Many ideological
messages can be analysed and explored in regards to how digital media and its
users, are portrayed in film. Through this, I will explore how online dating
ideologies will be explored through the digital media users who choose to
involve themselves in online dating. An example of this in relation to film
would be through the documentary style film Catfish (2010). Catfish is a
perfect example of how meanings about digital media and its users form
ideological theories in relation to the online dating world.
The ideological
messages conveyed through the film, Catfish (2010) are the appeal of a visual
reality, and a simulation of a real relationship, that ultimately isn’t what
the initial participant expected. Catfish (2010) is a documentary that was
produced as a warning to people who use the Internet with the intent to meet
people online. The film follows two young filmmakers that document their
friend, Nev’s, online relationship, which ultimately leads to an unexpected
series of events. The films title ultimately and intentionally spoils the movie
for viewers, as in the world of new media, the term ‘catfish’ relates to
someone falsely portraying their identity online. A
little background information is necessary to understand the ideological
messages portrayed in the film. Basically, the protagonist, Nev is a New York
based photographer that initially received a painting of one of his photos from
a young girl Abby, from Ishpeming, Michigan. Nev and Abby form an online
friendship through their art, with the help of Abby’s mother Angela, and Abby’s
half-sister, Megan. Eventually, Megan and Nev begin talking, and form an online
relationship.
(Image courtesy of the guardian.com <http://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/dec/16/catfish-review>)
The ideological
message of a ‘virtual reality’ is portrayed throughout the movie, particularly
in one scene where Nev decides to go and confront the people he has been
communicating with through technology, after the behavior of his online
girlfriend, Megan, becomes quite suspicious. The ideological message of a
‘virtual reality’ is continuously present in this scene as “The internet is theoretically making Abby and her family vividly
and instantly real even though they're hundreds of miles away, but it's
precisely because an elaborate, visually detailed reality can so easily be
conjured up via the web that it is so treacherous.” (Bradshaw 2010) In a way, the film could be portrayed as somewhat of a reality
thriller within a maze of online deception for Nev’s journey to meet who he has
been conversing with. The film portrays the ideological message of a virtual
reality in a way to understand how easy it is to fall into something that isn’t
real, out of the comfort that it brings, much like online dating does. Cooper
(1999) proposes that “Sexuality is one aspect of human social behavior that is
dramatically impacted by the Internet,” (p.6) and for Nev, being sexually
attracted to Megan, is what obviously encouraged him to uphold this ‘virtual
reality’ that was their online relationship.
“The development of technology in our modern era has not only
blurred the lines between cultural identities (ultimately lending to an
increased sense of globalisation), but has also empowered human beings with the
ability to connect, interact and essentially become, capitalists. In essence,
we have become prosumers.” (Ritzer, G, Jurgenson, N, 2010) With this, Ritzer
has explain how through technology, all digital media users have all become prosumers
mostly through social media websites, such as Facebook. Throughout the film,
Nev and the women all converse mainly through Facebook, allowing them all easy
access to choose how they want to be represented online. Most people would
assume that the disposition of prosumption is manipulating individual
originality by exploiting consumers; however, this has given users, as consumers,
more freedom with how they express their own individuality through technology,
which is highly evident throughout the film.
Prosumption
is another ideological message expressed through the film as it raises
questions about the issues of intellectual property online, especially in
regards to identity theft, as the film explores how easy it is to steal work
that has been published online. In one scene in the film, Nev receives several
MP3’s of what is said to be Megan singing, which he eventually discovers, is
pirated YouTube clips that Megan has stolen. In this particular scene of the
film, Nev decides to confront Megan as he discovers that she has been lying about
her singing through stolen YouTube clips that she had claimed to be her own.
This scene brings up the ideological message of prosumption as “Prosumption involves a process of both production and
consumption” (Ritzer, G, Jurgenson, N, 2010). Prosumption is evident in these
scenes as Megan’s acts of theft are what initially leads Nev to question the
authenticity of his girlfriend and her family in the first place, and
eventually, he, along with the filmmakers, travel to Ishpeming to confront
them. In the dark and thrilling confrontation, Nev discovers that he had
technically been in an online relationship with Angela, Megan and Abby’s
mother, as she had been the primary source of communication with Nev, as
‘Megan’ technically did not exist.
(Trailer courtesy of Youtube.com <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xp4M0IjzcQ>)
The film
explores many varied ideological messages to raise issues of pseudonymity in
online communities, as a warning to online digital media users. It is evident
to many digital media users that nowadays, online dating is not traditionally
the safest option when looking for romance and socializing with people online,
however, warnings such as the story behind the film Catfish (2010), gives
digital media users the opportunity to use social media websites such as
Facebook, and online dating websites, in the safest way possible, and to approach
people online with caution.
References:
Bradshaw, P (2010) ‘Catfish - Review,’ in TheGuardian.com, Friday Decemeber 17,
retrieved October 8, 2013.
Cooper, A., Delmonico, D. L., Griffin-Shelly,
E., & Mathy, R. M. (2004). “Online sexual activity: An examination of
potentially problematic behaviors.” in Sexual Addiction and Compulsion, pp. 129-143.
Cooper, A., Scherer, C. R., Boies, S. C.,
& Gordon, B. L. (1999). “Sexuality on the
Internet: From sexual exploration to
pathological expression.” in Professional
Psychology: Research and Practice, pp.
154-164.
Ritzer, G, Jurgenson, N, 2010, ‘Production, Consumption,
Prosumption: The nature of capitalism in the age of the digital ‘prosumer’’,
Journal of Consumer Culture, vol 10, number 1, pp. 13-36, retrieved October 8,
2013, <http://joc.sagepub.com/content/10/1/13>
