College students are judged on a daily basis by their peers not only in person, but also in many different online standards, especially Facebook. As most people seek acceptance from their peers, their profile can be slightly skewed so they are seen as “cool” based on the information they provide about their favorite music, interests, activities, etc. Additionally, the groups section of Facebook provides further insight into a person. A person’s interests not directly expressed in the information part of their profile can be found in what local or national Facebook groups they are in.
As one of two administrators of the ILR Women’s Caucus Facebook group, I can be considered a leviathan, or the power that enforces adherence to a society’s norms and standards. Shortly after being appointed president of the ILR Women’s Caucus in real-life, I created a Facebook group for members to join. I thought this was a great way to publicize the group. When I initially created it, I set the group settings so any Cornell student could join and upload any videos, pictures and/or posts in order to encourage people to join the group in real-life.
However, some of my male friends always gave me a hard time as to why they weren’t allowed to join (um because it is a group for women, NOT men). One of them thought it would be funny to join, invite all his male friends, and then post a website with a chauvinistic remark towards women. Once I noticed the posted item and that three of my male friends had actually joined, I acted quickly. I removed the posted item first then “permanently banned” the three guys from the ILR Women’s Caucus Facebook group. Next, I changed the settings so that only administrators could upload videos and post items. I did leave the group open to all Cornell students to join as I am still hoping for more women to join in real-life and know that if any more men do join, I can “permanently ban” them too.
Based on this example, I am in fact guilty of being a leviathan because as an administrator I am also the anointed moderator, or unpaid volunteer, who has the ability to choose which messages to censor and which to pass along to all subscribers. My authority presence acts as a “calming influence and ensures participants that a means is available to resolve [issues] should they arise,” (Wallace 70). People come to know the norm by simply reading the group’s explicit name. As the leviathan, I punished my male friends who did not meet the group’s standards of being a female by “permanently banning” them. Although the punishment I gave may sound harsh for Facebook, I have to admit that I thoroughly enjoyed banning my stupid male friends.
1 comment:
Krystal, it’s interesting to read a blog from someone who has some experience in the Leviathan department. What I find most intriguing about your situation is the lack of a natural Leviathan. In many social areas, people’s desire for stability plays the role of Leviathan. In others, it is a combination of this desire, and human or computer moderators that can literally punish those who misbehave. In your case, there seems to really be no natural Leviathan. The males who entered your group had no concerns or doubts about causing chaos in your group. They did not fear any consequences at all. Wallace seems to discuss the Leviathan as something inherent in all social interaction. Yet, you were forced to take on this role entirely on your own. I wonder what qualities in a psychological space make it naturally develop an internal Leviathan, come under the rule of a human-made Leviathan, or some combination of both.
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