Washington University in St. Louis
It's a Match: Shaadi.com, Tinder, and the Fantasy of Frictionless-ness
Abstract
dc:description.abstract<p>In this essay I carry out case studies of Shaadi.com and Tinder to unpack the cultural principles underlying the apps that shape our interpersonal relationships today. I demonstrate that these apps are grounded in a fantasy of frictionless-ness, or the desire to shield the self from discomfort caused by external factors, and argue that this is a fraught cultural ideal. My analysis reveals that a fantasy of frictionless-ness gives birth to a cultural landscape of rampant subjectivity and tepid morality, which hampers our ability to form deep and meaningful connections with each other. Recognising the flaws of such a fantasy, I propose that we ground our personal and political pursuits in a desire for collective and holistic progress instead.</p>
Degree
thesis:*- Name thesis:degree_name
- Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Illustration & Visual Culture
- Level thesis:degree_level
- Thesis
- Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
- Graduate School of Art
- Year dc:date.available
- 2023
Author and committee
dc:creator, dc:contributor.*- Author dc:creator
-
- Rajpuria, Purvi
Subjects
dc:subject × 9Rights
- Language dc:language
- English
Identifiers
dc:identifier.*- OAI identifier oai:identifier
- oai:openscholarship.wustl.edu:mfa_illustration-1023