Plugged In: A Visual Reflection of Virtual Life During the Pandemic

Abstract

Using the film 'Plugged In' as the basis for the analysis, this paper argues that with the pandemic's ever-changing environment, it is necessary to study culture within the virtual sphere. This essay will explore how the film 'Plugged In' is a carefully crafted virtual ethnography exploring how young adults have navigated and experienced the pandemic this past year through the use of social media platforms and various forms of technology. The pandemic has forced almost every facet of life to be performed in a virtual environment. Anthropologists Mead, Bateson, MacDougall, and Ruby are all used to explore the importance and relevance of these fields in times of Covid-19.