Using music to shape identity and connect with others is not a new concept, but the popularity of social networking platforms like Ping, Last.fm and the now banned Pandora, have allowed us to undertake this self defining process in a much more public sphere. We’ve entered what Levy (2006) describes as the age of musical voyeurism.
This week’s reading by Levy (2006) explored the effect of the “iPod era” on music as a form of identity creation and cultural capital. Important to this reading was the idea that in the same way that we define ourselves through music, new media has allowed our choices to be judged by others. Levy (2006) highlights the elitism surrounding music, explaining that music affects status and reputation; a music library can either “distinguish one as a discerning individual” or as a musical parasite with no personal taste.
These notions of musical elitism and the social implications of making your musical identity public are highlighted well by the Man in the Box Show.
It’s no surprise that the potential for criticism of our tastes can lead to a heightened self consciousness online (Pearson, 2009). But it’s important to remember that new media offers a great opportunity to explore, discover and share music. In an arena as large as the online world, there’ll always be someone who appreciates your tastes.
References
Levy, Steven. 2006. The perfect thing: how the ipod shuffles commerce, culture and coolness, New York
Man in the Box Show. 2008. “Man in the Box: Music snob.” YouTube video posted July 15. Accessed March 20, 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMK3hRsTAs8.
Pearson, Erika. 2009. “All the World Wide Web’s a stage: The performance of identity in online social networks.” First Monday 14 (3-2). Accessed March 20, 2011 via Course Materials Database.
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