Myspace - creative space or Hobbesian morass?

The ever-interesting Nicholas Carr adds his $.02 to the increasing controversy over MySpace. He complains that:

When I look around MySpace I don't see much that's "strange and wonderful" - or "deeply disturbing," either. I wish I did. What I see is a dreary sameness, a vast assembly of interchangeable parts.

Of course this is not surprising - not everyone has the skills to express themselves in a creative and interesting fashion and if they don't, of course they will fall back on pre-digested tropes and the 'content' that requires the least effort for the largest potential effect - the display of their own bodies. But the interesting point I feel is that at least these people are being encouraged to try to express themselves and that this may at least encourage and enable a small minority of those that try to hone and refine their skills and become genuinely creative (or at least more self-aware).

English teachers have tried to encourage this sort of thing with diaries and self-reflective fiction for years but this arena (unlike the classroom) has peer pressure behind it and offers the producers the potential for peer reinforcement if they can produce something compelling.

Not to say that there aren't considerable dangers as well, of course!

Comments

[Simon Mills]

I find it interesting that people have started talking about Myspace all of a sudden. It has been around for a while after all and was never really talked about as being a significant site of creativity that I'm aware of. Perhaps the reason is the recent ability to upload music to your space which has made it a prime space for bands to advertise and promote themselves. The Artic Monkeys being the archetypal UK reference here. There's a lot of creativity here, the music for a start and the work going into network and promote it. I'm not sure anyone looking for other forms of expression would necessarily want to use Myspace above any other forms of web-based platforms however.

[simon Mills]

Oh, and I forgot, perhaps the other reason Myspace is in focus is that Murdoch bought it for 332 million of course!

[David Brake]

Just for reference - MySpace started as a place for bands to promote their music and became a broader social networking site later. As far as I can tell MySpace is riding on classic network marketing, not on features - it is getting bigger because lots of the target market (teens) are on it already. This may change...

[Sue Thomas]

I'm in LA at the moment and there is an ongoing news item about kids supposedly being the victims of stalker paedophiles in Myspace - another reason why it's being talked about so much.

[LeisureArts]

I humbly offer that some of us ARE trying to do something interesting on MySpace. LeisureArts is running a research venue/exhibition space on MySpace called Concept Trucking. It aims to host research that critiques, exploits, or embodies the social dynamics/structural limits of social networking sites and other Web 2.0 phenomena...

www.myspace.com/concept_trucking

We are always looking for contributors.

[Kerr]

Face Buddies LTD have introduced a new a community portal called
FaceBuddies.com When asked why is Face Buddies so unique Managing
Director
Kerr Gracie quoted 'We offer the user a new experience in all aspects of
community portals. We have new video uploading software for people to
upload
their own videos which would be a great way for bands to promote
themselves
cheaply and effectivley by targeting people who really want to listen to
them,Members can upload as many photos as they want which is unique with
these
types of groups and make a really unique blog along with music that they
may
have produced which would be great for bedroom dj's and producers, We
encourage people who are wanting to promote themselves and it will be
exciting
to see some of our members express their talent and get noticed and we
hope
they do as we give a opportunity for younger generations to promote
themselves
in a freindly and safe enviroment which we feel other site lack which is
of
prior importance'

Face Buddies LTD can be found at www.FaceBuddies.com