Comparing & Contrasting Romanticism and Social Media

Comparing and Contrasting Romanticism Ideals to Social Media by Olivia Cowles

Romanticism is a set of ideals and beliefs that originated a new line of thinking in the 18th century. It was a counter movement to the Enlightenment period. Instead of focusing on reason, we shift our focus to human emotion. Where individualism, imagination, the celebration of the sublime of nature and elevating the lives of simplicity, reigned supreme.

This notion of glorifying the ordinary and giving praise to the everyday normal experiences of people still exists at large today; through movies, literary work, and most notably the introduction of social media to our modern world. Dorothy Wordsworth’s journals and early social media documentation embrace the Romantic ideals of elevating the humble and praising ordinary peoples experiences, of being able to share the intricacies of one's life to their loved ones and being their authentic selves. Though the intentions of social media were founded in these same ideals, I argue that these two similar works have been somewhat warped over time. I claim the modern usage of social media has strayed from this philosophy, giving rise to a culture of narcissism and superficiality, where individuals seek constant validation and worth through external approval, which undermines the original intent of celebrating the genuine, the authentic and everyday aspects of life. 

Dorothy’s journals often depicted the simple joys of nature, rural life, and the mundane happenings of their household. An excerpt that shows this is the start to one of her journal entries on February 4th, 1798,

“Walked a great part of the way to Stowey with Coleridge. The morning warm and sunny. The young lasses seen on the hill-tops, in the villages and roads, in their summer holiday clothes pink petticoats and blue. Mothers with their children in arms, and the little ones that could just walk, tottering by their side.” (Johnson, pg.76)

It sounds like it could be someone’s daily vlog about their life, although slightly more expressive. She is talking about how she went on her walk, what she saw, explaining the young ladies' new attire for the summer around her town, like the new trends we see every summer. You feel as though you are with her, seeing it for yourself, and feeling the warm sun on a simple joyous day. She often highlights the lives of common people, reflecting the Romantic idea of connecting with the simple and meek. 

She also gives special consideration to the weather of each day which connects the Romantic idea of their reverence and emotional connection to nature. Another example of this is from another entry on February 3rd, 1798,

“ The distant country (which was purple in the clear dull air), overhung by straggling clouds that sailed over it, appeared like the darker clouds, which are often seen at a great distance apparently, motionless, while the nearer ones pass quickly over them, driven by the lower winds. (Johnson, pg. 75)

In very descriptive detail you can see the weather in your mind, with all the imagery she creates around it. She puts so much emphasis on it that you feel as though you are there with her experiencing it yourself. She continues,

“I never saw such a union of earth, sky, and sea. The clouds beneath our feet spread themselves to the water, and the clouds of the sky almost joined them.”(Johnson, pg. 75)

Here she is connecting the weather back to herself, her connection with her surroundings, and her attention to detail of such simple wonders. 

Similarly, early social media users often shared their candid moments, including family gatherings, what they were struggling with, where they were going, their hobbies, what they had for breakfast, and just general everyday activities. Early social media allowed regular individuals the opportunity to share their stories and perspectives, which fosters a sense of community among users. As stated by an article from Maryville University,

“The evolution of social media has been fueled by the human impulse to communicate and by advances in digital technology. It is a story about establishing and nurturing personal connections at scale.”(Evolution of Social Media)

Both Dorothy’s journals and early social media are finding meaning and connection in the seemingly unremarkable. Both mediums gave voice to ordinary individuals, celebrating their experiences and emotions. 

However this is where I find the parallel between the two ends. As social media has evolved over time, it shifted its platform of humble documentation of everyday reality to a space where self- presentation, personal branding, and attaching your value and identity to your profile has become more predominant.The Romantic tenet of elevating the everyday has been lost in translation amid the rise of self-promotion and self -validation. Users now seek constant affirmation from their online presence, which can lead to narcissism.

This is also accounted for by the rise of influencers, celebrities, and brand-sponsored content. Now social media is a means of money and commerce. Authenticity has now taken a backseat and has been replaced with staged, curated, and highly edited portrayals of one's life, making common users feel inadequate when comparing themselves to other more curated platforms. The average person's humble experiences have now been overshadowed by glamorous and unattainable lifestyles, it has done a 180 where real life is being left behind for an alternate superficial reality. Our humble lives don’t feel worthy of celebration anymore, which is leading to a disconnect from the original philosophy. 

I also want to recognize social media’s fast-paced nature which encourages instant gratification. It shifts the focus not only on superficial metrics such as likes, comments, and follower counts, which again ties into the emphasis of seeking worth through others approval rather than finding intrinsic value in one's life. But also because of the fast paced nature we can get sucked in by the constant stream of content which I would argue creates a larger disconnect with the natural world, a huge tenet of Romanticism that Dorothy’s journals exemplify.

In Dorothy’s world, the natural world is so interconnected to the human experience. Whereas in the modern age, the natural world is getting overshadowed by virtual interactions and artificial representations need to be creating content. We get sucked in for hours consuming data information and if we do venture our way outside we are usually viewing it through our devices. We are losing our spiritual and emotional connection to nature where the Romantics believed is where soul healing can be done.   

Now, I’m not trying to imply we get rid of social media as a whole. I believe we can still turn things around. Dorothy Wordsworth’s journals and early social media both embraced Romantic ideals of elevating the humble and celebrating the everyday experience. We can go back to it. There are creators and common users who use social media in the Romantic way and I believe we should be learning from them. I think if we took consumerism from social media, focused our intentions back on authenticity, vulnerability, quality content, diverse perspectives, and encouraging positive engagement, we would be reviving the original philosophy. We need to rediscover simplicity, and reignite the essence of celebrating the everyday. As individuals we have the power to shape the digital landscape and contribute to social media culture that aligns with Romantic ideals.

Sources:

Freitag, Christiana. “Social Media’s Impact on Society.” Ad Council Org, 26 Jan. 2022, www.adcouncil.org/social-medias-impact-on-society?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIvfeT3_esgAMVmAKtBh0q9wPPEAAYASAAEgLxbvD_BwE. 

Johnson, Bonnie J. British Literature II: Romantic Era to the Twentieth Century and Beyond. Galileo University System of Georgia, 2018. pp. 75-77.

N/A, N/A. “The Evolution of Social Media: How Did It Begin and Where Could It Go Next?” Maryville Online, 3 Mar. 2021, online.maryville.edu/blog/evolution-social-media/#:~:text=At%20first%2C%20social%20media%20existed,never%20have%20met%20in%20person. 

Staff, All Psychology Schools. “Social Media’s Effects on Our Mental Health: All Psychology Schools.” AllPsychologySchools.Com, 18 July 2023, www.allpsychologyschools.com/blog/social-media-psychology/#:~:text=Results%20in%20anxiety%3A%20Social%20media,or%20as%20successful%20as%20others.