technsolution

Journal Entry: Identity Online

In reflecting on the constraints of technology on constructing identity, I have to say that I found the eBay reading in some cases a bit "out there."  I totally understand and accept the fact that the platforms we use online, especially in social media and online shopping site such as eBay and Amazon, manipulate users in order to promote certain values, namely whiteness, heterosexuality, masculinity, and capitalism.  However, I found the talk about why eBay takes down pictures of men's packages versus wedding dresses a little over the top.  While I do understand that some of the debate was eBay enforcing policy, I think that dirty underwear is sexualized in a way that uncleaned wedding dresses are not.  I would like to think that if she compared dirty men's underwear to postings of used women's underwear for sale, they would be taken down equally.  But then the taking down of women's underwear would technically support the pureness and chastity of women.
The last chapter on the Black Americana, however, was quite disturbing.  The overt racist dialogue of the sellers undermines the idea that these are collectibles, to be used for education.  And, as the author pointed out, most were not from the Antebellum era but reproductions made in sweatshops overseas.  And all of the sellers appeared to be white.  I haven't previously considered how overwhelmingly white eBay is, both buyers and sellers. But the selling of Mammie dolls (and referring to it as Negrobilia) is way over the line.  

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  1. The Journal Entry: Identity Online was by Kasie Reyes