Identity and Vlogs
(J.Stone)

• authors to look into: Whorf, Goffman, Carpenter, Carr

Right now, I am going to read through Adam Bohannon's paper Negotiating Id/entity in Internet-Mediated Contexts to get a feel for negotiating identity (in general) on the internet- here we go!

• Charles Cooley: we imagine how we must appear to others and internalize their judgements of our appearance
• different contexts = different web of relationships = different identity reflecitons
• media mediate these interactions
• Lum (2006): each medium of communication is its own language that creates its own symbolic environment
• YT holds approx. 286 terabytes of data
• internet has own rules/biases, infrastructure
• how do we adjust our self presentation to virtual contexts?
• context = information systems (Meryowitz) = social exchanges (Wellman)
• more private, introspective, individualistic? social movement formation?
• looks at McLuhan, Einstein and Meryorwitz- how new forms of media shape our senses and perceptions
• internet-based media creates an environment of "all-at-onceness"
• new technologies provide an avenue to shape oneself and one's culture
• Yochai Benkler (2006): the "networked information environment"
• all groups have access to the internet (in theory), even though some ages, races, religious affiliations, etc. use the internet more than others (and for different reasons)

Power and the Internet

• in the early stages of the internet, programmers had critical knowledge necessary to manipulate the new medium while other's didn't
• now, blogs, vlogs, emails, IM's tweets are all user-friendly applications out of the Web 2.0 'boom'
• just as the TV levelled the playing field for those who could not read (to access info, news) the internet is doing similar things for those who generally would have little power
• less elitist
• collaborative potential is infinite!!
• wikipedia, reddit, digg- different ways to collaborate, edit or organize the web
• "networked individualism" (Barry Wellman) - organizational shift from group-based to network-based society; increases amount of knowledge and innovation potential
• Metcalfe's Law- power of a network mulitplies rapidly as the number of nodes increases
• Reed's Law- power of a network multiplies more rapidly as human group diversity increases in the network
• Id/entity
• our identities are embedded in the social structures in which we are a part and that which we ultimately created-- "man is an animal suspended in webs of significance he himself has spun" (Geertz)
• Goffman's stages:
• multiple stages we perform on, different roles
• "presentation" of self
• each new medium offers us a new stage performance, with new ways of presenting ourselves- electronic media is changing the physical bias
• so, how do we define ourselves in an internet-mediated world?
• Facebook: front stage text (profile) vs. backstage pictures
• this generation is giving up much more information about themselves than ever before
• vlogs - visual vs. textual
• more intimate than textual media (Meyrowitz)
• first vlogs uncomfortable
  
• discursive language
• self-depricating
• unsure how to present self
• asynchronous communication
• what happens when no one is present to reflect an image back to you? what part of yourself do you choose to present?
• homogenization of roles is a possibility
• negotiation of "all-at-oneness"
• Turkle - range of cultural trends that encourage us to think of identity in terms of mulitplicity and flexibility
• multiplicative identity and cognitive flexibility will be central issues of concern
• could the internet mimic Erikson's adolescent moratorium? (intense interaction, idea experimentation, identity play)
• our negotiation of merging info-systems and symptoms of ambiguity will depend on how we choose to use media and understand their effects
• internet compresses time and space in some instances, must become proactive rather than reactive
• what we do in the new mediascape matters

Here is where I started in researching languages and gender on 1st vlogs:

