Social Internet Food Web

"A food web is a network much like a social community or the internet, with species linked to one another in a tangled pattern” (Buchanan, 2002, pp.143). Buchanan is creating the allusion that the virtual network of Facebook is like a food web. As each individual is intertwined with each other through being a member of the same group, ‘liking’ the same web links and also even up close and personal by being ‘tangled’ in the same comment or status. In addition Buchanan (2002, pp.145) “included information on how strongly various species, interacted with one another. In a social network, the bonds between good friends are not the same as those between weak acquaintances.” Therefore close friends on Facebook are going to be strongly ‘tangled’ like a spider web, opposed to those friends that just lurk around in your friends list; who are only connected by a single strand of spider web.

Image 1: Facebook friends are 'tangled' like a spider web

This allusion is like “in any real ecosystem, the number of various species fluctuate from year to year” Buchanan, 2002, pp.147); creating the effect that Facebook members come and go, as it is one of the most popular online social networks or should I say ‘social internet food webs.’

This week’s readings re-establish my understanding of corporate supermarkets and their power of food choice manipulation. In saying this it relates to my chosen network Facebook; if you want to consume Facebook products you have to register and can only relate to other Facebook Members, as this is the only way they can enable corporate control. Patel (2007) indicates that we have only got a few corporate buyers and sellers therefore we have to protect the space and place or which they stand within themselves.
Throughout the social virtual network of Facebook food advertisements and food organisations do play an integral part within the network. Facebook has a significant amount of advertisements “by food manufacture’s and retailers” (Atkins & Bowler, 2001, pp.290). As they are promoting healthier lifestyles by posting community and public posts regarding health programs such as Michelle Bridges 12 week program Michelle Bridge 12 Week Food Diet; “The corporations that sell our food shape and constrain how we eat, and how we think about food” (Patel, 2007, pp1.) Hidden behind these organisations and health programs are the elements of food.    

Image 2: Facebook Advertisements  

Food photography is very popular within the atmosphere of Facebook. It is presented through all diverse levels, such as advertising food designs or someone taking a photo snap of a dish of food. Whether this is a company’s advertisement or a personal photo snap it still considered as food photography. 
McNeill (2012) highlights that facebook is like an auto/biography; as we generally communicate in regards to our likes and dislikes of our life events. Atkins and Bowler (2001) indicate that the foods we choose to eat also provide a means of communicating something about ourselves. Through the communication of foods that we like and dislike, it reflects on our economic, social and cultural connections; this is creating a sense of belonging to our own autobiographies. Which also reflects upon what Kuttainen (2013) states in the weekly lectures about how food travels through culture, and culture travels through food.

References

Atkins, P., & Bowler, I. (2001). The origins of the taste, Food in society: Economy, culture, geography. (pp. 272-293). London, England: Arnold.

Buchanan, M. (2002). Tangled web, Nexus: Small Worlds and the groundbreaking science of networks. (pp.138-1550. New York, NY: W.W. Norton

Kuttainen, V. (2013). BA1002: Our space: Networks, narratives and the making of place. Lecture 7: Food networks [power point slides]. Retrieved from http://learnjcu.jcu.edu.au

McNeill, L. (2012). There is no “I” in network: Social networking sites and post human auto-biography. In biography, 35(1), 101-118.

Patel, R. (2007). Introduction, Stuffed and starved: The hidden battle for the world’s food system. (pp.1-19). Toronto, Canada: Harper Perennial.

Image 1: Facebook friends are ‘tangled’ like a spider web. Retrieved from http://images.search.conduit.com/ImagePreview/?q=food+web+in+a+spider+web+&ctid=CT3245481&SearchSource=15&FollowOn=true&PageSource=Results&SSPV=&CUI=UN42257247402125933&UP=&UM=1&start=0&pos=26

Image 2: Facebook advertisements. retrieved from  http://images.search.conduit.com/ImagePreview/?q=food+advertisments+on+facebook&ctid=CT3245481&SearchSource=15&FollowOn=true&PageSource=ImagePreview&SSPV=&CUI=UN42257247402125933&UP=&UM=1&start=0&pos=6