Participatory media according to Raessens (2005) is any form of media which is a precise alternative for interactivity to characterize not only computer games but also the media culture that has formed around them. In this post I will talk about Instagram and how i use Instagram as a participator and connector.
Raessens cleverly notes the view that participatory media this is not a new concept and it is not a concept just for computer games. He states that “radio, film and television, for example, each have their own versions of this concept.” (Raessens, J 2005)
When investigating participatory media cultures of gaming, Joost Raessens (2005) introduces the concepts of multimediality, virtuality, interactivity and connectivity in which he believes are “the principles of computer gaming (Raessens, J, 2005)
He notes again similar to above, that these concepts can be used to describe other media than computer games.
Instagram is something that I regularly use every day. It allows me to connect with virtually anyone on the planet that has the Instagram Application and an account.
Raessens explains connectivity in his piece as “offering players the opportunity to exchange ideas, knowledge and game elements via the internet”. This is exactly what I do on Instagram.
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| Digital Trends 2012 |
Instagram in a nutshell is an online social networking site that enables sharing photos and videos. These photos and videos are then able to be edited using different filter and are then encouraged to be shared to other social networking sites such as Facebook or Twitter. Users can interact by liking or commenting each others content, following one another and creating/using a hashtag.
I have learnt so much from Instagram especially by the people I follow. For example I follow many celebrities and fashion brands. They post a variety of content from recipes to new clothes. Instagram was the reason I knew so many places to go to during my recent trip to America. For example Miranda Kerr ate at “The Plaza” in New York and posted a photo of a meal she had. I was so appealed to that meal that when I went to America I dined at the Plaza and had the exact same meal she had.
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| Miranda Kerr |
Another way I have connected through Instagram is with my cousin Emmanuella from Italy. We met when we were both 10 years old and our families regularly keep in contact. She and I may have a language barrier however she followed me on Instagram and we connect by “liking” each others photos. Something as small as clicking a like button with a love heart on it gives me this feeling of being connected with my cousin who is on the other side of the world. It also allows me to see how different our lives are in different countries.
Sources:
Raessens, J. 2005, ‘Computer games as participatory media culture’, Handbook of Computer Game Studies, MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass, pp. 373-388
Digital Trends, 2012, Android, meet Instagram: The photo app you’ve been waiting for, retrieved 6th September 2013,
Jelliug, 2013, retrieved 6th September 2013, http://jellibug.com/?before=1348145403
Hi Elise,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed how your blog focused on a worldly perspective of Instagram, and how it affects your everyday life, and your travels. Your definition was clear, and easy to understand. Overall your blog post was well written and flowed effortlessly. I know it is difficult with this topic, but I think by adding a few more scholarly articles it could of really added to your argument. Your personal example, about going to America and eating the same food as Miranda Kerr, amazed me! You have really displayed how powerful Instagram, and how it has personally influenced you.
A fascinating blog post!
Thank you!
Hello Elise,
ReplyDeleteYou appear to be well informed about the innovation that is ‘Instigram’ and your blog post is well researched, well done on this front you should be proud of your efforts. Your use of images makes the piece vibrant and draws the reader into your work and your anecdote about your cousin in Italy makes the notion of connectivity all the more poignant.
However at times this post is very ‘stop start’ for a better sense of a word, as short sentences which result in full stops instead of commas stall the piece from flowing at times when read out aloud, perhaps this is my fault and not yours however it is only a very minor misstep in a blog post which reveals itself to be something of an achievement in an informal writing style that is also scholarly as well. Well done Elise