Digital Neighbourhoods
The literal translation of a classical Chinese poetry is : as long as we are friends who truly understands each other, even if we are far away in the world, it still feels like we are in a neighbourhood.
This is what digital neighbourhoods are like--surpassing space and time, finding everyone's circles.
Space and time:
Temporality
但愿人长久，千里共婵娟。
The moon undergoes wax and wane...
How I wish our life be long,
And share her fair light everywhere.
We are staring at the same moon tonight no matter where you are. We are always in a shared temporality in the digital world. Moonlight in Chinese implies longing and affection. Digital moonlight shines on us all, in our digital neighbourhoods.
Public Spaces & Temporality
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Digial technologies provide public spaces, where people have easy access. Like a garden or work-out facilities in physical neighbourhoods, public spaces allow people to gather and make connections.
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Digital neighbourhoods expand beyond time, in a shared temporality. It also opens up more possibilities as people can be in multiple digital neighbourhoods at the same time.
Physical distance underpins the basic structure of physical neighbourhoods. In the digital world, we are empowered to make subjective choices of neighbourhoods.
Digital neighbourhoods are not confined in London, GMT time zone.
Lei and her friends studying in other cities in the UK, set up a WeChat group. They got to know each other through internship scheme. They talk about study, career and everything in their life. Living in the same foreign country, they have many common things to share.
"We are similar people bounded together, they are my digital neighbours."
Network:
Digital Ripples
海内存知己，天涯若比邻。
A Bosom Friend afar Brings a Distant Land Close.
Interest Circles
The dynamics of neighbourhood come from networks. Like a traditional Chinese network mode of egocentric ripples. Digital ripples also centre around individuals, the circles are based on interest and satisfaction.
Digital neighbourhoods are not bounded by Guanxi (networks), no social networking rules to follow like in China. Also, they serve as buffer zone for cultural difference and expand neighbourhood in London during lockdown.
Personal Space and Belonging
identities of Chinese implies a community identity. The difference between community and neighbourhood lies in the perception of personal space and the sense of belonging, obtained by devotion and participation. Neighbourhood is about living in the individual digital space and making individuals part of the digital environment.
Xixi has been in a virtual study room for over six months, where user are mostly Chinese students studying abroad.
"I am devoted to this study space, participate in the activities. This makes me feel like I reside in this community."
Bilibili is a video website for Gen Z. Xiong thinks everyone can find niche contents that they like.
"We don't really have to start conversations. We communicate through likes, comments or bullet subtitles. This site is my neighbourhood because people share similar interst. "