技术神话与虚实嵌套:消费文化视域下的网络虚拟主播

Technology Myth and Virtual and Real Nesting: The Network Virtual Anchor in the Perspective of Consumer Culture

虚拟现实、机器仿真与数字技术的发展开启了高度视觉化的文化产品消费时代,消费文化也在不断裂变中呈现新的价值结构与意义内涵。虚拟主播在这样的社会背景中诞生,其既是一种文化复合形态,也是一种数字技术商品。虚拟主播是指使用虚拟形象在视频网站上进行录制、直播活动的主播,具有符号化、人格化和商品化的消费特质。虚拟主播由前台虚拟形象和后台“中之人”组成虚实嵌套式结构,建构了独特的2.5次元角色主体,创造了受众广泛追逐的消费价值,从物品拟真到“人格”拟真,充分透视着现代消费社会的符号商品性演进。虚拟主播作为被消费的幻想符号,多重的消费意象承载着用户的心理需求、关系需求以及资本逻辑下的身体权力控制。粉丝群体在超真实的消费中得到想象式满足,虚拟主播创设虚拟情境越来越成为粉丝日常生活的精神寄托。但是,受众在消费网络虚拟主播时,也不应仅仅停留于粗浅的快感或狂欢,而应理性地审视虚拟现实技术对传播媒介的影响与对生活、思维方式的变革。我们应反思网络虚拟主播狂欢背后存在的问题,重塑对网络虚拟主播的认知,认清媒介技术发展与人文价值之间的关系,审慎看待虚拟主播消费文化,不停留于粗浅的网络快感,警惕数字技术对人的“物化”与隐形控制。

The development of virtual reality,machine simulation and digital technology has opened up a highly visual era of cultural product consumption,and the consumer culture has also presented a new value structure and meaning connotation in the constant fission.Virtual anchors are born in such a social background,which is not only a cultural complex form,but also a digital technology commodity.Virtual anchors refer to the anchors who use virtual images to record and live broadcast their activities on video websites,with the consumption characteristics of symbol,personification and commercialization.The virtual anchor consists of the virtual image at the front desk and the “people” in the background,which constructs a unique 2.5 yuan role subject,creates the consumption value widely pursued by the audience,from the object authenticity to the “personality” authenticity,and fully perspective the symbol commodity evolution of modern consumer society.As a fantasy symbol of being consumed,virtual anchors have multiple consumption images bearing users’ psychological needs,relationship needs and physical power control under the logic of capital.Fans are satisfied in super real consumption,and the creation of virtual situations by virtual anchors has more and more become the spiritual sustenance of fans’ daily life.However,when the audience consumes the network virtual anchors,it should not only stay in the superficial pleasure or carnival,but should rationally examine the influence of the virtual reality technology on the communication media and the change of life and the way of thinking.We should reflect on the problems behind the carnival of network virtual anchors,reshape the cognition of network virtual anchors,recognize the relationship between the development of media technology and humanistic value,look at the consumption culture of virtual anchors prudently,do not stay in the superficial network pleasure,and be alert to the “materialized” and invisible control of digital technology on people.