Voyeurism Meets Narcissim

The idea of freedom of speech, in theory is a liberating and positive notion that should be enjoyed by all. You would have thought. But is this actually the case?

There is only so much an individual can say before He or She steps into the realms of politically  incorrect, racist, insensitive and so forth.

We have to always be mindful of what we say. Organisied social networks are regularly policed. So many people repeatedly fall foul due to expressing their true selves.

The world of twitter feels as though it exploded over night. The medium that allows its users to articulate their "lives" within a few characters in the attempt to convey exactly what they are doing or not doing - depending on how much they wish to boast or reveal.

To stress a point no longer requires an exclamtion mark, it has been superseeded by a #. Catching on like wildfire - has the over usage of this become.

This is an accepted form of communication. Perhaps addictive; I wouldn't know personally, I choose to refrain. I would hazard a very good guess that it is.

Whether one chooses to tweet or to "follow" it all lends itself to societies growing fascination with wanting to know everything about everyone.

We live in an extremely voyeuristic generation. A generation that not only actively encourages it - it celebrates it. Alongside this, our generation has embraced narcissistic behaviour more than ever before. Basically, it is an accepted form of behaviour.

The consumer has an insatiable appetite for information. The need to gather as much detail as possible. 

Thus fore information has become extremely saturated. The fiends want it yesterday - rather than today.

Much of the information is redundant, unessential, hardly important.

In all honesty, do we really care if a celebrity is eating at Nando's or shopping for food or has a bout of cellulite?

In my opinion, no, but the magazines that pedal this type of information continue to sell.

The gossip sites still receive hits.

The saying of  keeping up with the Jones's has been around for a long time and still rings true today; yet it has taken on a new dimension; the Jones's are looking at YOU. They want to know what you are doing, where - you have been, what you think and where you are going.

And in truth - the majority of this generation is all too ready to volunteer the information. Many of us are guilty to an extent, some more so than others. For those that dont adhere to regulated conformity the irony of society is to now look apon such pariahs as unusual and slightly odd.

Each to their own.

Round and round it goes.


Submitted by Demola, The Collective