A case study of YouTuber: Jaiden Animations
Introduction
The public and private spheres were always known to be separate entities as they have different and opposing characteristics. The former involves rational discussions in an open space while the latter encompasses an individual’s control over the self and its space (Habermas 1989, pp.1-2 ; Thompson 2011, pp. 50-61). This forms a clear boundary between the two spheres, allowing for a clear distinction between what is shared publicly, what is kept personal and the appropriate behaviours in different circumstances. These boundaries are made meaningful as information, discussions and varying opinions can only be gained based on the individual’s willingness to accept and participate in it. However, the progression of technology such as the internet’s ability to connect every individual at anytime of the day, caused the line between the two spheres to blur due to its ability to bring the public into the private and vice versa. Therefore, this paper seeks to argue that the boundaries between the public and private spheres are no longer meaningful. This argument will be supported with the points that there is no distinction between public and private knowledge, the abstract nature of online discussions and turning the self into a public project.
To illustrate the argument that the boundaries between the two spheres are no longer meaningful, the YouTube channel named Jaiden Animations will be used as a case study and analyzed. More specifically, her videos titled “Why I Don’t Have a Face Reveal” and “The Closest Feeling to Death that isn't Death” along with their respective comment sections. This is chosen due to the immensely personal nature of the content and dialogue generated by the creator and her audience. Not only that, her videos shows the breaking down of boundaries between the two spheres as she covers topics ranging from her personal struggles with eating disorders and mental health to public knowledge of how to deal with them in any one video (Wolpe 2016). Therefore, her content and comment section is a suitable object of study for this paper.
Literature
The main literature identified for this paper is ‘The Fall of Public Man’ by Richard Sennett (1997). This academic literature is identified as Sennett discusses the dissolution of the barriers and its correlation to narcissism and intimacy that was emphasized through the rise of industrial capitalism and secularism. With this, it can be understood that the search for intimacy and authenticity in the society caused individuals to disrupt political processes and seek out the private self. Thus further instigating the notion of pursuing and exposing the private self to the public in order to regain the sense of intimacy. Hence illustrating the cause of the boundaries between the two sphere being increasingly meaningless.
Argument and Discussion
3.1 No distinction between public knowledge and private information
It is argued that the boundaries between the public and private spheres are no longer meaningful as there is no distinction between public knowledge and private information. This is stated as publishing personal information into the public realm of the internet causes the lines between the two spheres to blur such that the information can no longer be classified as either public or private information. An example of this is the video titled “Why I Don’t Have a Face Reveal” by Jaiden Animations (2017), in which she discusses her struggles with eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia. In the video, she troublingly explained her thoughts, feelings and experiences during this dark period of her life which can be noted to be highly personal and not something that is usually published online. She even stated multiple times in the video that “this is not something that I would usually share”. However, there are also points in the video where she explains the effects these disorders have on your body and even how contemporary beauty standards affects an individual’s self-image which can be fitted into the category of public information (Jaiden Animations 2017). This shows that the lines between the two spheres are increasingly meaningless as such videos show no semblance of public and private information. According to Sennett (1997), this occurrence is due to the need for an intimate society by individuals. This encourages the obsession with authenticity, thus framing the video from a deeply personal and authentic perspective would help garner more attention, in turn spread the information further and can be seen to be successful in creating an intimate imagined community. An imagined community is where a group of people are linked through emotions rather than physicality (Powers 2011). This video is an instance of that as it boasts over 11.2 million views and allowed Jaiden’s channel to now consists of over 4.6 million subscribers. Nevertheless, such tactics can be identified in many campaigns, be it from humanitarian issues to multinational enterprises in hopes of making a positive movement or gaining profit (Brenner 2011 ; Wodak & Koller ed 2008). Therefore, it is understood that the need for an intimate society caused private information to be mixed with the public in order to display a level of authenticity, thus rendering the boundaries between public and private to no longer be meaningful.
