Chapter 11. “Getting personal with you”
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Olivia Droz-dit-Busset
Abstract
Since the Middle Ages, confession has been one of the ‘most highly valued techniques for producing truth’ (Foucault 1978). While confessional monologues have been researched in reality TV discourse (Lorenzo-Dus 2009; Tolson 2006), the communicative potential of confessional talk for Social Media Influencers has been largely underexplored. This chapter aims to fill this gap by exploring confession as a distinct genre in the communicative repertoire of lifestyle and beauty YouTubers. In this regard, we first map this genre in terms of its key themes, formal features and media production choices. Drawing on Giaxoglou’s (2021) notion of affective positioning, we also examine how the influencers and their audiences are affectively positioned in the discourse of confessional videos through the deployment of verbal, non-verbal, as well as other material (camera) and graphic (emojis) resources. We conclude this chapter by demonstrating how this type of positioning intersects with the production of an authentic selfhood on YouTube.
Abstract
Since the Middle Ages, confession has been one of the ‘most highly valued techniques for producing truth’ (Foucault 1978). While confessional monologues have been researched in reality TV discourse (Lorenzo-Dus 2009; Tolson 2006), the communicative potential of confessional talk for Social Media Influencers has been largely underexplored. This chapter aims to fill this gap by exploring confession as a distinct genre in the communicative repertoire of lifestyle and beauty YouTubers. In this regard, we first map this genre in terms of its key themes, formal features and media production choices. Drawing on Giaxoglou’s (2021) notion of affective positioning, we also examine how the influencers and their audiences are affectively positioned in the discourse of confessional videos through the deployment of verbal, non-verbal, as well as other material (camera) and graphic (emojis) resources. We conclude this chapter by demonstrating how this type of positioning intersects with the production of an authentic selfhood on YouTube.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction 1
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Part I. Affect, authenticity and fandom
- Chapter 1. Reconfiguring and repurposing authenticity 20
- Chapter 2. The divided affective connections with the influencer 43
- Chapter 3. The dimensions of relatability for Instagram lifestyle influencers 75
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Part II. Aggression, cancellation and (anti)fandom
- Chapter 4. “Oh wow! We getting ready for my funeral?” 100
- Chapter 5. 🍊🍊🍊: Political influencers as flashpoints for manufactured online aggression 128
- Chapter 6. Cancel Culture and influencers 148
- Chapter 7. Influencers’ conflictual responses to posters’ offensive comments on Instagram 175
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Part III. Genres and relational practices
- Chapter 8. Performing branded affect in micro‑celebrity YouTube reaction videos 200
- Chapter 9. Social media influencers and #DigitalDetoxDay 227
- Chapter 10. The construction of tellability in YouTube vlogging 250
- Chapter 11. “Getting personal with you” 278
- Index 303
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction 1
-
Part I. Affect, authenticity and fandom
- Chapter 1. Reconfiguring and repurposing authenticity 20
- Chapter 2. The divided affective connections with the influencer 43
- Chapter 3. The dimensions of relatability for Instagram lifestyle influencers 75
-
Part II. Aggression, cancellation and (anti)fandom
- Chapter 4. “Oh wow! We getting ready for my funeral?” 100
- Chapter 5. 🍊🍊🍊: Political influencers as flashpoints for manufactured online aggression 128
- Chapter 6. Cancel Culture and influencers 148
- Chapter 7. Influencers’ conflictual responses to posters’ offensive comments on Instagram 175
-
Part III. Genres and relational practices
- Chapter 8. Performing branded affect in micro‑celebrity YouTube reaction videos 200
- Chapter 9. Social media influencers and #DigitalDetoxDay 227
- Chapter 10. The construction of tellability in YouTube vlogging 250
- Chapter 11. “Getting personal with you” 278
- Index 303
