Etnografia del web e identità avatar

Abstract

This essay is focused on ethnography applied to the web and to digital communication, in order to multiply the point of view on the forms of representation beyond the monological writing. To challenge such a hegemony, web-ethnography can favour multi-linguistic, multi-logic, trans-iconic use of digital representation. This is a context of research, experimentation and conflict: a context whose aim is the dissolution of the identitary logic legitimized by the Western culture in its gnoselogic and political history. Decentralization, plural identities, cross-cultural remixing beyond – more than against – every universalistic or dualistic principle of “civilization”. Monological concepts, identity logic, synthetic dialectics pertain to a unique paradigm that during centuries of “our” history constituted one of the most efficient instruments of western domain through a linearity of speech which crosses “things” (bodies, commodities, metropolis) and “texts” (writings, images, performances). Digital communication is an innovative fieldwork where new ethnographic methodologies are applied on the web and through the web. A digital web-ethnography. Once the research moves on the web, linguistic results must be adequated: the icon-logical method will morph itself to its object. Hypertexts produced until this moment are mostly disappointing because they are based on traditional paradigms: the mere juxtaposition of different narrative patterns (essays, images, sounds, tales etc.) connected by keywords. Finally, the fluid-dimensional avatar emerged in my reserches and representation. Avatar means – in a metaphorical sense from the originary Hindu philosophy – the experience of a multi-vidual subjectivity and in the same time the production of multi-sensorial languages. Such liquid concepts are favouring a syncretic crossing between anthropology, technologies, communication toward the plurality of the ego (= ii, eus, my-selves). Avatar beyond any dualism, any unifited synthesis, any universal culture or history. Avatar as a diasporical mindful body: a pragmatical and pixelled body full of minds. Avatar as de-rooting roots and de-rhyzoming rhyzoms. Every universal is partial – every singular is plural – every purity is hybrid, every history is polyphonic – every taxonomy is anomic.