Likin' & The Message

Positively

When one, a person, you, we, they, Ryan Gosling, or skateboardin' dogs, consider(s) the social implications of “Like”ing , we may not be too far from communicating like Yip Yip Martians. What we mean is when we can be critics by just clicking “Like” and meaning something, it’s sort of like Pavlov’s dog salivating every time a skateboard rolls around.  In more words, “Like” is positive though not for the same reasons Paul SawersThis is what Sawers writes about the "Dislike" button:

Social media is all about building networks, being accepted, being 'liked', sharing information…positive things. A dislike button goes against all of that and would only promote bad karma and negativity. Anti-social media, in other words. writes about. After all, you can like negativity too (i.e. you can “Like” hate; you can “Like” a negative comment: “I hate skateboardin' dogs!”). So you can have good vibes about something you don't actually like. What's really important is that in order to “Like” negativity, negativity or criticism has to be posted or written because "Like" is unary and a choice to "Dislike" doesn't exist. You have to type "Dislike." It doesn't seem like much, but for us it's a lot to t-y-p-e instead of click; it produces some important social effects.

To “Like” is what McLuhan (2005) writes about regarding the social effects of alphabetic technology:

Words and the meaning of words predispose the child to think and act automatically in certain ways.  The alphabet and printing technology encouraged a fragmenting process, a process of specialism and detachment. (p. 8)

So to “Like” is easy and positive—positively reinforcement. Instead of “encouraging a fragmenting process of specialism and detachment,” “Like” is reinforcement for easy participation, for thoughtless participation, and for thoughtful participation. Unfortunately, we may never be able to judge thoughtfulness or thoughtlessness because it’s not necessarily meaningful.  “Like” encourages us to say a lot without saying much. And if that's not enough to convince you about "Like" saying a lot and not saying much, check out what it can mean: A Condensed Oxford English Dictionary Definition This is from the dictionary on my computer. Imagine I had used the big boy—The Non-Condensed Oxford English Dictionary.

like 1 |līk|

preposition

1 having the same characteristics or qualities as; similar to: there were other suits like mine in the shop | they were like brothers | she looked nothing like Audrey Hepburn.

• in the manner of; in the same way or to the same degree as: he was screaming like a banshee | you must run like the wind.

• in a way appropriate to: students were angry at being treated like children.

• such as one might expect from; characteristic of: just like you to put a damper on people's enjoyment.

• used in questions to ask about the characteristics or nature of someone or something: What is it like to be a tuna fisherman? | What's she like?

2 used to draw attention to the nature of an action or event: I apologize for coming over unannounced like this | why are you talking about me like that?

3 such as; for example: the cautionary vision of works like Animal Farm and 1984 .

conjunction informal

1 in the same way that; as: people who change countries like they change clothes.

2 as though; as if: I felt like I'd been kicked by a camel.

noun

used with reference to a person or thing of the same kind as another: the quotations could be arranged to put like with like | I know him—him and his like.

• (the like) a thing or things of the same kind (often used to express surprise or for emphasis): did you ever hear the like? | a church interior the like of which he had never seen before.

adjective

(of a person or thing) having similar qualities or characteristics to another person or thing: I responded in like manner | the grouping of children of like ability together.

• Brit.(of a portrait or other image) having a faithful resemblance to the original: "Who painted the dog's picture? It's very like."

adverb

1 informal used in speech as a meaningless filler or to signify the speaker's uncertainty about an expression just used: there was this funny smell—sort of dusty like.

2 informal used to convey a person's reported attitude or feelings in the form of direct speech (whether or not representing an actual quotation): so she comes into the room and she's like "Where is everybody?"

3 (like as/to) archaic in the manner of: like as a ship with dreadful storm long tossed.

PHRASES

and the like and similar things; et cetera. like anything informal to a great degree: they would probably worry like anything. ( as ) like as not probably: she would be in bed by now, like as not. like enough (or most like ) archaic probably: he'll have lost a deal of blood, I dare say, and like enough he's still losing it. like ——, like —— as —— is, so is ——: like father, like son. like so informal in this manner: the votive candles are arranged like so. the likes of informal used of someone or something regarded as a type: she didn't want to associate with the likes of me. more like informal nearer to (a specified number or description) than one previously given: he believes the figure should be more like $10 million. • (more like it) nearer to what is required or expected; more satisfactory. of ( a ) like mind (of a person) sharing the same opinions or tastes.

like 2 |līk|

verb [ with obj. ]

1 find agreeable, enjoyable, or satisfactory: I like all Angela Carter's stories | people who don't like reading books | I like to be the center of attention.

