LOL: Imagined Communities
My 10th grade history teacher, Mr. Housewright’s, words ring in my ears when reading Imagined Communities. When he asked what is capitalism based on that has built our American nation, we would stare blankly back at him. Then dramatically he would write one chalky, white word on the green chalkboard: GREED. This has always been a troubling concept for my American culture, yet sadly all too true. I love my country and feel a loyalty to it, but for the sake of greedy gain, people have suffered. So much of our nation’s success and greatest failures can be traced back to the greed of capitalism. Slavery was instituted, an entire American Indian race was almost wiped out due to the “Manifest Destiny” belief, child labor laws needed to be enforced due to the overworking of children during the Industrial Age, and laws combating segregation needed to be implemented due to the continual discriminatory treatment of minorities. To treat people as equals costs, and to put people above money or business goals, costs the company or nation. Too many times, I am saddened by how the greed of gain caused us to sacrifice the well-being of individuals.
As communities, we are all unconsciously or consciously seeking a foundation or a platform in which to cast our roles in developing our community. The challenge is coming together in mind and spirit then having the ability to communicate the vision in which to build the imagined community. Through shared language and the ability to mass produce the beliefs is key to creating community. The emergence of the printing press was significant and had a major impact on creating communities, but I wonder what Anderson would say to the internet and social media. Thoughts, ideas, and visions for society selecting community leaders (ahem..Trump) and changes, sweep with incredible speed through social media, and become “viral” as they reach people in the millions in just days or weeks. The ability to communicate effectively and efficiently is unparalleled to any time in history. The masses that can be reached in seconds is staggering to consider and powerful in building imagined communities.
Again, the words of my teacher haunt me, with his definition of societies needing 3 elements: culture, language, and a religion. It’s as if social media is an Imagined Community, complete with it’s own abbreviated language: LOL, IDK, TTYl, and BTW. Social media has it’s own culture, as people are reprimanded for over-posting or posting inappropriate materials, and editing their pictures to present the ideal image. Could religion be demonstrated in the worship of self or the image of a greater self, with the abundance of scantily clothed selfies shamelessly posted in order to get the most “likes”?
Within marriage, family, and church, I strive to be a part of a peaceful community. Where love is the language commonly spoken, following the works of Jesus Christ is our culture, and worshiping our Creator as our friend and savior becomes our religion. If this becomes the foundation of community, I think social media, capitalism, and other forms of societal philosophies can be used to benefit the whole.
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Jennifer Dean-Hill
8 responses to “LOL: Imagined Communities”
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Great post Jennifer. I like your point about social media.
“It’s as if social media is an Imagined Community, complete with it’s own abbreviated language: LOL, IDK, TTYl, and BTW.”
I’m still not caught up on the etiquette of social media and all of its intricate cultural cues, social graces, and language inflections. But I can sense—imagined or not—that the community exists, that I’m a part of it in some way. And though it doesn’t have a flag or anthem (that I am aware), there is among some of its members a strong sense of nationalism. I sense this because of the immediate feedback I get when I use and emoji incorrectly. LOL! Striving to be a part of a peaceful community is a point well taken. Thank you for your post.
Jennifer, I really think it’s great that you move between global and local communities. Benedict Anderson died in 2015 so he must have lived through the changes in media. I wonder what he would have thought?
Do you think that we will have more of a global community now with our worldwide web?
But local communities are where we live. Our pastor taught us that Christianity spreads from individuals/families outward just like it did in the first century.
Your peaceful community is a great witness for Christ and I agree that it would be great if it would benefit the whole. We do have too much pain and injustice in our country as you point out. May we as Christians live so that it will show others that there can be a better way.
I have often hear of the internet being the next “printing press.” For example, some countries are thought of as operating in a “pre-reformation” manner. In other words, the great advancements in science, philosophy, theology, and technology that shook the Western world in the 1400s did not make as big a dent in the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia.
The internet is changing this. From the recent pro democracy movement in Burma to the Arab Spring in the Middle East, social media is enabling for voices to be heard outside of the totalitarian establishment.
It’s not secret why China blocks Facebook, replacing it with a social media network that they can monitor and manipulate.
Jennifer,
The social media has presented a new language. In fact, social media is considered a new community. Pople interact, become friends, share post with others, and more.
It’s a true imagined community.
Thanks for bringin that upl
IMHO, what your history teacher identifies and you elaborate on are some of the negative characteristics of our nation, which deeply embarrass me and should properly lead us to lament.
I’m also going to chew for awhile on social media as an “imagined community.” While I don’t disagree with that, I post what I also said in response to Jim– that Anderson would resist that label for social media. That Anderson also looks at the rise of making and the solidifying of physical boundaries between previously porous states. Social media, while inhabiting the other characteristics of the “imagined community” lacks the full definition of a nation.
Well Jennifer, it sounds like I should have taken history from YOUR teacher instead of mine (just kidding – I loved my teacher despite his disappointment in me).
This greed that drives so much of what we do as a nation is disheartening indeed. In recent days, I have heard so many people talk about how taking care of others is too expensive. There is definitely a “what’s in it for me” mind set happening. How do we combat this, though, when so much of what our nation was built upon stems from that same greed and system of individual rights?
I would suggest that we return to a founding concept of our nation, that is not often fleshed out these days: Commonwealth. Commonwealth is “a political community founded for the common good.”
Of course, easier said than done. But at least a concept to begin elaborate and acting on.
Jen yes loved it. Two things that stood out to me #1 ” To treat people as equals costs, and to put people above money or business goals, costs the company or nation.” So true look at the history of our American economy. It is apparent that we value the dollar over the welfare of seeing everyone thrive and “live the American dream”.
#2 Social media is a great example of an imagined community. People form bonds that only exist on social platforms. Most people will never engage with their “friends” or “followers” in real life but yet are so willing to allow them into their lives just to receive their affirmation. I would love to see a 2025 version of this book to see how social media will impact he discussion and theory.