Social Capital Online: Alienation and Accumulation

195 Pages·2017·4.19 MB·English

by  Kane X. Faucher

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Social Capital Online
Kane X. Faucher
Critical, Digital and Social Media Studies
Series Editor: Christian Fuchs
The peer-reviewed book series edited by Christian Fuchs publishes books that critically
study the role of the internet and digital and social media in society. Titles analyse how
power structures, digital capitalism, ideology and social struggles shape and are shaped
by digital and social media. They use and develop critical theory discussing the politi-
cal relevance and implications of studied topics. The series is a theoretical forum for
internet and social media research for books using methods and theories that challenge
digital positivism; it also seeks to explore digital media ethics grounded in critical social
theories and philosophy.
Editorial Board
Thomas Allmer, Mark Andrejevic, Miriyam Aouragh, Charles Brown, Eran Fisher, Peter
Goodwin, Jonathan Hardy, Kylie Jarrett, Anastasia Kavada, Maria Michalis, Stefania
Milan, Vincent Mosco, Jack Qiu, Jernej Amon Prodnik, Marisol Sandoval, Sebastian
Sevignani, Pieter Verdegem
Published
Critical Theory of Communication: New Readings of Lukács, Adorno, Marcuse,
Honneth and Habermas in the Age of the Internet
Christian Fuchs
https://doi.org/10.16997/book1
Knowledge in the Age of Digital Capitalism: An Introduction to Cognitive
Materialism
Mariano Zukerfeld
https://doi.org/10.16997/book3
Politicizing Digital Space: Theory, the Internet, and Renewing Democracy
Trevor Garrison Smith
https://doi.org/10.16997/book5
Capital, State, Empire: The New American Way of Digital Warfare
Scott Timcke
https://doi.org/10.16997/book6
The Spectacle 2.0: Reading Debord in the Context of Digital Capitalism
Edited by Marco Briziarelli and Emiliana Armano
https://doi.org/10.16997/book11
The Big Data Agenda: Data Ethics and Critical Data Studies
Annika Richterich
https://doi.org/10.16997/book14
Forthcoming
The Propaganda Model Today: Filtering Perception and Awareness
Edited by Joan Pedro-Carañana, Daniel Broudy & Jeffery Klaehn
Critical Theory and Authoritarian Populism
Edited by Jeremiah Morelock
Social Capital Online:
Alienation and
Accumulation
Kane X. Faucher
University of Westminster Press
www.uwestminsterpress.co.uk

Acknowledgements
It would prove unwieldy to name everyone who has played a role in the for-
mation of this book from concept to publication, but I owe a major debt to
a few whose roles were absolutely essential. Firstly, to the diligent and eagle-
eyed Press Manager at the University of Westminster Press, Andrew Lockett,
without whom this process would have been derailed long ago. I would also
like to extend my gratitude to the reviewers whose suggestions vastly improved
this book and helped me achieve clarity. I thank my home unit, the Faculty
of Information and Media Studies at Western University for affording me the
opportunities to teach and further explore many of the concepts developed
here. Also, to two defining influences on my thinking: Dr Nick Dyer-Witheford,
whose friendship and fine-grained discussions on labour and political econ-
omy are entwined; and to James Chaffee, a fellow author whose insistence on
precision never let me get away with anything I couldn’t operationally define.
Last on the list, but certainly top of mind, to my partner, Debra, who has been
very patient with me taking time away on occasion for me to complete my
textual labours.
Competing interests
The author declares that he has no competing interests in publishing this book.
Published by
University of Westminster Press
115 Cavendish Street
London W1W 6XH
www.uwestminsterpress.co.uk
Text ©Kane X. Faucher 2018
First published 2018
Series cover concept: Mina Bach (minabach.co.uk)
Printed in the UK by Lightning Source Ltd.
Print and digital versions typeset by Siliconchips Services Ltd.
ISBN (Paperback): 978-1-911534-56-3
ISBN (PDF): 978-1-911534-57-0
ISBN (EPUB): 978-1-911534-58-7
ISBN (Kindle): 978-1-911534-59-4
DOI: https://doi.org/10.16997/book16
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The full text of this book has been peer-reviewed to ensure high academic
standards. For full review policies, see: http://www.uwestminsterpress.co.uk/
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Suggested citation:
Faucher, K. X. 2018. Social Capital Online: Alienation and Accumulation.
London: University of Westminster Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.16997/
book16. License: CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0
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Contents
Introduction: What is Online Social Capital? xi
Definitional Problems xv
Networks xvi
Social Buttons xvii
Platforms xviii
Management and Accumulation of a Resource xx
Theoretical Approach xxii
Plan of This Book xxiv
Chapter 1: Online Social Capital as Social 1
Social Capital and Cultural Capital 2
The Dark Side of Social Capital 6
Online Social Capital: Measurement 9
Online Social Capital: Ownership 10
A Social Tool or a Numbers Game? 11
Main Points 12
Chapter 2: Online Social Capital as Capital 13
Fungibility: What is the Exchange Rate on a ‘Like’? 15
Three Forms of Exchange 16
Circuits and Circulation 20
Online Symbolic Capital 24
Rise of the Micro-Celebrity 29
Liking and the Online Social ‘Market’ – Tracking and Tracing 31
Aggregate Social Capital 33
Main Points 36
Chapter 3: Capitalism and the Ideologies of the Social 39
Communicative Capitalism 40
The Fourth Fantasy 45
Social Capitalist Strategies 47
Gaming the System of Social Capital 49
Microburst Gratification and Mobile Prosumers 52
Accumulation and Time: ‘Time is Money’ 56
Main Points 58
Chapter 4: From Accumulation to Alienation: Marx and Veblen 61
Alienation 62
Alienation, Deskilling, and the Online Social Economy 67
Alienation and Veblen 69
Veblen and Competitive Accumulation 73
Of Social Profits to Be Made Via Conspicuous Display 74
Ideology of Social Competition 76
Conspicuous Prosumption 79
Veblen and Capital Assets 81
Marx versus Veblen? 84
Main Points 85
Chapter 5: Alienation 2.0 – Symptoms of Narcissism
and Aggression 87
From Digital Narcissism to Online Id 88
Digital Narcissism 89
Digital Objects and Objectification 90
Tracking and Striving For the Perfect Representation 92
Intensity and Attention 94
Online Ego Management 95
Digital Narcissism and Aggression: This is My Sandbox! 96
The Triumph of the Id 97
Online Aggression 100
Aggression and Approbation Cues 102
Contributing Factors 104
‘Always Be Closing’ 106
Main Points 108
Chapter 6: The Network Spectacle 109
Baudrillard as Postmodern Interruption? 113
The Integrated Spectacle 116
The Integrated Spectacle: Spectacular Innovation 117
Th e Integrated Spectacle: Generalized Secrecy, Lies,
and the Eternal Present 118
Simulacrum? Spectacle? Both or Neither? 125
Th e Social Algorithm as the Successor to the Simulacrum
and the Spectacle 126
Network Spectacle and the Alienation from Self 128
Spectacular Digital Labour 130
Main Points 132
Conclusion 135
Notes 147
Bibliography 151
Index 161