DIGITAL COMMUNITIES

Thanks to the internet, gaming has become a large part of modern day culture. Gaming is generally regarded as a subculture, but upon further examination, it is really an umbrella term for the hundreds of diverse subcultures, communities, and related media it contains. 

Despite the fact that video games are separate from reality (most games being set in virtual worlds where rules and cultural norms are largely separate from the real world) the gaming world is very much connected to the real world - from eSports (professional gaming), to cosplay, to online communities and forums. 

For some people, gaming is merely a hobby. For others, it is a lifestyle and an identity that they fiercely defend. This is very much the case for the “#gamergate” movement; from what began as a harassment campaign against a female games developer, turned into what has been described as an “internet culture war” between those “who advocate for greater inclusion in gaming” and “misogynists, anti-feminists, trolls, people convinced they’re being manipulated by a left-leaning and/or corrupt press, and traditionalists who just don’t want their games to change” (article here). Basically, the movement was started by the latter, who want to protect the “gamer identity” and are reluctant towards diversity and a shift in the gaming demographic. 

Distribution of video gamers worldwide in 2017, by age, group, and gender. (Source: Statista)

I would like to share a story my girlfriend told me about her day.

She was walking on campus, wearing a Gengar shirt, her favorite Pokemon. Suddenly, a short and plump neckbeard "waddles" over to her. His hair was long and greasy. His face was covered in a moderate amount of acne. He wore a black hoodie, outdoors in Texas' one hundred degree sun.

Neckbeard: Is that a Gengar shirt?

Girl: Yup.

Neckbeard: Do you actually PLAY Pokemon?

Girl: Yup.

Neckbeard: Really, what's your team?

Girl: Why?

Neckbeard: I just want to see if you're a REAL gamer.

(Source: Reddit)

Have you felt unwell and googled your symptoms to ease your worries, only to go down a rabbit hole of diagnostic sites and wind up paranoid that you might have cancer? 

When it comes to health and wellbeing, the internet is a gold mine of resources. With so much access to information at our fingertips, the digital media has transformed how we access health information, how we deal with our personal health and wellbeing. It impacts how we interact with traditional health services - according to a 2012 survey conducted by Pew Research Centre, 30% of internet users have consulted online reviews or rankings of health care services or treatments.

Social media’s enormous impact on public health is generally a good thing as it has enabled more available, shared, and tailored information, increased accessibility and widening access to health information. As well as health information, social media sites provide support by enabling virtual communities, where users with similar health experiences can share information, stories, and advice.

Blogs in particular, are a common platform adopted by individuals experiencing serious, chronic, and life-threatening illnesses. Sites like Blogger, Wordpress, and Tumblr allow users to share their experiences in a personal, journal-like format where they can self-document their journey, provide readers with some insight, and potentially help others with similar experiences to them.

By providing a space where users can share their experiences and relate to one another, social media has also played a part in reducing stigmas surrounding mental illness and mental health in general. Regardless of anonymity, social media has a sense of disconnect and protection that enables users to feel courageous and contribute to the discussion about mental health. 

With more people openly discussing topics such as anxiety and depression, a new phenomenon has emerged; mental health memes. Primarily on Instagram, these accounts are run mostly by female millennials and post niche, relatable memes that explore the struggles that come with mental illness in a self-deprecating, humorous way.  Read more about it here

(Source: manicpixiememequeen)

(Source: ghosted1996)

In an i-D interview, young meme creators discussed how memes allow them to discuss their experience with mental illness in a way that ‘ease[s] the apprehension around bringing up topics that are difficult to be open about’. As 17-year-old Julia Nathanson explains:

"The difference between memes and other forms of media is that people are constantly reposting memes that they felt strongly connected to… Some will think it's silly that people take comfort in memes, but I'm not sure if they understand how lonely it feels to struggle with something you don't think is worth anyone else's time and energy to understand."