Be who you want.

“The fact of the matter is that the 'real world' is to a large extent unconsciously built upon the language habits of the group.” Sapir (1958:69)

retrieved from BuzzFeed

Language in reality can be a part of many different things. It influences the daily life of everyone; no one can go throughout life without it. Through language you can identify a part of who you are. Different languages connect to certain countries, although people can learn more than one language and grow a new connection. Language, words or speech help define and can be said to have the power to create and even destroy places. Words that are used make effect its reputation in a positive or negative way. Through this power is seen through language (Tuan,1991). Language is knowledge and knowledge is power, in this life power can change the way you and many others live. The knowledge of languages can determine how the world works. In Papua New Guinea there is a total of 851 languages (Lewis, 2015), the country itself is no bigger than North Queensland.

Although Snapchat is one of social Medias network that contains a very restricted word limit, language is a huge part of it. Snapchat connects the world through its images. On videos or snaps you have the places of the countries, states or events you are attending. The language barrier is in a way broken. You don’t need to try and translate languages as it adapts to where you are. Language is a part of the culture and through snapchat you can see that through live feeds. In a sense it has its own power in that. You feel excited and curious to where those places are or what events are going on. Snapchat although isn’t like Facebook or Instagram it doesn’t limit what you can experience.

Reference list

Lewis,M. (2015) Ethnologue: Papua New Guinea.  Retrieved from http://www.ethnologue.com/country/PG

Sapir (1958:69) Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis. Retrieved from https://learnjcu.jcu.edu.au/bbcswebdav/pid-1996330-dt-content-rid-2741613_1/courses/15-BA1002-TSV-INT-SP2/stories_place_ba1002%281%29.pdf

Tuan,Y.(1991) Language and the making of place: A narrative-descriptive approach. Annals of the Association of America Geographers, 81(4), pp.684-696. Retrieved from https://learnjcu.jcu.edu.au/webapps/Conc-camcontent-bb_bb60/items/getitem.jsp?as_course_code=14-BA1002-TSV-INT-SP2&content_id=_1631890_1&course_id=_60553_1&doc_id=30163

Photography 

Scoopnest (2015). BuzzFeed. Retrieved from http://www.scoopnest.com/user/BuzzFeed/616210669185052672 

"My story"?

I find it interesting that this week, the subject content covers stories and places, and that Snapchat has its own feature called "My Story". This feature (as previously mentioned) allows every friend of a user to see a specific snap or series of snaps for up to 24 hours after originally sending it. The fact is, if someone employs a series of snaps to actually make a fictional story (perhaps solely for the sake of entertainment), the work they put into it considering the time limit, is usually high, and I believe that makes it all the more special. Whether making a fantasy story with inanimate objects or actually chronicling your own holiday or a tussle in the street, Snapchat allows a special connection between story teller and audience. "... Greeks understood that the way we tell a story shapes the way we see the world..." (Kuttainen, 2015).

The thing I find most intriguing about this concept is best summed up by this quote, "to 'exist', is to 'be perceived'?"(Chatwin, 1987). Perhaps the reason users of Snapchat or indeed any social network is to be perceived by others, perhaps it is a way to notify the rest of the world that you are still alive and enjoying your adventures without the formality of sending a postcard. Another example is that perhaps Snapchatting your holiday to your friends is a way of unintentionally framing a city or country as a certain type of place, for instance if one were to attend Carnivale in Rio, someone not worldly may then think of Brazil or indeed South America completely festive all year round. The same way that someone visiting the USA may be in the midst of a riot of sorts and showing their friends, someone may infer that the US is completely chaotic. Techcrunch has said “And now with Snapchat Stories, which enable users to post a string of photos or videos available to any of their friends for 24 hours, I’ve watched people become expert video storytellers” (Galant, 2015).

Sources:

Unknown, (2015). Image from: http://m.memegen.com/2nxtjm.jpg 

Kuttainen, V (2015). BA1002: Our Space: Networks, Narratives and the Making of Place, Lecture 5: Power. [PowerPoint Slides]. Retrieved from https://learnjcu.edu.au

Galant, G. (2015). We Forced our Company to Communicate Only Through Snapchat. Retrieved August 30, 2015 from: http://techcrunch.com/2015/07/11/a-new-users-guide-to-understanding-snapchat/

Chatwin, B. (1987). The Songlines. Retrieved on August 30, 2015 from: https://learnjcu.edu.au

Chinese Whispers

“Individual science-fiction stories may seem as trivial as ever to the blinder critics and philosophers of today – but the core of science fiction, has become crucial to our to our salvation if we are to be saved at all (Asimov, n.d).” 

                                                                                    (Leibowitz, 2015).

Our Facebook profiles tell a long story about us. Including where we have been, what we have done and achieved, as well as showing some of the important dates that many affect our lives every time they pass.

However, this story is not for us to read, it is for our many friends to understand and interpret in their own way. It may even be seen by friends of friends if our friends choose to share it with theirs.

“Stories are ways of seeing (Kuttainen, 2015).” What we post onto our profiles can have a wide range of effects on its viewers. If I was to post a picture of my last trip to Paluma looking over a cliff or from a height, I see this as beautiful. However, if someone with a fear of heights or water saw these images it could have a very different effect on them.

Same goes with posts if I were to describe one of my days in a post with no picture, I then become the eyes to the people who read it and have not seen the same things I have. This then leaves the story I am telling open to the interpretation of its viewer’s and can be taken in many different ways with many different feeling towards the particular topic.

Facebook is a way of sharing stories with many people. However each story can have a very different effect.

Asimov, I. (n.d). Brainy Quote.

            Retrieved from:  http://www.brainyquote.com/search_results.html?q=stories

Leibowitz, G. (2015, 19 August). Tips for Telling Stories That Readers Will Share.

Retrieved from: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/tips-telling-stories-readers-share-glenn-leibowitz

Kuttainen, V. (2015). Stories and places, week 5 lecture