Selfie: Does the self-portrait reveal a blank identity?

The following is an analysis of the pilot episode to the television series, Selfie (2014) which depicts an absurdly stereotypical social media user faced with the challenge to reconnect with the world and find her own identity. The text shows digital culture to be self-absorbed by amplifying the protagonist’s engagement with social media to the brink of satire. The result is an extreme representation of digital performativity. Even the introduction to the lead character is an overstatement of self-importance — the character perceives herself as “Instafamous” (Selfie 2014). This self-endorsement through social media or ‘presentational media’ is a reflection of celebrity culture (Marshall 2010, p. 35). The literary narrative deliberately places the protagonist, Eliza Dooley, in a situation where she is forced to reconsider her life as a self-centered social media user. Driving the plot forward is a realisation that being friended online is not the same as having friends and Eliza seeks guidance from Henry Higgs who is her polar opposite in terms of character traits. Henry lives a well balanced life and demonstrates empathy toward others and a general sense of spiritual connectedness. This contrasts greatly with the protagonist to further highlight the absurdity of the new media setting that suggests it’s both an increasing influence and dissolving agent of personal identity.

Being friended is not the same as having friends

This text questions the construction and the meaning of identity in an online world by depicting Eliza as a stereotypical beauty with personality flaws. Part of the challenge in establishing a digital identity is that the very process of its creation can portray or construct only a portion of our identity (Cover, p. 64). This creates interpersonal insecurities as one cannot be their whole self online. The text exemplifies Eliza’s insecurity by portraying her for a brief moment without her usual mask of makeup. The negative connotations associated with a natural portrayal highlights a gender stereotype of our culture (Gabriel 2014, p. 105). However, a climactic moment of the narrative occurs when she realises that her friends in the digital world are nowhere to be found when she needs them most. The slow tracking camera gently exposes Eliza in her fragile state of contemplation in the bath as if to ease the audience into a very raw criticism of social media. The stage appears to be inside Eliza’s home which is a mess with crumpled cans and makeup bottles littered throughout. This is one of the few moments the audience sees her home which carries greater meaning into this mess as it is perhaps a metaphor for her mental state and life in general. Speech bubbles of design perfection juxtapose against this setting with messages of failed attempts to seek help through social media and this heightens the contrast between the real world and the digital world. With the scene setup Eliza narrates a concession to the situation; “When Siri is the only person who’s there for you it kinda makes you realise being friends is not the same thing as having friends” (Selfie 2014). This statement, a recurring theme in the text, may be challenging to certain audience members as the dominant culture of digital media consumption is perhaps unhealthy in it’s addiction.

Plus size skinny leg jeans… like… why?

The text relates digital construction with real life self-representation by communicating the identity of characters through their appearance. Typically, Eliza is portrayed with clothes, hair and makeup that are an overly conscious effort to communicate her identity and does so to service her popularity. Digital culture amplifies the illusion that the construction of identity through appearance is free from gender stereotypical pressure on women to dress a certain way (Gabriel 2014, p. 105). The attire of Eliza doesn’t suit the corporate office setting and her body language is positioned to suggest she is uncomfortable. The antique leather couch and high tea spread out on the coffee table clash with the character’s glamorous attire. On the couch behind is a portrait of a more suitably clothed businessman in a suit and tie perched on a bench and is suggestive of what would be more appropriate dress. This speaks to the sentiment of many women who feel that cultural pressures of society force them into a mould that restricts or masks their identity. Cover (2014, p. 66) contends that the dominant discourse surrounding new media is too eager to attribute these issues to the platform of digital representation. The text instead challenges the broader cultural issues but does so carefully to ease the audience into the conversation with a line of humour — “Plus size skinny leg jeans…like…why?” (Selfie 2014). The text plays on the issue of consumerism as Eliza delivers this line in response to what makes her most confused in life. This delicately suggests that unhealthy use of social media may be part of a wider issue of consumerism.

Glass house, Zen gardens and change in the rain

The power of outer appearance as a form of identity is represented by a seemingly transformed Eliza. Her usual style has been replaced by casual loose fitting clothing and unbridled hair. Her mannerisms, tone of voice and choice of words have also changed to a more relaxed and natural style. However, this scene doesn’t depict the same transformation in Eliza’s makeup and suggests that the salvation and re-presentation of identity is incredibly more complex than any one aspect of appearance. The audience is also not privy as to whether she has moderated her lifestyle such as a reduction of social media use. It’s a striking contrast to retain her full makeup especially in the settings of Henry’s zen like home. Even stepping out into the rain her face is preserved as if to suggest her identity is still wrought with insecurities. This is again part of a wider struggle in the naturalisation of consumerism and new media. The camera convention that toggles between close up frames of the characters is used in this scene to highlight a tension between social media consumerism and a healthier alternative. This works to position Henry as the anti-hero and he becomes an embodiment of the healthy lifestyle. His balanced body language, long and relaxed garments of clothing and even ethnicity is stereotypical of a more balanced lifestyle. However, even his identity is challenged to be more complicated as the narrative places him as overly dedicated to work and void of any social life.

Conclusion

Selfie (2014) represents digital media culture as a fictitious group of self-absorbed users. The narrative suggests that characters such as Eliza can make steps to change and become better social citizens. However, the audience is left to ponder whether this stereotypical user who is lacking in social substance and void of identity could make such dramatic changes even with the positive influence of a character like Henry. The portrayal of Henry is strict and authoritative compared to the obnoxiously cute Eliza and this almost polarises the audience toward her. The audience is aware that her actions are wrong but is still drawn to her play of tragedy through the guise of comedy and this attitude is strikingly similar to the culture of digital consumption. Social media users know their obsession with Social Network feeds is unhealthy but continue to consume more for the ephemeral reward of being connected whether connection is made or not. This false promise is evident in a wider culture of consumerism. The concern of difference is that new media is often a product and informant of our own identity. There is a sense of obscurity and confusion between the lines of true self-representation and performativity. Part of this confusion stems from a possession of both ‘social identities’ and ‘self-identities’ (Hobbs 2012, p. 80). Perhaps it’s then that cultural stereotyping is the true prohibition of real human connection.

References

ABC Television Network 2014, Selfie, American Broadcasting Company, image, retrieved 6 October 2014, <http://abc.go.com/shows/selfie/about-the-show>.

Cover, R 2014, ‘Becoming and belonging: performativity, subjectivity, and the cultural purposes of social networking’, in Poletti, A and Rak, J, Identity Technologies: Constructing the Self Online, The University of Wisconsin Press, Madison, pp. 55–69, EBSCOhost, retrieved 11 August 2014.

Gabriel, F 2014, ‘Sexting, selfies and self-harm: young people, social media and the performance of self-development’, Media International Australia, no. 151, pp. 104–12, EBSCOhost, retrieved 11 August 2014.

Hobbs, M 2012, ‘Designing Desire: Advertising, Consumption and Identity?’ in T Chalkley, A Brown, T Cinque, B Warren, M Hobbs and M Finn (eds.), Communication, New Media and Everyday Life, Oxford University Press, South Melbourne, pp. 21–31.

Marshall, PD 2010, ‘The promotion and presentation of the self: celebrity as marker of presentational media’, Celebrity Studies, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 35–48, retrieved 23 July 2014, <www.tandfonline.com>.

Selfie Season 1 Episode 1: Pilot 2014, television series, Piece of Pie Productions and Warner Bros. Television Distribution for American Broadcasting Company (ABC) Television, Burbank, California.