Analysing space and
place, Google +
Week 5
Google + is a space and contains a diverse range of senses of 'place' within the network, through the numerous pictures and
languages used. Google + is a virtual network space, within the site
users can create their own place and choose to participate in other users
creations of 'place' or otherwise known as a community. As mentioned in the lecture podcast by Dr. Arielle Van
Luyn 'space becomes place through humans imposing meanings on it'. (Week 5,
podcast, 2013) Exploring though this website users discover upon communities in
which they themselves have attached meaning and sense of belonging to. This can also be through the means
of the circle (interest groups) the user is a part of;
identifying recognisable images and language being used, creating a sense of
attachment.
 |
| Circles groups, as a place to belong to. |
Communities that are
recognisable to any users' interests usually have attached images. This is a
symbolic means of conveying to the user a perception of the narrative,
location, and meaning behind the image. Along with language being attached to
the picture words direct attention, organises insignificant entities into
significant composite wholes in turn making the invisible and non-existent into
visible and real. (Tuan, 1991, p.685) In a virtual network - as well as in
everyday life - language explains reality therefore it constructs our
perception of a place. However while Google + is a space it has been
turned into a place because humans have imposed meaning to it. Also in addition
to this site being a virtual place, void of physical space, Google + relies on
language and pictures to convey meaning to users. These words assigned to
pictures of a place or words are written to convey a concept which have the general
power to bring light to experiences that live in the shadow or have receded
into it, and the specific power to call places into being.' (Tuan, 1991, p.686)
 |
| Example Communities creating sense of place. |
Despite the fact that
this social network is void of physical presence, 'the emotions felt by humans
find expression and anchorage in things and place.' (Mythic Landscapes,
podcast, 2013) To elaborate on this point, when a user feels a relation to
symbols and interprets language on Google +, an emotion is forged resulting in
the establishment of a connection within a network 'place' or community. To
summarise, words and images are used to realise place, they are metaphorical
and symbolic powers.
References
Tuan, Y.-F. p. 686 (1991). Language and
the Making of Place: A Narrative-Descriptive Approach. Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 81(4), 684-696.
Matt this was very interesting and I agree with what you said very much. Your points were very technical but at the same time they were straight forward.
ReplyDelete