Ye Wang MFA

"Since 2020, my exploration of subculture has coincided with significant global changes such as the COVID-19 pandemic, political divisions, and economic shifts. These experiences, along with my multicultural background, have led me to examine how different political and cultural contexts shape our choices. This thesis delves into the broader concept of human agency beyond subcultural phenomena.

Pierre Bourdieu argues that our tastes and freedoms are limited by our social and educational backgrounds. Friedrich Nietzsche’s idea of the ‘Will to power’ suggests that while humans operate within societal and natural constraints, they also possess the capacity to transform these structures through their subjective initiative. This initiative involves the ability to respond to and utilize circumstances to effect change.

Contingency, or the role of chance, plays a significant role in our decision-making. Although chance events can be influenced by individual capabilities, they remain largely unpredictable, introducing possibilities that shape future outcomes. Our subjective consciousness, informed by personal experiences, is crucial in how we perceive and interact with the world around us.

Erving Goffman’s view of life as a stage suggests that we constantly manage how others perceive us through our actions. This performance extends to our interaction with the material world, where objects serve as props that help us embody various social roles. From childhood to professional life, these roles are shaped by and shape our material and social environments.

In the modern context, human agency is influenced by interactions within three parallel worlds: the real world, the world of beliefs, and the world of the internet. The internet, as a complex and intertwined parallel world, significantly impacts our reality. This digital realm complements and sometimes complicates our understanding and exercise of human agency.

The thesis emphasizes the need to question mainstream cultural norms and embrace diversity. It challenges the notion of conforming to dominant views and highlights the importance of respecting and understanding minority perspectives. In the face of societal pressures, maintaining a reflective initiative is crucial for making informed and autonomous choices.

Human initiative is shaped by a complex interplay of internal desires and external influences, including cultural, social, and material factors. Recognizing and navigating these constraints, while embracing the role of contingency and the performance of social roles, is essential for exercising agency in a modern, interconnected world. This reflection on human agency aims to inspire a deeper understanding of how we can navigate our choices within the broader cultural and social frameworks."