Social Networking: A Modern Day Freak Show

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The carnival grotesque, with its freak shows and abnormal humans, was very popular and controversial back in the late 18th to early 19th century, by then it had matured into a distinct form of entertainment. In the 21st century, has the concept become dated? Has the freak show been revealed for the mistreatment and subjugation of many poor human beings? We live in times where many things that were once discriminated are now accepted and many kinds of people recognized as members of society and although there are instances that would challenge that notion, it is only a minority. This represents the progress mankind has made to understand one another. But has the idea of the freak show been abandoned with this new period? It is unfortunate to say that is not the case. In fact if anything it has only intensified with the advancement of society, particularly relating with technology and social networking. Social networking is the spectacle and barker in this relationship of the freak show to modern times. It is because of social networking, that we can see examples of the freak show displayed in our daily lives. I want to explore this further, explaining in greater detail how the freak show and the carnival grotesque have advanced with society as everything else and in fact plays on these advancements to contribute to the spectacle of the freak show and grotesque.

Of course, technology is how we advance in society. In advancement, we take on new cultures and let us abandoned many uncivilized ideas. Social media sites like Facebook or Twitter are examples of how we have advanced in talking with more people and social networking. With that, people argue that it has led to “more communication and not less” (Observer) and makes sociali...

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... 16 Nov. 2015. .

Marche, Stephen. "Is Facebook Making Us Lonely?." Atlantic. n. page. Web. 16 Nov. 2015. .

Marynell Maloney Law Firm, . "Is Facebook Turning You Into A Monster." EmilyVento. Blogger, 22 Mar 2012. Web. 16 Nov. 2015. .

Mean Comments. 2010. Photograph. Mean CommentsWeb. 17 Dec 2013. .

Nyoung, . "freak shows for our times." Western Morning News. (2007): n. page. Print.

The Observer, . "Social networking under fresh attack as tide of cyber-scepticism sweeps US." Guardian. (2011): n. page. Web. 17 Nov. 2015. .

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