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Love and social networks: exhibition, objectification and jealousy

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Love is without doubt one of the most tough points for philosophy to deal with. Behind a masks of simplicity and romantic superficiality hides an idea of unimaginable depth. And, in our time, social networks and the digital universe have made the already advanced evaluation of affection add condiments that make the duty of explaining it harder.

As with completely different occasions all through historical past, the digital world labored and works as an accelerator of processes or views. The COVID-19 pandemic served as an accelerator of digital improvement and this may improve the consequences that I’ll develop within the subsequent strains.

From exhibiting off to exhibitionism

Social networks have radically modified the way in which by which younger individuals relate to one another. Utilizing these platforms requires us to exhibit ourselves in order that the opposite is aware of who they’re contacting. However this exhibition, important for the digital connection to happen, rapidly turns into an exhibitionism that inexorably results in the event of the tradition of the present.

This outsized exhibitionism is a part of a seduction technique to seize the eye of the opposite. Whereas this competitors for such consideration has existed since time immemorial, the digital world locations us in competitors with hundreds of thousands of individuals concurrently. It’s on this atmosphere {that a} tradition of envy and insecurities is consolidated.

A dying Eros

The South Korean thinker Byung-Chul Han develops this concept in his e-book The Agony of Eros and affirms that “the physique, with its exhibition worth, is equal to a commodity” and explains that this commodification is the fruits of a reifying strategy of the opposite. This reification is born from the breaking of the space between one and the opposite. Seeing the opposite so shut, so obtainable, strips him of his persona and turns him right into a purpose to be achieved.

This notion of a social community for encounters as a shopping for and promoting market will be seen extra clearly within the apps to discover a companion, similar to Tinder or Badoo. You present up there, submit your finest pictures and wait for somebody to purchase what you promote. In the meantime, dozens of alternatives seem relying on the traits that one is searching for. One not solely reifies the opposite via an absurd choice course of, however one reifies himself in order that the opposite chooses him.

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Objectify and possess

One thing even worse occurs in the case of analyzing social relationships, basically, and love relationships, particularly. The reifying course of by which one immerses oneself is crystallized within the act of jealousy. The flexibility of a digital social community to visualise individuals signifies that any response from one other (a touch upon a photograph, a “Like” on a remark or a Comply with) is seen as an imminent risk that provides rise to the sensation to be jealous.

Zeal, seen as an emotional response when somebody perceives a risk to what they take into account theirs, is the objectifying act in social relationships. The act of guarding is the fruits of the notion of the opposite as non-public property. And like all non-public property, it have to be defended from the threats of the opposite. This act, mistakenly confused with an act of affection, is the depersonalization of the individual and a profound limitation of their rights and freedoms.

An outdated downside with new manifestations

To exemplify this downside I want to deliver a fraction of the Mates collection. At the start of the third season we are able to see how Rachel, one of many protagonists and Ross’s companion – one other protagonist – meets Mark in a cafeteria and he provides her a job. In fact, that is removed from social networks, for the reason that collection dates from the mid-90s. Ross, upon studying of the proposal, begins an escalation of jealousy on account of his insecurity about his relationship with Rachel, escalation that goes so far as sending presents and singers to their work to mark territory: insecurity and objectification.

Now let’s think about what the Ross – Rachel – Mark trident would have been like in 2021, with social media shut at hand and at a time filled with insecurities and narcissism. This ode to oneself that marks the social networks and the need to indicate ourselves results in the insecurities of the opposite rising the stream of jealousy in an abrupt means. What Rachel did in her non-public or work life, away from the eyes of her companion, could be transferred to the general public sphere, obtainable for the insecure and obsessive consumption of Ross.

Love as retreat

Nevertheless, not one of the above has to do with love. What’s extra, it’s the exact opposite of affection. By manifesting a reifying feeling, you cease loving the individual. Love is diluted as a result of one can’t love an object, a factor. As Theodor Adorno explains, to like is to provide the opposite all of the instruments to destroy you however to belief that they won’t. Just one different will be provided that energy.

There are numerous definitions and kinds of loving; however I take into account that the idea that the majority fights towards objectification is love as withdrawal. I withdraw in order that the opposite is. I put apart my pursuits in order that that individual that I like will be let out.

That, for me, is love.

This text was initially revealed on The Dialog. Learn the unique.

Agustín Joel Fernandes Cabal doesn’t obtain a wage, nor does he perform consulting work, nor does he personal shares, nor does he obtain financing from any firm or group which will profit from this text, and has declared that he lacks related hyperlinks past the educational place cited.

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Donna Miller

Donna is one of the oldest contributors of Gruntstuff and she has a unique perspective with regards to Science which makes her write news from the Science field. She aims to empower the readers with the delivery of apt factual analysis of various news pieces from Science. Donna has 3.5 years of experience in news-based content creation, and she is now an expert at it. She loves journalism, and that is the reason, she moved from a web content writer to a News writer, and she is loving it. She is a fun-loving woman who has very good connections with every team member. She makes the working environment cheerful which improves the team’s work productivity.

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