Wikipedia and Intertextuality

Walking away from class this afternoon, I could not help but think of all the media examples that played off of the thoughts of Barthes and Macherey. From the concept of always searching for meaning through tmesis to the idea of intertextuality of how everything it connected, these concepts were finally starting to gain clarity. I know that theory is not my strongest subject, but when I am able to find a way to apply or relate it something I know and already understand, I am taking the first step in grasping the material. Well, today I was thinking of Glee and Friends as well as Wikipedia races that best exampled the topics we were working towards. They may seem irrelevant and kind of out there when examining such a critical framework, but for me it has and always will be within the visual. Let’s begin with a closer look at intertextuality. This term can be defined as anything from “the relationship between texts” to everything comes from somewhere else. Well, I am not someone who is always able to think in definitions and when I hear the term, I think of Wikipedia races.

Perhaps you played them in high school or are at least familiar with the concept. For those who are not, I welcome you into the world of intertextuality. The rules, at least to my friends and I, are quite simple. We begin by choosing two words, themes, concepts even, and from there the possibilities are endless. You open the Wikipedia page to one of the terms and then race through all the blue hyperlinks until someone can get to the other word. Now, I am not promoting Wikipedia, but rather using it as an example of how quickly things can become related. Let’s take this game for a test drive and begin with name, Pierre Macherey. A quick look at the page will reveal some historical information as well as a list of some of his works, but begin clicking all the hyperlinks and it is funny to see where you can end up. My ending goal was Walt Disney World Resort and in about fifty or so clicks, I was narrowing in on the U.S., Florida, and then Disney. Intertextuality reaches past just texts but into the very themes than control the Internet. Normally, Macherey and Disney do not have much in common, but a quick trip through related themes and terms and you realize, one way or another, everything is related. Wikipedia races are just one example, or at least my example, in best understanding this concept. It is through discussion that I was able to gain clarity and hopefully I will be able to attach upcoming concepts to media and even some fun game I used to play in high school.

"On my honor, I have not given nor received nor witnessed any unauthorized assistance on this work."