To what extent can the ethology of selected oceanic organisms be conceptualised as social systems for Generation Z?
The intention of this research project is to study the basic behaviours of four gelatinous organisms; The Siphonophore, the Velella, the Salp and the Pyrosome. Focusing on their ethology, how they move, how they reproduce, how they work as social organisations and their biogeography. I will also collect new data from Generation Z participants that conveys the way they feel about the current political zeitgeist and compare that collected data with my own views, taking in to account my habitus and position as the researcher. Using conceptual metaphor theory (Lakoff & Johnson, 2003) I aim to take this data and create visual work that replicates the comparisons between the ethology of the oceanic organisms and Generation Z.
Background to the research
In 2016 I began investigating jellyfish behaviour and interpreted these findings as a metaphor for us as individuals, arguing that we are so immersed in ourselves we tend to forget the reality that surrounds us. Jellyfish are individual beings; they are pelagic; they cannot truly control the direction in which they go. They drift with the tide and currents. They can be alone or exist in large blooms, however they do not work together as a group when appearing as blooms, and continue to act as individuals. I argued that as an increasingly self-absorbed society, it seems we only care for ourselves and what exists immediately within our own echo chamber. Stemming from Capitalism as the basis of our wants-based society, I also suggested that our hyper-individualisation has inadvertently grouped us as one in the sense of data. We are all so focused on being individuals with self-expressionism, we post it on social media. In turn, as human beings we like to have reassurance, and we like to have ourselves reflected back at us, to feel secure and finding others that have similar views or ideations reiterates this. [1] To be different, is to conform, and our culture is all about the individual. Therefore, as we constantly self-express we increasingly feed the data system that propels us into our own echo chambers, blurring the reality outside as the actuality of Eastern war, does not correlate with Instagrams’ algorithms that match to our previous posts.
“If you want to make the world a better place, you have to start with where power has gone. It’s very difficult to see. We live in a world where we see ourselves as independent individuals. If you’re an independent individual, you don’t really think in terms of power. You think only in terms of your own influence on the world” (Curtis, 2017)
Moving on from individual organisms such as the jellyfish, my focus switched to organisms that work as one but are colonial, I fixated on the siphonophore whilst concentrating on exploring the quote above stated by Adam Curtis. The siphonophore is a colonial animal composed of zooids that are specialised for eating, reproduction or propulsion. Each zooid is an individual organism and cannot survive individually, so the integration of each zooid is so strong, that the colonial animal portrays the character of an individual being. This being became conceptualised as a potential structure for a western society to contemplate. The siphonophore developed as an analogy for a potentially perfect collective, each body being an individual, doing its own thing but working towards the same goal. Siphonophore zooids cannot survive individually, they need to be part of something bigger and better. I question if we created a society which was a cohesive collective, could we be happier and more stable? Would I/Others feel more at ease with our society if we were part of a strong collective with true unity? For me, the siphonophore also questions what we consider the definition of an individual to be.
Although at first the siphonophore paints a picture of unity and togetherness, I began to look at the downfalls of their ethology. Although they can be the longest animal on the planet and easily catch prey with fatal tentacles, they are delicate under the crushing pressure of the ocean and can easily be torn apart. They are strong as a unit, but fragile in a crisis. Therefore, I will also study these selected gelatinous colonial organisms as part of the conceptual metaphor of social systems, as well as the siphonophore.
