“Generation Like” documentary explores the modern teen culture that is based on the values of non-material currency – likes. The value of social media fame is growing, and a lot of teens have managed to build a career based on likes and retweets. Posting things one likes has become a social norm in the network that helps to express one’s identity and form personal brand. However, the value of these likes and retweets has shifted greatly, as social media marketing is using young people’s activity in the network to promote their good, brands and services for free. The value of likes, retweets and views changes the non-material currency into real money. The social reality has come to the day when the consumer is actually a marketer.
The documentary shows how these values and norms have been transformed into digital marketing that has already become a part of contemporary pop culture. Young people are aware of the fact that they take are advertising, but not to the extent the things actually happen, because the language of teens in the documentary shows true value of social media popularity, as it is abundant with appraisals and symbolic empowerment the feel when they get more views and followers. This inspiration makes them continue consuming and sharing what they consume, and it is a norm for big companies to use it for advertising purposes. Teens believe that they are making their choices and creating a social media picture of themselves, while in reality their actions are the results of well-thought marketing strategy, while all the fan houses and campaigns are aimed at making teens the sell-outs without them realizing it.
Work Cited
Koughan, Frank, and Douglas Rushkoff. “Generation Like.” PBS Frontline. Web documentary. 18 Feb. 2014. Web. 23 Feb. 2016.
