Niche Construction Through Gossip and Mobbing: The Mediation of Violence in Technocognitive Niches

摘要: As hinted in the previous chapter, gossip is empowered by a “pragmatic” notion of truth, according to which at least social matters, opinion held majority authoritative sources. The power relies immediate pragmatic enactment predicated as acknowledged (Taylor, Good pp. 34–46 1994). Magnani, Understanding violence. Morality, religion, and violence intertwined: philosophical stance (2011) opened new perspective on study , showing how even maintenance cognitive niche s involves coalitions supporting axiological positions, likely trigger either structural or individualized. Even if topics such mobbing bullying deriving from might seem void relevance, cultural studies Girardian tradition (Girard, scapegoat [1982] 1986; Violence sacred [1972], 1977; Job: victim his people [1985] 1987) show mechanism called mimetic rivalry, rooted envy fear against differences, informs an historically ever-present motif: scapegoating, other related methods for resolving conflicts crises. In this I will take advantage emergence contemporary phenomenon, that Social Network ing websites, case illuminating two issues. First, violent element embedded most innocuous gossiping appraisal; second, kinds sidetracking happen when long-established behavior—such gossip—is so-to-say translated into different seems afford new, potentiated version: should we say are facing same behavior?