Briefly, something to add from my studies of cool, is that Social affluence can be effectuated vis-à-vis presentations of something that might look like an inverted variation of the infograph  that Gregg presents in the article.  Cool allows for antilogy (upside down crosses and face tattoos, etc., heroin chic - even depression and unhappiness itself, etc) and contranyms (bad, sick, gnarly, based, wicked and nasty etc all mean some variation of “excellent!”) to drive up one’s social status.  

The affect is “whoa that person doesn’t give a fuck - how cool!” 

Through mimetic desire, these become viral affectations.  For those of you growing up in the 90s, think of all of the shoe gazing Kurt Cobain kids posturing heroin or today, all of the emo rap kids posturing pills.  

Externalizations of happiness, for instance can lower status and influence - while antipathy can raise it.

You likely see this even in your own professional lives – over-using exclamation marks being the most famous example of ruining one’s esteem.  

Hi!!! 

Yet what if you really are excited to talk to someone? You suppress the punctuation so as to not lose esteem? How is that integrity? 

Of course, these suppressive status affectations end up affecting the spirit of the poser - we become what we pretend to be.  

All the best! 

Ebert 



Thanks, Ali.

 

Here is one issue with social media. Can one really be known and valued via Instagram or TiK Tok? I doubt it. Think about how different that kind of relationship is from oral indigenous relationships (i.e., real, face to face, back and forth dialogue and participation in activities together in the world). Instead, what is actually going on is one way broadcasting that is regulated by social influence markers, such as likes or clicks or watches and general comments. Thus, social media itself is the wrong kind of forum for the known and valued processes we are structured for.

 

I will say that I think zoom is qualitatively better. Although you are not with the person, you can have real, authentic relationships on zoom. I have never met John Vervaeke or Mike Mascolo in person, but I believe I have an authentic relationships with both of them, and many, many other people. So, the short answer is definitely yes, you can seek to be known and valued by a less than ideal group which will have consequences, but more to the point, the structure of the way we have developed our kids relationships is potentially disastrous.

 

Best,

Gregg  

 

From: theory of knowledge society discussion <[log in to unmask]> On Behalf Of Alexis Kenny
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Subject: Re: TOK Blog on Social Influence and Relational Value

 

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Gregg,

 

This is a great piece! Thanks for sharing!

 

In reading the last paragraph of your blog, I wondered...what happens when people don't look for being known and valued by the "right" people? For example, if teens are preoccupied with broad social acceptance (likely via a virtual / nebulous community (clearly making an assumption here)), is their pursuit of being known and valued doomed from the get-go?

 

As a follow-up question...even if these teens thought they were known and valued by this group (through likes, followers, etc.) would this sense of acceptance satisfy their core needs at any meaningful, sustainable level? 

 

Would welcome your (or anyone else's) responses! 

 

Thanks for the food for thought,

 

Ali

 

El vie, 12 de nov. de 2021 a la(s) 11:44, Henriques, Gregg - henriqgx ([log in to unmask]) escribió:

Hi Folks,

  I put this up today. FWIW, I have found that the difference between social influence and relational value is likely one of the keys to effecting a wise cultural shift. It has come up in many conversations and was salient in my exchange last with Forrest Landry, which prompted me to put this out there:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/theory-knowledge/202111/social-influence-versus-relational-value

 

___________________________________________

Gregg Henriques, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Graduate Psychology
216 Johnston Hall
MSC 7401
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, VA 22807
(540) 568-7857 (phone)
(540) 568-4747 (fax)

Be that which enhances dignity and well-being with integrity.

Check out the Unified Theory Of Knowledge homepage at:

https://www.unifiedtheoryofknowledge.org/

 

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