To be a part of an audience is a concept that as human beings in the 21st century, we often can’t seem to see it for more than its face value. To merely define being a part of an audience as a group of people focussing on one or perhaps more than one object/person would be to negate the real power that an audience can play in society. Current media has redefined how we act as an audience and the impact that an audience indeed has.
Audiences are much more than those who merely wish to be entertained. An audience can be much more than that. An audience can be a movement. A mechanism for change.
My experience of being a part of an audience occurred in 2018 in Toronto at the Pride festival.
One of my travel companions showed a live stream of the event on Facebook that we thought it may not be something that we should miss. We viewed the beginning of the parade and came to the conclusion that if it were so close that we could practically hear it, then it would be foolish to miss it. We left our hostel, and on the way, I was able to open up my Snapchat account and access the “Snap Maps” feature that allowed me to view the snapchats of people who were also in the area celebrating the event. The party looked unmissable.
After enjoying the festivities of the evening and celebrating with a night with strangers from all different nationalities, religions and sexual orientation, it was evident that we were a part of something much more than an audience to a parade. The night meant something to every person in the crowd, and the audience became connected.
Our reasons for attending the festival was merely to be a part of the experience; however, we ended up being apart of something much more.
Upon reflection of the event, the memories I shared with the friends I have made will have a lasting impact on how I see the world. There was no apprehension of the lines being too long or it being too crowded. There was no anguish over the drinks running out. We only remembered the night for the positives. The day after we were able to relive the evening on Instagram where we saw photos and videos of people celebrating the march.
An audience can no longer be defined as the people in the physically at the event because media has changed this. Social media allowed strangers from all over the world to be a part of that audience and to know that they are supported by the thousands of people who attended the event.
It is important to remember that although you may sometimes feel disconnected from society, being a part of something as simple as an audience for a parade can be far more powerful than one may think. This amplifies the concept that audiences are in fact more than just an individual, but an entity. The evening demonstrates the idea of being an apart of an active audience and how that can have a positive effect.
References-
Image 1- Sbs.com.au. (2019). https://www.sbs.com.au/topics/sites/sbs.com.au.topics/files/styles/body_image/public/gettyimages-544415594.jpg?itok=evA01gZy&mtime=1471347249
image 2-View the VIBE Toronto. . Your Ultimate Guide to Toronto Pride 2018 – View the Vibe. https://viewthevibe.com/ultimate-guide-to-toronto-pride-2018/
Tenor. Its All Love GIFs | Tenor. https://tenor.com/search/its-all-love-gifs
Pride flag gif-GIPHY. Gay Pride Rainbow GIF by Capital Pride | Have Pride 365 https://giphy.com/gifs/capitalpride-capital-pride-have-365-dc-2016-3oEjI2KZLu5Wll2EIo
Snapchat maps- Gifer.com Available at: https://gifer.com/en/4jtO
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