Women	Topic of conversation	Slang/cussing & formal/informal speech	Posture & closeness to camera	Hand gestures	Eye contact	Location/identity defining objects in screen
1 AngelaPiper9 Age: 15 1:43 minutes AngelaPiper9's "vlog" 1 “my first "vlog" hope your enjoy.” ::Taken down::	Name, making another vlog bc last one was on its side and doesn’t know how to fix that, Talks about booksmart but no common sense, bored @ watching Disney, next vlog about her and her friend making an MTV cribs -does not edit video	-Informal -no cussing “what’s up” Uses “like” (only once) Calls self retarded	Very close to camera, can only see head and top of shoulders	n/a (holding camera with both hands)	constant	Bedroom- Bathrobe, posters/pictures, TV in background
2 Hispassenger Age: 21 6:00 minutes My First Vlog (Hey YouTubers!) “Hello Everyone! This is my very first Vlog for you all and I gotta' admit, talking to myself is not an everyday thing for me so this video was kind of weird to make but I hope you guys enjoy! PEACE & LOVE, Jes'!”	Weird to talk to self, talks about obsession w/ YouTube & thankful for subscribers (to her singing videos) makes her feel special, talks about guy friend on YT, big family, tomboy and girlie at same time, creative 300 poems, can’t wait to be a mom, comments are awesome -does not edit video	No cussing --Informal Uses “like” Uses “ya know” Uses “um” and “uh” often but doesn’t make note of it	Slightly hunched over, can see head to chest	Uses hand gestures multiple times in each sentence; clapping	Looks away in topic transitions, looks at computer screen when seemingly finding the ‘right’ words	Bedroom- Bed, fan
3 Aestheticmetaphor Age: 7:47 minutes First Vlog! “My very first vlog.”	“Thankfully you can’t see setup”, don’t want other ppl in house to wonder why talking to self, not wearing many colors today but can’t see skirt, caffeinated from drink, humorless state in childhood, talks about hand gestures, grandmother’s ring & quilt, not married, hope don’t feel like wasting your time, can’t whistle, cousin like sibling, step siblings, bad elementary school teacher -does not edit video	No cussing Laughs often- (seemingly nervously),	Notes closeness to camera [laughs] (bc of low volume microphone)	Makes note of hand gestures, waves hand or hands often, plays with hair, talks about using “air quotes”	Shifts back and forth between looking at camera and looking away fairly equally and often	Bedroom- Makes note of Sticky notes and quilt made by grandmother in background
4 devonks Age: 16-20 3:47 minutes my first vlog/day at work “hey, this is my first attempt. thanks for watching!”	First day at work: amusement park PNE food stand, cashier & drink stand- messed up drink then tried to ‘trick’ customer, cute guy (brief), hair looks oily & flat from greesy food place @ work, during break watching llamas go around ring- was boring, hope someone watches this bc “I kind of put a lot of effort into it” -edits video	No cussing Informal yet somewhat scripted (edited parts out)	Close to camera, can see head to very top of shoulders	Touches hair and neck, hair touches (approx: 23 times in under 4 minutes)	Shifts back and forth between looking at camera and looking away fairly equally and often	Looks like a study or bedroom
5 drewandblume Age: 17 1:02 minutes Lauren’s first vlog “badness”	Responding to a video; “puffles are kind of high today” curly hair big from weather, slept-in, responding to question: what would be your themesong and why? Can’t answer; question to her: alltime favorite tshirt? -edits video	No cussing -very informal bc specific audience is a female (friend) that she already knows	Not as close to camera, can see head and up to chest also much of the background	few	Holds eyecontact nearly all of the time	Looks like a dormroom but wouldn’t necessarily make sense if she is 17, bedroom/family room, messy
6 HannahMonty155 Age: 19 1:57 minutes First Vlog/Blog/Vlog? Whaaaaa! “Howdy youtube, this is me!” ::taken down::	Name, new to YT, never done vlog, apologies for ‘crap quality’, don’t own a camera, tell interesting facts about self to get ball rolling, 19th bday other day, blonde hair, like ‘Talk Shop’ (apparently a clothing place), plays Pokemon, toothbrush is pink, dental hygiene important, daffodils in window, likes flowers, send her flowers, waves bye -does not edit video	Says “no joke” Says “half two” when referring to time	Not very close, can see head to chest	Frequent, holding camera with left hand- right hand moves often; shows birthday card and toothbrush, gives thumbs up, makes, highlights face with hand	Constant, exaggerate facial expressions	Small private room, possibly a bedroom; see bathrobe hanging on door in background

Men

Topic of conversation

Slang/cussing & formal/informal speech

Posture & closeness to camera

Hand gestures

Eye contact

Location/identity defining objects in screen

1 TheRon An Introduction “this is my first vlog - just kind of an introduction to my life. enjoy.” Age: 28 3:40 minutes

Name first vlog, blog in a lot of places (gives personal website), get insight into people watching vlogs, 10yrs since grad HS, live at home still take care of disabled mom and brother not getting further into it nobody’s business too personal, have a radio show (it’s on break), love music movies comics, subscribe, feels good to get it out there, hope everyone has a good day, I’ll get more into me next time, work in comic book store grand opening tomorrow morning -doesn’t edit video

Informal Says “uh” and “um” in between thoughts (often)

