On Tumblr most of the users repost "cool images" that talk to them or inspire them. Most of the users don't actually create content themselves, but rather recycle content created by others, corporations or independent artists. Often posters don't even comment upon these images. However most of them think and feel that they are creating something, that their stream of consciousness is something to be appreciated by other users. And it is, because others love finding images to repost on their Tumblr. Isn't this a paradox? People doing nothing but sharing other people's images, but thinking they are creating something. With enough images it turns into a recycling vortex where new users repost old images and there's no real need for new images. Sounds like something Borges could have thought up.
Tumblr's slogan is: "Follow the world's creators". But the user interface allows for the users to take images from other people's Tumblr's and repost on their's. The connection with the first poster or actual source remains minimal, but traceable. As it now turns out Tumblr has been sued over it's users copyright infringement. “Accordingly, Tumblr should be held liable for its failure to abide by its obligations under the DMCA and for willfully ignoring the widespread and uncontrolled copyright infringement pervading its website.” So Tumblr is ignoring the fact that it's users are posting copyrighted images and furthermore has given the tools to do so.
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| The cynical approach to the matter. |
A meme can't be owned by anyone, as it lives in the culture and would seize to live if captured. The kids of today take that approach to every kind of content. They take the (pop) culture around them for granted and think they have a right to use it for what ever purposes. In a way they are right, as it's just copies, ones and zeros or pixels. It differs from the time when there was one of every creation. On the other hand they don't stop there and they feel as curators, creating never-ending exhibitions which form meaning for themselves. A Tumblr account is like a mirror that the users use to look back at themselves. It's the visual projection of the perfect me. "The next best thing to doing, is posting about it."
The images are used out of the original context. The context is created by the surrounding images. There's no (or hardly any) denotation only connotations and these are different from person to person, page to page. The potential to communicate is minimal and it's mostly auto-communication: "you understand, what you want to understand."
The common explanation from Tumblrers is: "I just gather images that inspire me." If that was the goal then why not gather those images in a file or a folder on your hard drive or a private Tumblr. Why does it have to be published? Why does the world need to know what inspires YOU? I say it has to do with modern laziness. The implicit statement would be something in the lines of: "If I am inspired by these cool works by cool artist, I am a (potentially) cool artist myself." The possibility of being perceived as creative without much effort. The perceived illusion is reality.
