Mark Zuckerberg (The New Devil of Poetry) in the Age of Social Media

Yemenat

2 days ago

In his book (The Whispers of an Alien Soul): The Transformations of Prose Poetry from the Pages of 'Poetry Magazine' to the Realms of Facebook, published by Dar Anaween Books in Cairo in 2023, Yemeni poet and critic Alwan Mahdi Al-Jilani dedicates a chapter to the study of Facebook prose poetry as a 'mental jolt.' This chapter, part of the fourth section (pages 125 to 143), offers an unprecedented exploration compared to other studies that have examined Facebook prose poetry as a new poetic phenomenon, revealing the profound impact of Facebook on our lives and perceptions.
The study compares classical Arabic poetry (such as the elegies of ruins) with modern Facebook prose poetry, highlighting the incentives for poetic expression in ancient heritage versus those on the Facebook platform. Beyond historical and cultural approaches to poetry, the study focuses on analyzing the content and themes explored in these poems, as well as how the social and psychological transformations brought about by social media platforms are reflected in these texts.
This study reveals a deep awareness of the shifts that have occurred in the Arab poetic landscape over the past two decades, transformations largely driven by social media. Several key variables addressed in the study include:
First: The study highlights how Facebook alters our perception of time by recycling old content in new contexts, leading to a simultaneous feeling of presence and absence. This challenges the linear nature of time that poetry has traditionally adhered to.
Second: Facebook has transformed into a new space for poetic expression where poets attempt to capture fleeting digital moments and immortalize them, akin to ancient poets who depicted the ephemeral scenes of the desert. Al-Jilani considers this condition a sign of profound substitutions, describing it as a 'mark of an existential pain that afflicts the poet.' This pain resembles the sorrow of the pre-Islamic poet standing among the remnants of the departed, contemplating the swift disappearance of their traces, erased by the winds. On Facebook, posts and images appear quickly, garner interaction swiftly, and then vanish just as easily, retreating into the depths of the page behind a deluge of new posts (The Whispers of an Alien Soul, p. 139).
Third: Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, has become a poetic catalyst or muse for a new generation of Arabic prose poets, particularly those who publish their poems directly on the platform. Their works exhibit distinctive characteristics, prompting Al-Jilani to label them as Facebook prose poetry. This transformation of Zuckerberg into a poetic muse represents an intriguing phenomenon in contemporary Arabic poetry. Al-Jilani observes that Zuckerberg has replaced traditional poetic stimuli in Arab culture; where poets once addressed ruins, traveling companions, or the night, they now engage with Zuckerberg as a symbol of the virtual realm. Furthermore, Al-Jilani views him as an inspiration and motivator for writing, akin to the 'devil of poetry' in ancient Arab culture or to Apollo, the god of poetry in Greek mythology.
With Great Surprise Al-Jilani presents numerous Facebook poetic texts illustrating how the direct question from Facebook ('What are you thinking?') has become a primary catalyst for poetic expression. A poet may face their Facebook page feeling an intellectual void, then navigate through other pages, merging into the blue space until stimuli arise, igniting a desire to write. This process resembles a conversation with a beloved or receiving inspiration. Finally, they confront the larger question, 'What are you thinking?' which sparks their poetic voice. Al-Jilani equates this inquiry with the traditional question 'What did he say?' that once motivated oral poets in regions like Tihama, asserting that this parallel indicates that the change is not a complete break from the past but rather an intersection with it—a contemporary reproduction of the conventions and traditions of the imagined interlocutor in Arabic poetry.
Al-Jilani's study addresses a critical point raised by critic Waleed Al-Khashab regarding the uniqueness of this phenomenon in Arabic culture. There is a tendency towards personification and characterization, often laced with irony, depicting the Facebook platform as a game controlled by a single figure—Mark Zuckerberg—who seems to monitor every detail published and is frequently mentioned in various forms in comments, or even addressed personally in Arabic.
Al-Jilani questions whether the phenomenon of Mark Zuckerberg transforming into a poetic muse for the new generation of Arabic prose poets is exclusive to these poets or if it has a parallel in European languages and others. He acknowledges that verifying the uniqueness of this phenomenon in European languages requires extensive investigation. Nonetheless, he emphasizes its significant presence in Arab culture and its immense relevance in our daily interactions with this virtual space. The crucial point here is the vast space that Mark Zuckerberg occupies as an imagined interlocutor or catalyst for expression, which reinterprets the traditions of ancient Arabic poetic discourse in a contemporary manner.
Fourth: The expansion of Facebook's role in new prose poetry is incessant, with appropriations and substitutions far exceeding our estimations. The platform now fulfills roles that various entities once performed. For instance, Facebook acts as the narrator that conveyed the poet's verses and news during the pre-Islamic and early Islamic periods. The Facebook wall resembles the Kaaba's wall during the era of pre-Islamic odes. Additionally, Facebook replaces traditional publishing mediums (newspapers and magazines) and the poetry reading halls, literary seminars, and poetry festivals. With just the press of a publish button, a poet's page becomes an exhibition hall for their poetry, with a virtual audience ready for immediate interaction.
As for Al-Jilani's question regarding whether this phenomenon is exclusive to Arab poets, the answer appears quite challenging. From my knowledge of English literature, I can assert that there are numerous poems and critical articles in English addressing Facebook as a social and cultural phenomenon, but their themes differ significantly. These works often focus on Facebook addiction, its impact on individuals and relationships, and feelings of loneliness despite having many virtual friends. They also explore Facebook's influence on users' sense of identity and self-image and raise concerns regarding data collection and usage.
For example, notable poems such as 'The Facebook Sonnet' by Sherman Alexie and works by poet Brian Bilston personify Facebook and discuss its psychological and social impacts. I have also encountered some poetic texts or articles directly addressing Mark Zuckerberg; however, these addresses are typically critical or protest-oriented, especially concerning issues like privacy violations or the platform's societal impact (e.g., the poem 'Dear Mr. Mark Zuckerberg… Do Not Give Away Our Data'). There are also humorous poems or light-hearted comments mentioning him as a public figure, but they do not regard him as a 'poetic muse' or 'demon inspiring expression.' Additionally, some articles discuss the role of poetry or the arts in inspiring business leaders, indicating that tech leaders speak about poetry's influence on their innovations. However, those discussions do not suggest that poets in European languages are addressing tech CEOs (including Zuckerberg) as 'gods of poetry' or 'inspiring demons' of poetic expression.
The tendency to personify and directly address Mark Zuckerberg as a 'demon of poetry' or 'beloved' (as mentioned in Tihama context) may be a phenomenon unique to Arabic poetic culture, or at least more pronounced and rooted in its cultural context compared to that of European languages. We can affirm that the relationship between the poet, the platform, and its founder in those languages appears different; it is less inclined toward mythologizing or spiritualizing.