The Salp
Salps are barrel-shaped, free-swimming tunicates – organisms enclosed in a tunic, with openings at each end that pump water through their gelatinous bodies. They move and feed at the same time very efficiently. Chained salps grow into long strings that live in social harmony. Communicating via electrical signals, they synchronize their swimming and move swiftly through sea currents. Salps can live alone or in communities, they reproduce asexually. (Plankton: Wonders of the Drifting World, 2016)
The Velella
Velella are colonies of polyps located under the vessel. A central nourishing polyp, blue tentacles, and reproductive polyps, all working together, they are pelagic. Much like a siphonophore they are colonial which also engages the questioning of individuality. Like a Portuguese man O'War, they survive on the air/water ineterface of the ocean but they have a small wind sail across their body. Depending on wind direction, velella will be dispersed across the surface of the ocean and can be seen coasting on the surface of warm waters in very large numbers. They often wash up on shore, and much like jellyfish blooms, they are dependent on tides, but also mostly the wind. (Plankton: Wonders of the Drifting World, 2016)
The Pyrosome
The Pyrosome is a free-floating, colonial tunicate (like a salp chain) that is made of thousands of identical clones, together forming a hollow cylindrical structure that can be 60 feet (18 m) long and wide enough for a person to enter. Each individual clone is a small, complete animal that filters water, in order to obtain food, flush out waste, and contribute to the propulsion of the entire super-organism. These clones have a notochord and are therefore chordates, along with all vertebrates, including humans. They can reproduce sexually or asexually. (Oceana , 2017)
Methods and Methodologies
Due to the disruption of our political system recently I feel we are on the brink of something, drifting towards the edge along with all the future generations. We do not know what is past that cliff edge. Generation Z are fairly engaged with politics and are optimistic (Ipsos Mori, 2017), however there is no certainty in what will become. How do we channel that optimism and interest into an outcome? Until then we are just drifting as individuals. Metaphorically speaking I feel we are being swept towards the shore and I believe a lot of the younger generation either feel the same as me, or do not see the true reality, and therefore are unaware of what may lie ahead. I aim to interpret the zeitgeist of today according to Generation Z in the United Kingdom. I will use observation as a research method of qualitative data collection, alongside critical ethnography. I aim to explore the relationship between the individual and their environment using a hermeneutic lens. I will assume ‘all human action is meaningful and hence to be interpreted and understood’ (Usher, et al., 1997).
As previously stated I will continue to collect and analyse data in relation to my four selected organisms; The Siphonophore, The Velella, The Pyrosome and The Salp. I will interpret the ethology, biology and basic biogeography data of the oceanic organisms and use them as an analogy. Using conceptual metaphor theory, I will correlate the factual biological data, data collected from Generation Z and my auto ethnographical experiences as a researcher. I aim to use a methodological triangulation strategy exercising quantitative and qualitative approaches to data collection in order to analyse if my personal views on the current zeitgeist of our political atmosphere, correlate with the views of Generation Z. To gain quantitative data I will research zoological texts and reputable websites to find facts on the ecology of the ocean organisms. In terms of data from Generation Z, it will be sourced from the study previously conducted by Ipsos Mori for the BBC (Ipsos Mori, 2017). The data can be interpreted and scrutinised alongside my own viewpoint as the researcher as part of the auto-ethnographic methodology, I can also compare my findings to the ethnology of the four organisms for similarities and correlations.
I will articulate what I have discovered through my research as a deductive body of work that manifests data collected from the Gen Z questionnaire, and the biological studies of the selected organisms. Together my interpreted data will inform and relate back to my theory that the organisms’ habitus can act as a metaphor for areas of society and the current zeitgeist; uneasiness, concern, obliviousness, unaware, a state of drifting. The final outcome will result as work within the MA Summer Exhibition, 2018.
Intended Reading
Crouch, C. & Pearce, J., 2012. Doing Research in Design. New York, London: Bloomsbury.
Hammersley, Martyn and Atkinson, Paul (1983). Ethnography: Principles in practice. 3rd ed. London, New York: Routledge.
Lakoff, G. & Johnson, M., 2003. Metaphors We Live By. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
TZM., 2014. The Zeitgeist Movement Defined: Realizing A New Train Of Thought. :CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
BibliographyIpsos Mori, 2017. Opinions of Generation Z’s ambitions and priorities differ greatly between the generations. [Online]
Available at: https://www.ipsos.com/ipsos-mori/en-uk/opinions-generation-zs-ambitions-and-priorities-differ-greatly-between-generations
[Accessed November 2017].
Lakoff, G. & Johnson, M., 2003. Metaphors We Live By. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Oceana , 2017. Giant Pyrosome | Oceana. [Online]
Available at: http://oceana.org/marine-life/corals-and-other-invertebrates/giant-pyrosome
[Accessed 4 November 2017].
Plankton: Wonders of the Drifting World. 2016. [Film] Directed by Noe Sardet. France: CNRS.
Usher, R., Bryant, I. & Johnston, R., 1997. Adult education and the postermodern challenge: Learning beyond the limits.. London: Routledge.
[1] ELIZA is an early natural language processing computer program created from 1964 by Joseph Weizenbaum. Weizenbaum chose to make the create a script named “Doctor” that only reflected the patient’s statements back to them. The algorithms of the Doctor script response deceived many participants when communicating with Eliza, as the reflection acted as though it could listen and reassure, which participants found helpful and comforting.
