Catfish

Catfish was the tale of a documentarian who begins an online platonic relationship with an year old art prodigy named Abby. He is lead to believe that he is corresponding with Amy, her mother Angela, her sister Megan, and her brother. Nev, the documentarian, even finds himself falling for Megan without ever meeting her face to face. However, after finding discrepancies with what he is being told by the family and facts he is uncovering through research, Nev decides to travel to Michigan to confront the family. He soon learns that the family he had grown close to was actually just one woman, Angela, posing as multiple people.

Catfish brought to life a major issue with democratized media and shed new light on the fact that the internet can often not be trusted. Web 2.0 allows for a free flow of ideas throughout the internet by all users. However, the consequences of this lack of monitoring is that often times what is being put out is not entirely accurate or flat out lies. Nev made the mistake of trusting what was being presented to him on the internet and did not take into account how easily a situation, a story, or even a life can be fabricated. Keen claims that Web 2.0 has caused the web to lose its credibility and Catfish brings to life how unreliable this internet truly is.

Catfish showed how easily one women in her attic can influence and manipulate someone else’s life by taking on different personas. It also proved how naïve people are to what they are being presented on the internet. This has created a huge problem in the digital world.  People are now subject to identity theft, con jobs, incorrect or bias information, false promises, etc. because of Web 2.0. The expression “take it with a grain of salt” can directly apply to much of what is put on the internet. With little to no filter on the internet, people must understand that the information they are being fed may lack any type of accountability. Democratized media has its positives as it allows the common person to voice their opinions or receive information from different viewpoints. Web 2.0 has allowed people from all walks of life to associate, share thoughts, make lasting connections, etc. However, it also has the dangers of allowing people the power of “truth”, and in many cases these “truths” are wrapped in deception or merely flat-out lies.

Exit Through The Gift Shop

Exit Through The Gift Shop was a documentary directed by street artist Banksy. Originally intended to be an exposé on street art filmed by Thierry Guetta, Banksy would later turn the camera on Guetta and his seemingly overnight rise to fame in the art world. The documentary was able to captivate audiences by first bringing them into the world of street art through individuals such as Shepard Fairey and then revealing how one man can defy the art and reinvent himself into one of the most prestigious artist with virtually no street art background.

Guetta was able to create this art by taking what he had learned from the various street artists he followed. He began to understand basic ingredients and styles that made the art interesting and popular. All art forms including painting and music have artists who are influenced by those before them and this is often apparent in the works they put out. However, Guetta seemed to have little to no style of his own. What he created was completely based off of what he had learned by following the artists for the months before. He found simple theorems that Shephard, Banksy, or whichever other artist he had studied used and applied it to his works, making his art basically unoriginal. He clearly had no authentic vision which is why his artwork resembled those he followed and why he needed a team to actually create the works. Guetta’s vision was not that of his own but merely an accumulation of everything he had picked up from the true artists and masked into one large copycat art show.

This movie really made a statement about society. It showed how trends can occur with no basis or justification. Guetta had no right to present himself as a true graffiti artist, yet, thousands of people showed up to his art exhibit and paid top dollar for his art works. This mirrored a society who likes things because it is “the thing to like” and not necessarily because they enjoy it. Trends often become trends because certain people say so and not because people make their own judgments out of free will. Guetta was able to spark interest and create a buzz about his work by simply receiving the support of Banksy and Shepard and getting his name in a popular newspaper. This proved that society is made up of many people who yearn to be a part of a fad or whatever is the new, hip thing.

The argument can be made that the internet has allowed for trends to flourish and why Guetta was so successful. However, I believe that this is not completely accurate. Trends have been able to blossom for years without the use of the internet. In the 80’s, punk rock music emerged in the underground scene by word of mouth. Small groups of people found this music to be edgy. Therefore, many people began listening and became fans mainly because of what the music represented. Fashion often finds its niche because of who wears it rather than how it looks. The Michael Jordan sneaker brand is able to re-launch old sneakers by marketing them as vintage and cool. Although consumers may not find them particularly attractive they still purchase the sneakers because of trends and what the shoe represents. Guetta’s over-night fame was helped by the internet, but was more so spurred upon by a society who has a history of eating up whatever is proclaimed as the fresh and cool new trend.