Not very close comparatively, can see head to chest

Starts off with sweeping hand gesture, scratches arm, otherwise no hand gestures

Glare from glasses but eye contact fairly constant- looks away as if in a real conversation

Small intimate space (possibly bedroom)

2 Imag1n3that Age: 18 First Vlog “LOL” 3:08 minutes

Name, first vlog, addicted to the internet so should do something productive, video journalizing seems more personal & authentic, be cool to look back at videos & see how much progressed as a person, Filipino, student at san diego, nursing, gay & family is ok with it, really like Bjork, likes movies goes through the $5 bins @ walmart, likes long drives, bad sense of direction, try to do this on regular basis -edits video just a bit (enhances uhh..umm..uhh)

Informal, says uses vlog as video journal, uses “um” and “uh” often

Close- can only see head and top of shoulders; rocks head back and forth during speech

Moves shoulders often; cannot see hands

Fairly constant, looks away in between thoughts (generally coincides with the “ums”); exaggerated facial experssions

3 pieces of artwork in background wall, possibly bedroom

3 kingarnie Age: 20’s First vlog “My first vlog...” 3:23 minutes

Response, name, from SE England, watching vlogs & amv’s, tried vlog once before but took it down and put this up, just name in comment box wants ppl to know him, inspiration for doing vlogs, ordinary & down to earth guy, don’t have to be young or cool or hip to get subscribers, 1.) wants ppl to know who he is, 2.) wants confidence in public speaking, 3.) outlet for creativity, thanks for watching -edits video (cuts things out)

Says “um” and “uh” Uses “rubbish”

Close, head and top of shoulders

n/a, cannot see hands

Looks away fairly often, seemingly more than keeps eye contact, looks down and to the side,

Poster and bed in background, bedroom

4 darkangel0103 Age: college age First Vlog “just me introducing myself to my 40k subscribers and YT friends and talking a little about myself” 7:47 minutes

Talks about his armies (gaming), talks about his lisp, notes random mumbling, logistic talk of gaming, daylife is really boring, goes to college comes home and checks email, facts about his videos, has bad acne and can’t get gf because of it, gets depressed about failed attempts at getting gf (laughs), 55 DVDs in stack, talks about what his YouTube name means, always wears grey jacket, comment and rate his videos- prefers 5 stars but doesn’t really care if you chose 1, shoutouts to other gamers, helped him get views -edits throughout video

Formal in that he reads off Microsoft word, notes lisp,

Close- head and top of shoulders

none

Little eye contact- reading from word doc

Small private room

5 PapaL0k0 Age: 15-21 first VLOG ever!! “haha yes” 2:18 minutes

Name, first video probably gonna be bad quality, don’t usually have giant afro hawk, wrestles-(made it to state) who wants to wrestle a kid with a giant Mohawk?, got herpes and staff infection from wrestling, go to all boy’s school, talks about ‘the ladies’, I shop at HotTopic, listen to weird music (lists off), don’t like classifying self, subscribe rate me comment, says he’ll see what he can do in the future -edits video minimally

Informal, says “uh” and “um”

Not close in middle of video, head and torso,

often

Steady eye contact

Empty carpeted stairway

6xXDLF420Xx Age: 26 3:02 minutes First Vlog “This is my first video of nothing. Don't let it bore you to death.”

First screen reads: “This is my first Vlog! It’s going to sucks!” [[lights and smokes pipe]] -says it’s tobacco that makes him feel great (seems to be facetious) First V-log doesn’t know what he’s doing, just going off the top of his head, watches a lot of paperlilies(vlogger) haven’t really subscribed to anyone else, into harmonica (shows in other video, notes that he was drunk), YT commercialized (bad), maybe I’ll get some budies and do something crazy, -edits video

Says “lots of crazy shit on YouTube” Says ‘crazy shit’ twice Says “uh” and “um” often Says “y’all” And “buddies” -has a “twang”

Close head and top shoulders

Lifts and smokes pipe, scratches head, otherwise no hand gestures

constant

Small private room

Alternative

Topic of conversation

Slang/cussing & formal/informal speech

Posture & closeness to camera

Hand gestures

Eye contact

Location/identity defining objects in screen

1 coreyt0304 Age:19 First VlOg “My first vlog” - male- major facial deformity

Age, live in small-ass town in NY, born with facial deformity, prosthetic eye, 30some odd surgeries almost lookin ok, LOVES pro-wrestling even though know it’s fake, no girlfriend but hopeful, family sister turning 16, mom, awesome grandma, comment -no video editing

