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| Image 1: A Gathering of Community (Roletschek) |
The mediation of narrative is essential to self and
community identity (Kuttainen, 2017). To perceive one must have a narrative to
use as a reference. Narrative is essential to orient how one is to perceive or
be perceived. This can change depending on the community you are in as it
builds the notion of self. On Deviantart art they hold a narrative of fellow artists
or collaborators. Like the National Newspaper that connected a nation these
imagined communities share a narrative that unites them (Kuttainen, 2017). These
communities came about because of the transformations of technology.
But what makes a community? A community is a collective of
people with similar interests, experiences and narrative. They have this shared
narrative that connects them in a tightknit network.
Words filter reality and it is technology that changes us
and reality. Naming in the virtual world is the same as in the real world. The
purpose of naming is to call something into being as if it has no word it is
rendered invisible (Tuan, 1991). It transforms reality as people as it can then
be envisioned. This power of naming a group empowers them as to create place
where self and community identity can form. This creates and defines Deviantart
through the language formed on the website.
When the internet came about all these new words came with
it to describe the virtual world and the activities. Few are now in rare use
because of how they reflected upon the beginning internet. Language is a
dynamic factor of life as it is constantly changing and nothing can be done
about the relevance of terms. This of language was defined by the community and
the start of the transformation of new technology. For Deviantart the avatar
creates an identity for that person on the platform they are a part of. This
new language shapes our perception of the virtual space of the internet.
The way people speak can reflect upon how they view
themselves and how they wish to be seen. As Regan stated language used by the
users creates an identity that reflects their ambitions and their identity (2014).
This adoption of language defines how parts of self and community identity
occurs. When narratives changes so do the users within the community. The users
of this website are deviants which separates them from users of other
platforms. The communities or groups as they are known on Devianart can formed
be anyone who wishes to.
Language allows for the exchange of information and
communication of transforming reality. When talking about language of the
internet words like platform and upload come to mind. Within the Deviantart
community this type of language is very relevant. Deviantart is one of the many
virtual social media platforms that are available on the internet. A platform
is a type media delivery service. People utilise Deviantart as a means to
communicate their artist message. Uploading artistic work on this website
shapes it as if it was a virtual art collection.
References
Kuttainen, V.
(2017). BA1002: Our space: Networks, Narratives, and the Making of Place,
lecture 5: Power [PowerPoint slides] Retrieved from http://www.learnjcu.edu.au
Regan, V. (2014,
Nov 21). What your speaking style, like, says about you | Vera Regan |
TEDxDublin [Audio file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAGgKE82034
Roletschek, R.
(2014). Wikimania 2014 attendees [Image]. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikimania
Tuan, Y.
(1991). Language and the Making of Place: A Narrative-Descriptive Approach. Annals of the Association of American
Geographers, vol. 81(4), pp. 684-696. http://www.jstor.org/stable/2563430
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