The intention of this research project is to study the basic behaviours of four gelatinous organisms; The Siphonophore, the Velella, the Salp and the Pyrosome. Focusing on their ethology, how they move, how they reproduce, how they work as social organisations and their biogeography. I will also collect new data from Generation Z participants that conveys the way they feel about the current political zeitgeist and compare that collected data with my own views, taking in to account my habitus and position as the researcher. Using conceptual metaphor theory (Lakoff & Johnson, 2003) I aim to take this data and create visual work that replicates the comparisons between the ethology of the oceanic organisms and Generation Z.
Background to the research
In 2016 I began investigating jellyfish behaviour and interpreted these findings as a metaphor for us as individuals, arguing that we are so immersed in ourselves we tend to forget the reality that surrounds us. Jellyfish are individual beings; they are pelagic; they cannot truly control the direction in which they go. They drift with the tide and currents. They can be alone or exist in large blooms, however they do not work together as a group when appearing as blooms, and continue to act as individuals. I argued that as an increasingly self-absorbed society, it seems we only care for ourselves and what exists immediately within our own echo chamber. Stemming from Capitalism as the basis of our wants-based society, I also suggested that our hyper-individualisation has inadvertently grouped us as one in the sense of data. We are all so focused on being individuals with self-expressionism, we post it on social media. In turn, as human beings we like to have reassurance, and we like to have ourselves reflected back at us, to feel secure and finding others that have similar views or ideations reiterates this. [1] To be different, is to conform, and our culture is all about the individual. Therefore, as we constantly self-express we increasingly feed the data system that propels us into our own echo chambers, blurring the reality outside as the actuality of Eastern war, does not correlate with Instagrams’ algorithms that match to our previous posts.
“If you want to make the world a better place, you have to start with where power has gone. It’s very difficult to see. We live in a world where we see ourselves as independent individuals. If you’re an independent individual, you don’t really think in terms of power. You think only in terms of your own influence on the world” (Curtis, 2017)
Moving on from individual organisms such as the jellyfish, my focus switched to organisms that work as one but are colonial, I fixated on the siphonophore whilst concentrating on exploring the quote above stated by Adam Curtis. The siphonophore is a colonial animal composed of zooids that are specialised for eating, reproduction or propulsion. Each zooid is an individual organism and cannot survive individually, so the integration of each zooid is so strong, that the colonial animal portrays the character of an individual being. This being became conceptualised as a potential structure for a western society to contemplate. The siphonophore developed as an analogy for a potentially perfect collective, each body being an individual, doing its own thing but working towards the same goal. Siphonophore zooids cannot survive individually, they need to be part of something bigger and better. I question if we created a society which was a cohesive collective, could we be happier and more stable? Would I/Others feel more at ease with our society if we were part of a strong collective with true unity? For me, the siphonophore also questions what we consider the definition of an individual to be.
Although at first the siphonophore paints a picture of unity and togetherness, I began to look at the downfalls of their ethology. Although they can be the longest animal on the planet and easily catch prey with fatal tentacles, they are delicate under the crushing pressure of the ocean and can easily be torn apart. They are strong as a unit, but fragile in a crisis. Therefore, I will also study these selected gelatinous colonial organisms as part of the conceptual metaphor of social systems, as well as the siphonophore.
