Identification through Hate and Empathy: Cultural Production and Consumption on the Chinese Internet

• In Event: 20420 - Section on Sociology of Culture Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (90 minute): Table 2: Cultural Production and Circulation

Abstract

In the context of China’s rapidly expanding Internet landscape, individuals often excluded from social connections in real life—referred to as “underdogs,” or “Chinese version of incel”—turn to the Internet to cultivate a sense of identity. This study investigates how cultural and social identities are constructed through collective practices in online spaces by examining the formation and evolution of the “Small-Town Swot” (STS). Originally a self-deprecating term for academically capable but socially and economically disadvantaged individuals from rural areas, STS evolved into a collective identity. Through content analysis of online song creation and interactions, this study reveals how STS narratives initially targeted Ding Zhen, who is a Tibetan horseman popularized in 2020 and seen as a symbol of social inequality, as an antagonist. However, over time, empathetic interpretations mediated by cultural production and consumption transformed him into a shared sign within the STS identity. This process revealed the existence of inequality online and offline, granted STS a sense of moral superiority, and redefined its symbolic boundaries, incorporating a gendered dimension. The findings highlight the dynamic definition of identity boundaries, demonstrating how “underdog” groups transform their self-perception and sociocultural positioning through cultural production. This transition from antagonism to inclusion underscores the complex interplay of morality, social justice, power dynamics, and symbolic representation in digital spaces.

Author

• Tianhe Chen, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities