The University of Connecticut Humanities Institute held its second undergraduate fellow’s talk on Wednesday, April 10. The presenters were eighth-semester student Anabelle Bergstrom and sixth-semester student Brent Freed.
Bergstrom’s presentation, “Minds Among Minds: The Self in the Hyperconnected World” explored the impact that social media has on our understanding of ourselves and those around us. She aimed to answer the question: “Is there a difference in degree or in kind of sociality as compared to before the advent of social media?” The inspiration for her project came from her therapy sessions and the realization that there has been a global feeling of disconnectedness despite an increase in connectivity. “60% of Americans describe feelings of loneliness,” Bergstrom stated. “How the self is affected both internally and externally will tell us a lot about our culture and society.”
She focuses her research specifically on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X (formerly known as Twitter). Bergstrom noted that she avoided platforms that allow or encourage anonymity like Reddit, as the previously mentioned platforms better display how we want to portray ourselves. She also focuses on the work of William James, who is known as the “Father of American Psychology.”
The Jamesian theory of the self contains three aspects of the self. The material refers to the human body, the spiritual is about inner life and the social is about how others view you. Originally, this theory posits that these three components are equally balanced, but Bergstrom combats this by stating that while there is a balance, it is not equal. There are shifts in which one aspect of the self overtakes the others depending on the time and situation. She uses social media to display a change in this balance. “We have the ability to login to social media more than 50 years ago,” Bergstrom said.
Social media has created two groups, Bergstrom explained; one being the influencer who creates “targeted content that affects how people see themselves or others,” and the influenced, in which “content displayed by others becomes part of one’s expectations/identity.” Yet these two groups are not mutually exclusive. Bergstrom believes that influencers can also be the influenced, and vice versa.
Bergstrom concluded by mentioning the positive aspects of social media which have allowed connections to be maintained over large distances and enabled new friendships. However, the biggest attribute of social media, to Bergstrom, is the fact that it is a safe haven for outcasts. The goal that her project lays out is to encourage individuals to be authentic in both the real and online world, along with being purposeful and reflective of how we portray ourselves.
60% of americans describe feelings of loneliness. how the self is affected both internally and externally will tell us a lot about our culture and society.
Anabelle Bergstrom, eighth-semester
The second presentation by Freed was titled “Vietnam in Their Factories: Themes Explored Through ‘Freedom in Solidarity, My Experiences in the May 1968 Uprisings’ by Kadour Naïmi.” Freed’s project explores the 1968 riots in France by students who displayed solidarity with the working class. He explored the link between anti-colonialism and immigrant workers rights through Naïmi’s book.
Freed briefly mentioned Naïmi’s history as an Algerian immigrant and student, one who had connections with activists within the Strasbourg Grassroots Vietnam Committee. Naïmi himself described his work as “an account of national and social liberation.” Naïmi also was associated with Maoists and worked to bridge connections with other countries. His work included factory visits where he displayed genuine concern and sympathy for the workers as opposed to using these people’s stories to garner fame.
To display the temperament of the activists during this time, Freed showcased various posters such as “Workers Unite” (Travailleurs Unis), “Be Young and Shut Up” (Sois Jeune et Tais Toi) and “Don’t Let Yourself be Exploited” (Ne Vous Laissez Pas Exploiter). Some posters weren’t completely in French, showing remnants of anti-colonialism in the movement.
Naïmi’s actions during 1968 were highlighted by Freed and contained in a summarizing list. This includes the importance of solidarity, the intersection of identities and the cycle of exploitation faced by laborers in blue collar industries. The movement brought people together, and Freed stated how there were “feelings united despite differences.”
While the movement ended quickly, it prompted a fear of violence, distrust in the leaders and the deportation and/or arrest of many of the movement’s key figures. Yet, Naïmi’s account of the movement is a “physical intersection of workers, immigrants and students of France at the time,” Freed concluded.