The Salp
Salps are barrel-shaped, free-swimming tunicates – organisms enclosed in a tunic, with openings at each end that pump water through their gelatinous bodies. They move and feed at the same time very efficiently. Chained salps grow into long strings that live in social harmony. Communicating via electrical signals, they synchronize their swimming and move swiftly through sea currents. Salps can live alone or in communities, they reproduce asexually. (Plankton: Wonders of the Drifting World, 2016)
The Velella
Velella are colonies of polyps located under the vessel. A central nourishing polyp, blue tentacles, and reproductive polyps, all working together, they are pelagic. Much like a siphonophore they are colonial which also engages the questioning of individuality. Like a Portuguese man O'War, they survive on the air/water ineterface of the ocean but they have a small wind sail across their body. Depending on wind direction, velella will be dispersed across the surface of the ocean and can be seen coasting on the surface of warm waters in very large numbers. They often wash up on shore, and much like jellyfish blooms, they are dependent on tides, but also mostly the wind. (Plankton: Wonders of the Drifting World, 2016)
The Pyrosome
The Pyrosome is a free-floating, colonial tunicate (like a salp chain) that is made of thousands of identical clones, together forming a hollow cylindrical structure that can be 60 feet (18 m) long and wide enough for a person to enter. Each individual clone is a small, complete animal that filters water, in order to obtain food, flush out waste, and contribute to the propulsion of the entire super-organism. These clones have a notochord and are therefore chordates, along with all vertebrates, including humans. They can reproduce sexually or asexually. (Oceana , 2017)
Methods and Methodologies
Due to the disruption of our political system recently I feel we are on the brink of something, drifting towards the edge along with all the future generations. We do not know what is past that cliff edge. Generation Z are fairly engaged with politics and are optimistic (Ipsos Mori, 2017), however there is no certainty in what will become. How do we channel that optimism and interest into an outcome? Until then we are just drifting as individuals. Metaphorically speaking I feel we are being swept towards the shore and I believe a lot of the younger generation either feel the same as me, or do not see the true reality, and therefore are unaware of what may lie ahead. I aim to interpret the zeitgeist of today according to Generation Z in the United Kingdom. I will use observation as a research method of qualitative data collection, alongside critical ethnography. I aim to explore the relationship between the individual and their environment using a hermeneutic lens. I will assume ‘all human action is meaningful and hence to be interpreted and understood’ (Usher, et al., 1997).
As previously stated I will continue to collect and analyse data in relation to my four selected organisms; The Siphonophore, The Velella, The Pyrosome and The Salp. I will interpret the ethology, biology and basic biogeography data of the oceanic organisms and use them as an analogy. Using conceptual metaphor theory, I will correlate the factual biological data, data collected from Generation Z and my auto ethnographical experiences as a researcher. I aim to use a methodological triangulation strategy exercising quantitative and qualitative approaches to data collection in order to analyse if my personal views on the current zeitgeist of our political atmosphere, correlate with the views of Generation Z. To gain quantitative data I will research zoological texts and reputable websites to find facts on the ecology of the ocean organisms. In terms of data from Generation Z, it will be sourced from the study previously conducted by Ipsos Mori for the BBC (Ipsos Mori, 2017). The data can be interpreted and scrutinised alongside my own viewpoint as the researcher as part of the auto-ethnographic methodology, I can also compare my findings to the ethnology of the four organisms for similarities and correlations.
I will articulate what I have discovered through my research as a deductive body of work that manifests data collected from the Gen Z questionnaire, and the biological studies of the selected organisms. Together my interpreted data will inform and relate back to my theory that the organisms’ habitus can act as a metaphor for areas of society and the current zeitgeist; uneasiness, concern, obliviousness, unaware, a state of drifting. The final outcome will result as work within the MA Summer Exhibition, 2018.
Intended Reading
Crouch, C. & Pearce, J., 2012. Doing Research in Design. New York, London: Bloomsbury.
Hammersley, Martyn and Atkinson, Paul (1983). Ethnography: Principles in practice. 3rd ed. London, New York: Routledge.
Lakoff, G. & Johnson, M., 2003. Metaphors We Live By. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
TZM., 2014. The Zeitgeist Movement Defined: Realizing A New Train Of Thought. :CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
BibliographyIpsos Mori, 2017. Opinions of Generation Z’s ambitions and priorities differ greatly between the generations. [Online]
Available at: https://www.ipsos.com/ipsos-mori/en-uk/opinions-generation-zs-ambitions-and-priorities-differ-greatly-between-generations
[Accessed November 2017].
Lakoff, G. & Johnson, M., 2003. Metaphors We Live By. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Oceana , 2017. Giant Pyrosome | Oceana. [Online]
Available at: http://oceana.org/marine-life/corals-and-other-invertebrates/giant-pyrosome
[Accessed 4 November 2017].
Plankton: Wonders of the Drifting World. 2016. [Film] Directed by Noe Sardet. France: CNRS.
Usher, R., Bryant, I. & Johnston, R., 1997. Adult education and the postermodern challenge: Learning beyond the limits.. London: Routledge.
[1] ELIZA is an early natural language processing computer program created from 1964 by Joseph Weizenbaum. Weizenbaum chose to make the create a script named “Doctor” that only reflected the patient’s statements back to them. The algorithms of the Doctor script response deceived many participants when communicating with Eliza, as the reflection acted as though it could listen and reassure, which participants found helpful and comforting.