The YouTubable climb : imaginary identities, non-places, and the aesthetics of the Zany

Bajič, Blaž (author)

The article examines how social media, particularly YouTube, frame the representation of identity, place, and performance. Social media, with their reliance on algorithmic infrastructures, transform these representations into (hy-per)versions of the self, non-places, and performances of performances. The very fact of being produced, circulated and consumed via social media places them in the broader context of late capitalism.

• Language: English
• Keywords: cultural anthropology, digital media, social media, YouTube, digital aestheticization, nature, outdoor adventure sports, climbing
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FF - Faculty of Arts
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 01.02.2025
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: 20 str.
• Numbering: Letn. 3, št. 1
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-179401
• UDC: 316.774:796.526
• ISSN on article: 2820-6088
• DOI: 10.4312/svetovi.3.1.37-56
• COBISS.SI-ID: 228843779
• Publication date in RUL: 12.02.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Svetovi
• Publisher: Založba Univerze v Ljubljani
• ISSN: 2820-6088
• COBISS.SI-ID: 148550403

Licences

• License: CC BY-SA 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
• Description: This Creative Commons license is very similar to the regular Attribution license, but requires the release of all derivative works under this same license.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: YouTubabilen vzpon : imaginarna identiteta, nekraji in estetika norčavosti

Abstract

Prispevek proučuje, kako družbeni mediji, zlasti YouTube, uokvirjajo predstavitev identitete, kraja in nastopanja. Družbeni mediji, ki se zanašajo na algoritemske infrastrukture, jih spreminjajo v (hi-per)verzije jaza, nekrajev in izvajanje izvajanja. Že samo dejstvo, da so proizvedeni, spravljeni v obtok in konzumirani prek družbenih medijev, jih veže na širši kontekst poznega kapitalizma.

• Keywords: kulturna antropologija, digitalni mediji, družbena omrežja, Youtube, digitalna estetizacija, narava, adrenalinski športi, plezanje

Projects

• Funder: AKA - Academy of Finland
• Project number: 353876
• Name: Digital Aestheticization of Fragile Environments (DigiFREN)

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P6-0187
• Name: Etnološke raziskave kulturnih znanj, praks in oblik socialnosti