2 wish for; want: would you like a cup of coffee? | I'd like to rent a car | [ with obj. and infinitive ] : I'd like you to stay | [ no obj. ] : we would like for you to work for us.

• (would like to do something) used as a polite formula: we would like to apologize for the late running of this service.

• (not like doing/to do something) feel reluctant to do something: I don't like leaving her on her own too long.

• choose to have (something); prefer: how do you like your coffee?

• [ in questions ] feel about or regard (something): how would you like it if it happened to you? noun (likes) the things one likes or prefers: a wide variety of likes, dislikes, tastes, and income levels.

PHRASES if you like

1 if it suits or pleases you: we could go riding if you like.

2 used when expressing something in a new or unusual way: it's a whole new branch of chemistry, a new science if you like. I like that! used as an exclamation expressing affront. like it or not informal used to indicate that someone has no choice in a matter: you're celebrating with us, like it or not. not like the look (or sound ) of find worrying or alarming: I don't like the look of that head injury. what's not to like? informal used as a rhetorical expression of approval or satisfaction: cleaner air, cooler temperatures, and mountain views—what's not to like.

Now, that's a lotta "Like."

Expediency

To “Like” might be said to encourage you, we, us, and Ryan Gosling to yip-yip-yip and efficiently participate in culture; it can allow us to engage in participatory culture: “culture in which fans and other consumers are invited to actively participate in the creation and circulation of new content” (Jenkins, 2007, p. 331). Fb users, fans, or consumers can recieve feedback on the wall posts, images, or media they've created or the work they've circulated. And that’s cool. You can get your opinion, your story, your ideas out there and juxtapose them to dominant media messages or other non-dominant messages. You can recieve feedback through "Likes." And this feedback becomes really important and really rhetorical for circulation depending on who's "Likin'" your work. A Gosling "Like" for Like Me, Like Me Not might mean more than, say, a Paul Muhlhauser or Andrea Kate Campbell "Like." A credible "Like" is participation that'll influence your work's circulation. Jenkins’ll get you really excited about the possibilities of participatory culture.

Unfortunately, “Like” creates another more insidious social effect.  A “Like” button supports an ethic of expediency in which “the only ethical criterion necessary is the perceptible movement towards the technical goal to be achieved—including expediency itself” (Katz, 2003, p. 193). In more of our words, the “Like” button promotes the ethos of technology: a value system prizing “rationality, efficiency, speed, productivity, and power” where “Both science and technology are ‘a good’ not only because they are rational means for accomplishing a task and/or achieving leisure and thus happiness (the virtues heard most in regard to scientific and technical progress), but because they are ethical ends in themselves as well” (Katz, 2003, p. 193).

When you “Like” with a button, critical thought or engagement with a picture, a comment, a wall post, a video, becomes an afterthought. Why write/type? When you can just “Like.” You may participate in culture but you are doing so as expediently as possible. And as we know responding without thinking or re-checking facts isn't always productive or ethical. We wonder if the ethic of expediency is part of the reason for Spike Lee's accidental Tweet?

You might say that when you've just “Liked, you've pushed aside thoughtul and critical participation in favor of minimal participation. Sherry Turkle (2011) in her critique of technology puts it like this:

we expect more from technology and less from each other…Overwhelmed we have been drawn to connections that seem low risk and always at hand: Facebook friends, avatars, IRC chat partners.  If convenience and control continue to be our priorities, we shall be tempted by sociable robots, where, like gamblers at their slot machines, we are promised excitement programmed in, just enough to keep us in the game.  At the robotic moment, we have to be concerned that the simplification and reduction of relationship is no longer something we complain about. It may become what we expect and desire. (p. 295)

So, rather than complication and amplification, relationships and communication become like the press of a button. They become menus, True/True questionaires, minimal
Likert scales where communication is detached from composing an opinion or offerring a critique.

LikeLessons

To “Like” is to encourage ambiguity and monologuing.

To “Like” is to discourage specificity and dialogue.

To "Like" means we're too busy communicating to connect.