Though the previous portions paint our society and surfing on subways as a bleak reality — technology on the subway systems has allowed us to create an infinite amount of content, creating a circulation of knowledge, creativity, and music within the society and beyond.
Music to the Underground’s Ears
Though we’ve said that the presence of wifi, smartphones, and access to the digital world underground has proven to have negative effects on society and the ways people interact with one another, it is important to note that there are positives that come out of this experience. A large portion of that is the music and creativity circulated due to the presence of these devices. In 1985, the MTA introduced a program called “Music Under New York” or “MUNY” for short. It allows over 350 artists to showcase their talents legally in subway stations. With technology, people were able to record these artists and eventually, they garnered a greater audience. MUNY affiliates have gone on to perform at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center.
Though these “official” and “legal” performers are amazing, there are also others who are just as talented and lack the affiliation. One that might be familiar to us is Mike, a man who frequents the 23rd street F station. Mike Yung enjoyed a small popularity at this station for months before eventually going viral with his rendition of Unchained Melody (below). He was then invited to James Corden’s Late Late show to perform.
Subway Photography
With the rise of social media platforms came the rise of people who thought themselves to be “professional” photographers and artists. This speaks mainly to the rise of Instagram. If you scroll Instagram, you see a plethora of images captured from the subway system. While the views from elevated subway lines has always been around — the ability to share this view has not. Access to wifi and smartphones has changed that. In fact, even I shared a photo or two taken from the subway system.
While the views that are created and shared are more incentive for people to frequent the subway, what I find interesting is the reason why individuals post so much. As discussed in class, people are multi-faceted and are constantly trying to project their ideal self to the world. Case in point, many of us stated that our Instagram grids required much thought and editing. Whatever the case, the true champion of this blog post is that the presences of technology, sharing platforms, and smartphones on subways allow for views such as these:
Sweet 1 Train + 6 Train
A recent event that deserves attention on this blog is a birthday party that was held on the subway. To use the subway and technology as an aid in creating viral content, a group of actors recently rushed into a subway car to throw a party for a girl named Jenny. These actors came armed with props and decorations and urged Q train subway riders to play along, yelling “surprise” when Jenny came on. This video quickly gained popularity with those in New York as it showcased great friendship, but also the willingness of some New Yorkers to get off their phones and play along/interact when asked.
The subway environment was perfect in creating a viral video as this clip hit all 6 of the qualities Forbes states are necessary to make a video viral. The fast paced nature and generally crazy nature of the subway system offered an opportunity for this project. The short times between stops allowed the video to be short and timely, and the excited actors and willing subway riders kept the video upbeat. As it was relatable and different from what people typically see on their commutes, this video was shared on our social media feeds, from Twitter, to Facebook, to Tumblr, multiple times.
This ties back to the theory of transference. It is the concept that individuals enjoy themselves through imagining another’s experiences as their own. The reason why people shared this video so many times was that they enjoyed it and garnered joy from watching this video. Likewise, individuals were willing to participate because of the pleasure of viewing. This is the idea that joy is derived from watching something happen. These individuals were able to find joy in watching other people’s celebration and it made them more willing to participate, as well as capture the experience on their digital devices.
*All media sources can be found on this site’s Sources page