income years later as opposed to the social media structure where she must constantly be posting? She even admits that she has always dreamed of becoming a writer.
Then again, I am not a social media icon, so I can not claim to know the extremity of the situation. I believe that there was some honesty behind what she was saying, but I also believe that like Kendall Jenner’s recent account deletion, once she feels like she needs social media again, she will be back for more. I mean, her fanbase of vegans were not necessarily bookworms that will be camping outside of Chapters waiting for an undetermined amount of time until her book becomes available. She might make a new and more professional account resembling that of her favourite authors, to symbolize her rebirth in the public eye, with a picture and a caption reading: NEW BOOK COMING TO A CHAPTERS NEAR YOU 💕📚👀
Hey Jacqueline! I really liked your post. I appreciated how you went over Essena's story but then related it to more modern day examples, such as Kendall Jenner recent account deletions. I also really like the way you incorporated forms of media into your post, with the video, different, pictures, and even the fun ending. Your post was both informative, and fun. However, I was wondering if you think Essena is using her former Instagram fame to gain more attention or to raise awareness about the online world? You touched on how there is some honesty behind what she is saying, but do you truly believe it?
ReplyDeleteGreat post!! I really liked how you incorporated another social media influencer and just like Farnaz said a more current day example. I too agreed that Essna O’Neill’s exemplifies Jose Van Dijk’s characterization of social media. She spoke about a lot of feelings that I think we as a generation share. Using her platform to speak on these issues clearly I think impacted the industry but did not as much as she might have hoped. Although I do think she started a conversation people are afraid to have.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was really interesting how you pointed out how you as a user don't necessarily know the extremity to what she feels. And because of this how Kendall Jenner’s recent account deletion didn't feel maybe as authentic as Essna but instead just a "break". What I mean by this is, is by someone like Kendall deleting her account, do you think she also opens up the conversation about how media influences youth? As much as I'd like to believe this to be true, I think its interesting to think about how yes, she did delete her account and yes, it did stir up conversation. But it didn't hold significance, her and someone like Essna grabbed viewers attention but not permanently. Do you think anyone has the power of doing so?