Mohammad Aghasi - sociologist and public opinion researcher, has explored the phenomenon of forwarding content on social networks and analyzed its effects on collective emotions. He points out why some individuals forward messages on these networks every morning or on special occasions.
Forwarding, More Than Just Content Transfer
Aghasi states that sometimes messages are sent without regard to the original source, and sometimes an individual sends a text to another after reading it. In fact, forwarding is not just the transfer of content; it seeks empathy with the recipient. Emotions such as fear, anger, hope, joy, and distrust can easily be transferred from one person to another.
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The Power of Platforms in Transmitting Emotions
The platformed world has accelerated the migration of emotions. A person's feelings can be transferred from a private conversation to larger groups in just a few minutes. This power of platforms has not only increased the possibility of message transfer but has also helped to replicate emotional experiences and transform them into collective emotions. Aghasi emphasizes that forwarding is not always a sign of belief; it may also be sent for other reasons such as anger or concern.
He further explains that in a platformed life, emotions are not only transmitted through empathy; feelings such as mockery and concern can also be engines of transmission. Therefore, forwarding is more than just a technology; it forms part of the social mechanism of emotional transmission.
In other words, forwarding messages is not only about saying "look at this"; it is about expressing shared emotions, and sometimes we tell others, "see this like I do" or "be happy to see this." Ultimately, Aghasi concludes that in today's world, emotions have become migrants through forwarding, and this process outlines the path of emotional migration in contemporary society.
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