“Lovelines” Leading to an Internal Narrative

“Lovelines,” like “We Feel Fine,” is, of course, a database, at least per the parameters Lev Manovich sets. In the statement of the work, the statement’s author clearly indicates that he used the same “data collection engine” to acquire the material that pops up on the page before the reader’s eyes. However, I feel as though “Lovelines” is in an interesting look into the dispute between whether or not a work is merely a database or a narrative. “Lovelines” seems to look deeply into the eye of the human condition, particularly because it is less randomized than “We Feel Fine.” By dragging the gray heart across the line at the bottom of the web page, the reader can develop a sense of what love and hatred mean in our society. The beginnings of the statements range from “I love,” “I like,” “I want,” to “I hate,” and so on. While we are often aware of our own opinions on various matters, it is unlikely that we would have any sort of opportunity to voyeuristically peer into the desires and dislikes of others if it were not for a database like “Lovelines.” Perhaps by eavesdropping, one could do such a thing, although it would be a different experience from interacting with “Lovelines.”

When I wrote about “We Feel Fine” for the media inquiry assignment, I briefly mentioned the concept of an internal narrative taking place within the reader’s mind while interacting with the database. I feel as though this is more likely to occur, however, with “Lovelines.” As people, we are inclined to be at least partially influenced by the opinions, desires, and dislikes of others in relation to our own. For example, I can relate to one blogger who writes, “I love Family Guy I love Family Guy I love Family Guy.” I feel a connection to what seems like a person because I am aware that this statement was attached to a person in that they wrote it. Another example might be that one blogger writes, “I hate when I start reading a book and then have to put it aside.” While it had not previously occurred to me in a conscious way that I hate student loan companies, I agree with this statement and therefore have identified something that already existed within myself without my even knowing it.

One major difference between the influence one might feel while interacting with “Lovelines” as opposed to everyday human interaction deals with peer pressure. In a group, one person might say, “I hate ___” or “I love ___” and perhaps the rest of the people in the group concur, so one who does not necessarily agree will say that they do for the sake of fitting in or continuity. In the realm of the Internet, there is nothing at stake whether the reader agrees with a particular statement or not, though it is likely that some form of internal narrative will take place, regardless. The anonymity of, as well as the level of control the reader has in “Lovelines” allows the reader to engage in a deeply introspective internal, personal narrative that is evoked by interacting with the “Lovelines” database.