Illustration by Gaymare "Era" Luna
Are you in love? Are you sad, happy, embarrassed, desperate, angry, bored or simply in need of comfort? More often than not, Young Adults find themselves liking and following various Facebook pages that gets their attention such as this.
(Image taken from https://www.facebook.com/PoemsPorn/?ref=br_rs)
Young adults quest in finding Literature on Popular Facebook Pages and University Confessions
Young adults are establishing and confirming social engagements in the world of social media simply because it has been an outlet for their angst, views and opinions. They can post their stand(s)/opinion(s) about news or issues; comment on particular posts by certain pages they follow; write reviews about a book they’ve recently read or a movie they’ve just watched. Predominantly, if they log in to Facebook, they will find pages, groups and even communities that introduce literature in the millennial generation. Personal poems, letters and status that are created by individuals that spread through Facebook or digitally reproduce lines/quotes by certain FB pages from the works of W. Shakespeare, R.W Emerson, V. Woolf, J. Green, as well as other famous authors from past to present. Though, there are local pages as well, like Word’sAnonymous; betsin-artparasites the local counterpart of berlin-artparasites--that introduces Filipino poems and artworks, if not personal expressions that many young adult netizens find relatable.
Happy or Sad- Poems are more than food they are lifeline.
Whether they are healing their wounded hearts caused by lovers, friends and even family or simply in need of company in their solitary confinement, they find solace in poetry for not only does it appeal aesthetically but somehow it channels and magnifies their emotions may it be loneliness or glee. Pages like Poems porn, WordsAnonymous, Button betsin-artparasites, Scream poems are popular simply because Young Adults find their own reflection on the posted poetries.
(Image taken from https://www.facebook.com/PoemsPorn/?ref=br_rs)
Those kind of words are bound to get their attention. Of course poetry speaks not only of pain and of suffering, sometimes it is the language of entertainment like poems from Poetry Magnets PH which are unconventional and sometimes humorous. Others who are into arts are hooked with berlin-artparasites or The Artidope which features an artwork with messages and poems.
(Image taken from https://https://www.facebook.com/TheArtidope/?fref=ts)
Not too-confidential Confessions
Young adults especially those in Universities and Colleges are engrossed with following University Pages where they can anonymously send letters of confessions and anecdotes. The letters and confessions encompass messages about love, relationship, views- may it be political or religious, rants and sometimes even sexual passions. While other senders are commendable for their choice of words and manner of storytelling (may it be about love or sex) that has the merit of categorical recognition as a flash fiction (which is very popular nowadays) especially the anecdotes, others are simply rants and self-exaltation like for example…
(Image taken from https://www.facebook.com/updconfessions/?fref=ts)
…this is not even an anecdote and I doubt if all would agree to label this as an open letter, this looks merely a status of a narcissistic being wanting to be famous yet remaining anonymous but we are so hooked up reading these forms of confessions and following these pages. Well… who doesn’t? Only Wilma Doesn’t ;-) follow pages like these when there are commendable comments like…
(Image taken from https://www.facebook.com/updconfessions/?fref=ts)
…that are very entertaining. Really, why do they hit the like button and follow? Is it the humor? Is it the anonymous broken-hearted lines, maybe the letter of angst to specific people or groups that make others want to put their middle fingers up, or do Young Adults find the Showbiz glamour on these posts? Are they 2nd class stalkers and gossip-girls?
(Image taken from https://www.facebook.com/FEUSecrets/?fref=ts)
Yet sometimes we stumble upon posts with literary merits. This one could pass for a Flash fiction, the conciseness and brevity, if not in line then at least close to Eros Atalia’s Flash Fictions.
Why are Popular Pages so popular, if you know what I mean?
Popular pages such as Vince & Kath are popular simply because Young adults are hook with stories of love and drama, especially when it is like Wattpad stories turned reality. Who could blame them, Facebook advocates bandwagon and teens easily follow by sharing the page’s post(s) in their timeline. As a result, more people find themselves reading…
(Image taken from https://www.facebook.com/Lsmcheervar/?fref=ts&ref=br_tf)
...and reading
…and reading it until they finish the entire post. What’s good about this is that teens are reading, it may not be the greatest material but it’s a good start. Aside from that, this kind of pages made use of Facebook as a platform to integrate stories and literature, even if it’s an emerging genre like Chiclitt.
(Image taken from https://www.facebook.com/Lsmcheervar/?fref=ts&ref=br_tf)
Is there really Literature in Social Media?
We believe (the writers) that there is Literature in Social media if only Young adults know what posts to like and what pages to follow. While it is true that some FB pages are made for entertainment like Vince & Kath and others may be skeptical in considering their story as literature, what matters is that those kind of pages are able to appeal to many young adult netizens. It may not be the best material (not just Vince & Kath but all other pages mentioned above) to get acquainted with literature but it is a way to encourage readers to be engage. If they get tired reading from those sites then it is possible that they seek other materials of better quality such as books and other literary websites.
We hope that after reading this you are able to generate your own conclusion whether or not our paper really proved that there is Literature in Social Media. If you think there is Literature in Social Media feel free to drop your comments down below. However, if you believe that those pages we mentioned above are simply self-gratification platforms and Literature is nowhere to be seen, then come join us, the squad of Literary Angels who’d like to make Social Media a better and meaningful place where utopian passages of liberating poems and stories that deserves literary merits exist. Yes! Please leave your comment down below too.
Writers:
Garcia, D, Luna G, Morella M.
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