Social Media and the Emergence of 'Sad Culture’
Jianyu Liu
This thesis presents research that identifies a 'subculture of sad’ that exists and is being amplified by the prevalence of social media. I discuss its impact and influence on society, and propose unique ‘anti-sad’ strategies to convert social media into a force for good.
The Sad Culture
The Sad Culture refers to a subcultural phenomenon on social media. People involved in it tend to be young and express negative emotions in a self-deprecating tone. They post about loneliness, depression, sadness, demotivation, and so on. These emotions emanate from the 'little things in life' and they reemerge online in the form of depressed writings, comics, memes, and other forms of negative digital expression.
The ANTI-SADNESS Organization
ANTI-SADNESS is the name of my capstone project. It is a virtual organization that was formed to counteract Sad Culture. Its goal is to create awareness among the anxious and unsettled modern youth and help free them from digital sadness.
Illustrations to Promote Anti-Sadness
A series of illustrations have been created to promote anti-sadness remedies. By using a humorous and symbolic visual language, the hidden truth of the Sad Culture will gradually unfold before the audience. How can we sever the connection between ourselves and negativity? How can we abandon redundant sadness in our daily lives? These, and many more questions need to be asked and answered.
Anti-Sadness Posters
Visual elements from each illustration were converted into a series of posters. Each poster has a simple yet impactful combination of graphics and messages. Posters will be displayed in locations frequented by youth, including, college campuses, businesses, shopping areas, and select subway stations to bring attention to this dilemma.
ANTI-SADNESS Zine
This small-scale publication serves as a primer to my thesis. It includes a general introduction to Sad Culture and core ideas of the Anti-Sadness campaign.
Sad Culture Mini-Book
After several folds, a poster can be turned into a 'mini-book' that contains basic knowledge of the Sad Culture.
