Investigating the relationship between the social phenomenon of Facebook and narcissistic socio-cultural tendencies

摘要

Narcissism is increasingly being regarded as one of the biggest socio-cultural problems of the contemporary era. Indeed, recent studies by Baldwin and Stroman (2007) and Buffardi and Campbell (2008), among others, have advanced that new media technologies – in particular social networking websites – have significantly exacerbated the rise and spread of narcissism in contemporary society. Based on this premise, namely that social media provide the perfect platform for the promotion of self-infatuation, this research project will provide a critical analysis of the potential influence of social media in the development of a widespread narcissistic socio-cultural condition. In this regard, claims that increasingly consumerist, individualist and media-saturated societies are nurturing a culture of extreme narcissism, vanity and entitlement, will be examined in relation to an increase in the use of consumerorientated new media technologies. In particular, by examining the structural components of the popular social networking site, Facebook, this treatise will highlight the connection between the use of this form of new media and the engenderment of an acutely consumerist and narcissistic subjectivity – namely, commodity narcissism. That is, by examining the growth of narcissism from the 1940s through to the new millennium, the role of the media, and most recently new media technologies, in the promotion of commodity narcissism will be examined as factors of particular significance in the formation of contemporary subjectivity. In relation to this, the impact of commodity narcissism on the perpetuation and propagation of capitalist isolation, alienation and insecurity will be investigated with a view to exploring the potential impact of such narcissism on the efficacy of the democratic process. Finally, some remedial measures, which co-opt rather than negate such social media, will be proposed.