3.2 Abstract nature of online discussions
Furthermore, it can be argued that the boundaries between public and private spheres are no longer meaningful because of the abstract nature of online discussions. This is argued
as discussions on online forums do not have the same code of conduct as a physical discussion due to its current accessibility in private spaces (Mesch & Talmud 2010, pp. 45-79). It is understood that the ways individuals participate in physical and online discussions differs as comments in an online forum are carried out without face-to-face ques and emotional exchanges (Mesch & Talmud 2010, pp. 45-79). This leads to comments that are too uncomfortable to be made in a physical setting frequently made online. Which further shows how the social code of conduct is ignored due to the disregard for the barriers between the two spheres (Edgerly et al 2009). According to Park, physical discussions usually encompass debate and deliberation, where opposing viewpoints can be shared and heard while online discussions consists of individuals with similar ideals, excluding anyone that opposes (cited in Edgerly et al 2009, pp. 5-7). Even though the comment section from Jaiden Animations’ videos are mostly positive, the concept of an echo chamber is reflected where every commenter has similar opinions (Colleoni, Rozza & Arvidsson 2014). Thus rational debates and discussions are unable to thrive as it would in a physical space as oppositions would be ostracized and excluded from the discussion. For example, a user by the name of Turtles and Cheese (Jaiden Animations 2017) commented on “Why I Don’t Have a Face Reveal” : “9.7k dislikes... 9.7k DISLIKES?!?! SCREW THEM PEOPLE WHO DISLIKED THEY ARE PIECES OF CRAP!”. Within the periods of 22 to 28 September 2018, 43 similar comments were identified, which can be analysed as them being unable to accept differing opinions. This supports Sennett’s (1997) explanations that the broken down boundaries caused intentions to be more important than action, hence those with similar intentions would converge while others are excluded. In addition, the Habermasian test has also failed because the internet as a public realm is unable to conduct rational debates, due to the exclusionist nature of online discussions, and is subjected to societal conduct that would be unusual in physical public spaces (Habermas 1989, pp.1-12). This shows that the boundaries between the public and private spheres to no longer be meaningful as the users of online platforms that encourage discussions such as YouTube are unable to distinguish between public and private behaviour when there are no consequences to ignoring proper societal conduct online.
3.3 Turning the self into a public project
In addition, it is argued that the boundaries between the public and private spheres are no longer meaningful as the idea of the self has been turned into a public project. This is stated because before the popularity of the internet, the self and its improvements were often seen as a private affair and separated from public scrutiny (Marshall et.al ed 2016, pp. 19-27). However, the internet allowed for the elevation of private expectations and ideals to the point where they are now considered a part of public life (Sennett 1997). This renders the boundaries between the two spheres to be no longer meaningful as the way individuals conduct themselves cannot be distinguished between public and private. Sennett (1997) states that this occurrence is due to the narcissistic tendencies in the intimate society that champions intentions over actions which lead to individuals posting more about their personal goals and intentions online. For instance, in Jaiden’s video titled: “Why I Don’t Have a Face Reveal” , she said early on that she still prefers to have a seperated private life by keeping personal details to herself (Jaiden Animations 2017). However, a year later in her video “The Closest Feeling to Death that isn't Death” (Jaiden Animations 2018), she continues to openly talk about her personal struggles with burnout, going to the therapist, daily routine and even dropping out of college. Even though the video can be interpreted as a way to help others get over burnout, she quoted multiple times in the video, “I’m not just saying this to you but also to myself” which shows that this is a private project that she has chosen to make public. However, some may counter-argue that the blurring of the boundaries do not mean that the boundaries are no longer meaningful as making certain aspects of the private public is of the individual’s choice. (Thompson 2011, pp. 58-70). Thompson (2011, pp. 58-70) noted that individuals still have the discretion on what to publish online, which shows the control and separation that one might have in private. For example, the audience may know about Jaiden’s personal struggles with eating disorders and mental health but would not be aware of her financial standing as she chooses what parts of herself that would be public. Despite that, it can still be argued that the boundaries are no longer meaningful as making the self into a public project is a never ending upward climb as seen with the progression of private self-projects Jaiden has put out on her channel over the years. Hence, the boundaries between the public and private spheres are no longer meaningful as turning the idea of the self into a public project has defeated the purpose of separation.
Conclusion
To conclude, the boundaries between the public and private spheres are no longer meaningful as the distinction between private information and public knowledge continues to blur. This allows for private information to be published in order to manufacture a sense of authenticity that an intimate society craves. Furthermore, the abstract nature of online discussions have also rendered the lines between the two spheres to be meaningless as individuals are unable to separate the appropriate social behaviour when public forums are able to be accessed in private. In addition, turning the self into a public project also diminished the value of the barriers between the two spheres due to narcissism being a pushing factor for individuals to form an imagined community around their intentions. This encourages online creators such as Jaiden Animations and her audience to share personal issues and private self projects online. Her channel is an example of how the public sphere has and will continue to change into a more private and exclusionary space yet still remain public. Hence, the understanding of the public sphere and its functions would need to adapt to the era where there are no boundaries between the public and the private.
(1780 words)
References
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