You’ve Been Catfished: An Analysis of Postemotionalism in Reality Television and Audience Response on Twitter

• In Event: 033 - Regular Session. Internet and Society

Abstract

Postemotionalism, nostalgia for authentic emotional experiences, can be observed in every aspect of postmodern popular culture, particularly social media. Millennials are driven by the need to find the balance between individuality, expressed through “legitimate” emotions and insights and acceptance by their peer group on social media. This article explores the new meaning of emotions in postmodernity as they are portrayed through reality television and reflected on social media. I use the program, Catfish: The TV Show to analyze the way postemotionalism operates in the realm of reality television. Next I offer a new theorization about the way millennials respond to the constant display of inauthenticity on television through an analysis of a series of Twitter interactions surrounding the show. The interactions on Twitter reveal that postemotionalism makes it difficult for viewers to distinguish between genuine emotional interactions and falsely projected identities. I conclude that Social Media users will continue to produce and consume inauthenticity due to an inability to distinguish between sincere displays of emotion and falsely projected identities.

Author

• Apryl Alexis Williams, Texas A&M University