Perfiles anhelados. Correspondencia de lenguajes y estéticas entre el Cementerio San Pedro y la red social Facebook

• Main Author: Eloisa Lamilla Guerrero
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidad de los Andes (Bogotá) 2016-09-01
• Series: Antípoda: Revista de Antropología y Arqueología
• Subjects: Information and communication technology (ICT); social networks; ethnography (Thesaurus); cemetery; funeral ritualism (author´s keywords).
• Online Access: https://appsciso.uniandes.edu.co/pfaciso/antipoda/view_s.php/381/index.php?id=381

This article aims to analyze, through ethnographic observation of the Cemetery San Pedro in Medellin (Colombia), the recent trend of tombstones decoration in confluence with the proposal of structure and aesthetics of the social network Facebook. This correlation between the virtual language of Facebook and the ritual language of the tombs, is much more complex than a mere coincidence so we propose a thorough comparative reading of these two universes of representation for the meeting and communication, is needed to provide a better understanding of the two phenomena. Both are plethoric spaces that reveal the relentless pursuit of the subject to perpetuate their presence, to tell about their lives and deaths, to eternalize their expressions of affection, love and devotion, and to continue their social relationships despite physical or virtual distance, as scenarios with common origins and intentions, where appearing is more important than being. Currently, the “walls” of both the Cemetery and Facebook, serve as communicational sceneries that share publicly and shamelessly intimate details; where family relationships are announced; idyllic havens are displayed as photographic backgrounds; messages are left and profiles with the strong necessity to achieve the long-awaited update transcendence.