Cusses once (ass) Uses “um” and “uh”, pauses

Somewhat close but in corner of the screen, leans forward

Some; air quotes, touches face

Looks away often, but n/a because of prosthetic eye- difficult to discern

Empty room, possibly family room (stairs in background)

2 ResEvil07 Age: 19 First Vlog “This is the first video I have ever made and I hope I can make more” - self-proclaimed furry

If you’re a furry you know him somewhat, lives in Texas, in dorm (messy really messy), got new webcam so start posting videos to YT, age, black and red wolf, in relationship w/ beautiful furry from Chicago, hopefully be able to make more vids in future if remembers, hope didn’t bore you -no video editing

Says “you can suck it! I really don’t care”

Not very close (relatively) can see head to chest, leaning slightly forward

Minimal, touches face

looks to the side or computer monitor, closes eyes often (seemingly when finding words)

Dorm room, can see messy desk

3 pigpen7471 Age:23 My first vlog? “wowza, i finally got some courage to post a vlog. hope you can stand my crazy ramblings.” -male to female transsexual

Turns off monitor so doesn’t keep staring at it, male to female trans, not out to very many people – works in construction, computer gaming (“bit of a nerd”), first video, been on YT for a while watching other vlogs, hits people with foam sticks LARP (live action role playing), finally moved out of parents house, female roommate knows he’s bi but not trans, -edits video minimally

Says “uhh” often -informal -no cussing

Close- head and top of chest

Minimal, touches face

Moves eyes back and forth between looking down and to side often, no constant eye contact

Small private room, possibly bedroom

4 suuzle Age: 27 first vlog “in which i introduce myself, talk about work and being genderqueer” -female to male transsexual -self-proclaimed genderqueer

First YT video, name & location, Portland is better than pennyslvania for being genderqueer, works in childcare, had to sit down w/ bosses about transition- they told him to write to parents, wrote and changing name to Sage and use male pronouns, b4 sent out didn’t sleep much, went to work and response was overwhelmingly positive, they were just afraid he was quitting and they were happy that he wasn’t quitting, parents don’t know, watching lots of similar vlogs on YT and getting a lot of positive feedback, making it easier for him emotionally (YT ‘genderqueer’ community) ; -very little video editing -smiles often

Uses “um” very often -informal --coming out video

Close- just head and very top of shoulders,

Touches hat/hair/face/neck often

Looks to the sides often, doesn’t look into camera often; raises eyebrows often

Kitchen, private

5 xantoniolovelacex Age: says 14 + Antohney's First Vlog :P 19/7/07 + “soz about scuzzy sound... i'm a pre-op, pre-T ftm transsexual just wanted to say hi to everyone ...” -male to female transsexual

First video, 14yrold transman, thanks for the great posts, hasn’t exactly come out yet, family and friends don’t really know, interested to know what people think about the issue bc not a lot of ppl speak about it, ppl on TY really helps with depression -no video editing

Uses “um” and “like”

Close- just head sometimes, then head and top of chest

-brushes hair back, holds computer mike at end

Looks down and to side; doesn’t look at camera; is down from the camera so needs to look upward

-looks like a family room, private

6 namrevarbnosaj Age: 19 4:40 minutes My first video blog “That's it, I've been a youtube leech for long enough; it's time I contribute to the community. So... here I am. And thank you Grishno and wormglow for helping me figure out how to load this video here (it's not as asy as it looks). So here I am... in male form:”

Name, first vlog actually kind of frightening, feeling like a leech since joined YT so making video of own so can contribute to community, male to female transsexual, document transition WE will be able to look back and see how far she’s come, just outed myself to family past Friday, drinking doesn’t solve problems but.., digressing like crazy, college student, lives with 2 understanding guys, making mural (behind), don’t shave your head, sporting the beard one last time- never going to wear it again getting lazer hair removal, hair longer than used to be, if family had way- ‘he’ would look like uber masculine, shows art sketch, hates being sick, roommate gets home RIGHT at end -no editing

Uses “ya know” very often Uses “um” often

somewhat close head and top of chest

Touches beard when references it, puts hand over mouth when coughs, otherwise no hand gestures, points with face

Fairly constant but looks up or to the side in pauses

Dormroom, making mural on wall behind, loft in background,