Chapter VIII: The Specular Economy

Personally, I don’t use social media in the same way that the media suggests people from my generation does.

Sure, I’ve got Facebook. I’ve got Twitter.

But not in the same way that’s stereotypical.

I spend most of my day on Facebook. Barely an hour goes by without me being online. But I don’t regularly change my profile picture; I don’t usually update my status. Don’t ask me what’s happening on my newsfeed; I rarely see when people check in, or get tagged in photos. Because I’m always on the Messages tab. It’s free, and thanks to Telstra giving me access on my phone at no charge, it’s cheaper than texting.

I usually check Twitter on a daily basis. But I don’t tweet. I don’t follow my friends. I follow certain actors, comedians, and writers, to see what they’re doing in relation to their current projects. I like to see behind the scenes photos. I like hearing the newest announcements.

So where does this place me in Marshall’s (2010, p. 498) ‘specular economy’?

Well, clearly I’m very okay with how I’m being represented and how I’m presenting myself in the online sphere. If I was really that bothered by what my profile picture was or what somebody wrote on my wall, I would be changing it.

But I don’t consider myself to be one of these people who checks themselves in the online mirror every two seconds (Marshall 2010, p. 499).

Sure, my usage of Twitter probably is contributing to the ‘celebrity’ phenomenon. I follow individuals so see what they’re up to and, in a way, hold them in high regard.

But I don’t consider myself to be giving them celebrity status and act like a crazed fan when I find out one of them has stopped eating meat, or is putting on weight.

I feel as though my interest is very much a ‘business’ style interest.

One of my favourite writers is working on one of my favourite shows? Cool!

One of my favourite actors has just signed up for a new movie with a decent synopsis? Awesome!

One of my favourite comedians is having a child? Well that’s good for them, but I’m probably not going to be discussing that with my friends at a later date.

Everyone’s a part of the specular economy. But I consider most to be large, multi-national traders of ‘specular’, while I’m a lowly small business owner.

Sources:
Marshall, D 2010 'The specular economy', Society, vol. 47, no. 6, pp. 498-502