Eyes Wide Shut: An Analysis of the Modern Flaneur - By Elijah Weightman

The internet exists as a disparity to the second law of thought (Stanford, 2007). Full of content on the one hand, but also so vague one can lose all sense of spatial awareness in a matter of minutes. Navigating through the mire of material can prove to be challenging. Fortunately, we all have our safe places. Ports in the storm, where we can anchor for several hours in familiar waters. Or, as Kuttainen describes, malls in the street (Kuttainen, 2017). 

A flaneur is described as a person who takes in their environment in a distracted manner (Prouty, 2009). Analysing this statement, such could be interpreted as meaning a person who appears in the peripheries of a group or crowd. The other people in the crowd are aware that the person is there, but they don’t really see them. Then the flaneur is free to meander around and enjoy the acts unfolding on the stage. Not participating in any event directly, only appearing as a background character.

Image One: The modern flaneur Bill Harford is unmasked and exposed in the 1998 film Eyes Wide Shut. Retrieved from: https://illuminatimovies.net/eyes-wide-shut/.

Therefore, it can be argued that the modern day flaneur does exist, albeit in cyber form (Barnes, 1997). The Roar was envisioned as a website where one can read articles at their own pace, and choose to engage in dialogue with other readers should they desire. Such users are the flaneurs. The only trace of their existence which can be accessed is recorded in article views. Flaneurs comprise the bulk of users on The Roar. They can be described as people who are either uncommitted or unwilling to engage in frequent discussion. Alternatively, they are just flaneurs whom would rather not draw attention to themselves.

Image Two: The only trace of flaneurs on The Roar. Retrieved from: http://www.theroar.com.au/2017/08/17/the-cowboys-will-ride-high-in-2018/#comment-5852372. 

If a flaneur wishes to make himself known to others, he will leave a comment. The comment will appear at the bottom of the article. No account is required for a user to leave a comment, but a name and email address are. Instead of drawing attention to oneself via ‘walking a turtle on a leash’, The Roar’s equivalent is making a registered profile. Image three illustrates the difference between a comment left by an unregistered user, and a registered one. 

Image Three: Comments on The Roar. Note the profile picture and underscored name. Retrieved from: http://www.theroar.com.au/2017/08/17/the-cowboys-will-ride-high-in-2018/#comment-5852372. 

A commenter who engages in lively debate, and reinforces their opinion with statistics and evidence, will garner much attention. However, a person with ill informed, or event ignorant/abusive comments, will also significant attract attention.

Therefore, a person may begin as a silent flaneur on The Roar. Strolling through the articles of a morn, coffee in tow. Yet, the more they see, the harder they find it to remain a background figure. The lure to engage becomes overwhelming. They graduated onto leaving comments, but when realises that what they are trying to say cannot be articulated in a few sentences. Before long, they are submitting detailed articles, thousands of words in length, and become known to all and sundry in the network. The progression of the flaneur comes full cycle. 

Reference List:

Barnes, G. (1997). Passages of the cyber-flaneur. Retrieved from: http://www.raynbird.com/essays/Passage_Flaneur.html

Illuminati movies. (2013). Eyes Wide Shut. Retrieved from: https://illuminatimovies.net/eyes-wide-shut/

Kuttainen, V. (2017). BA1002: Our space: Networks, narratives and the making of place. Lecture 4: Maps. [Powerpoint slides]. Retrieved from: https://learnjcu.jcu.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_84764_1&content_id=_2759349_1

Prouty, R. (2009). A turtle on a leash. Retrieved from: http://www.onewaystreet.typepad.com/one_way_street/2009/10/a-turtle-on-a-leash.html

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. (2007). Aristotle on non-contradiction. Retrieved from: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/aristotle-noncontradiction/

The Roar. (2017). Retrieved from: http://www.theroar.com.au/2017/08/17/the-cowboys-will-ride-high-in-2018/#comment-5852372