Date post: | 11-May-2015 |
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Education |
Upload: | andrew-long |
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Information Science
http://andrew‐long.name@socialspace
Who needs friends when you can have
followers?
“The Bath Item Gift Hypothesis"
http://xav‐drawordie.deviantart.com/
“You bought me a present? Why would you do such a thing? I know you think you're being generous, but the foundation of gift giving is reciprocity.”
-- Sheldon, The Big Bang Theory, season 2, episode 11
“The Bath Item Gift Hypothesis"
http://xav‐drawordie.deviantart.com/
“You haven't given me a gift. You've given me an obligation.”
-- Sheldon, The Big Bang Theory, season 2, episode 11
socialspace
five hours ago from New Zealand
There is no explicit support for reciprocity on Twitter.
socialspace
five hours ago from New Zealand
Ties are directed; formation can be easy, organic, ad hoc and intimate (see ambient intimacy), but not necessarily reciprocal.
socialspace
five hours ago from New Zealand
Friendship is reciprocal. Maintaining good relations over time, requires mutually beneficial exchanges and effort.
socialspace
five hours ago from New Zealand
Embedded in these exchanges is a sense of obligation, in which participants can feel compelled to reciprocate, in kind.
socialspace
five hours ago from New Zealand
Friendship also requires consent (amongst other things) from both parties to establish a potentially long lasting bond .
socialspace
five hours ago from New Zealand
Twitter does not require consent nor reciprocity in order to play an active part in others’ lives.
socialspace
five hours ago from New Zealand
Therefore, any sense of obligation is removed as a consequence.
socialspace
five hours ago from New Zealand
If this is true, then why are people prepared to help others on Twitter, when their only connection is to follow them?
socialspace
five hours ago from New Zealand
One answer I would like to suggest is that, it is the interwoven narratives that Twitter users share overtime.
socialspace
five hours ago from New Zealand
People are motivated to help those to whom they feel apart of their stories, as they unfold in real-time.
socialspace
five hours ago from New Zealand
The nowness creates a sense of urgency, inspiring action and providing social capital where only the weakest ties exist.
socialspace
five hours ago from New Zealand
The point being, that the benefits of friendship can still be had with out the burden of reciprocity and therefore, obligation.
socialspace
five hours ago from New Zealand
Is Twitter stripping friendship to its essentials, like its done to mediated communication?
socialspace
five hours ago from New Zealand
I’m not sure, but I think it might be an interesting phenomenon to follow.
socialspace
five hours ago from New Zealand
Thanks to Erika for showing the slides, danah and Stephanie for doing their thing, and to all of you for bearing with me.