現代女性的理想生活劇本：台灣女性Vlogger的日常表演與性別敘事分析

Abstract

本研究借鑑Goffman（1959）的劇場理論與Butler（1988）的性別展演理論，結合Gee & Green（1998）MASS系統、符號學觀點與網路參與觀察法，分析YouTube台灣熱門女性Vlogger「TheKellyYang」頻道的5部日常生活影片（Vlog），以及影片下方留言區的對話互動，試圖理解素人女性Vloggers相似而特定的日常生活，形構起的「現代女性理想生活劇本」，反映何種社群對理想生活的美好想像，使其作為流行於平台的成功召喚？ 首先，筆者發現Kelly的日常生活影片，是一種台美文化符號混雜的表演。展演者貼近閱聽人生活的符碼展示，使觀眾能透過線下的行動實踐，達成Kelly線上的理想狀態。而在所有行動中，消費可謂實現理想生活的捷徑，粉絲以商品的累積建立個人文化資本，試圖趨近展演者的日常生活。至此，消費不再只是一般的購物行徑，而是閱聽人建構個人身份與生活美學的實踐方法。藉由文化符號的呈現、後台元素的安排和粉絲社的交流，Kelly逐漸成為觀眾的參考典範，既提升影片表演的真實性，也增進社群的親密感、相關性與同質性。 再者，筆者發覺Kelly打破傳統「女為悅己者容」的刻板印象，常以取悅自我與自主選擇的態度，進行前台與外貌管理相關的表演。她將化妝行為視為個人提振精神的自律手段，成為現代女性自我管理的規訓策略。另外，Kelly片中多重角色的交織展演，挑戰傳統「男主外，女主內」的性別勞動分工，展示現代女性兼顧職場與家庭的日常生活。同時，Kelly也把烹飪當作自我療癒或挑戰的方法，賦予家務勞動嶄新的行動意義。此外，片裡單人鏡頭的運用和刻意排外的剪輯方式，強化展演者的主體性與能動性，彰顯現代女性獨立自主的意象，而Kelly管理與規劃生活的日常表演，也體現現代女性自我監控與審查的一面。簡言之，Kelly「獨角戲」般的前台演出，既展現後女性主義獨特的樂觀情感基調，也吻合後女性主義與新自由主義創建自我的精神生活。 接著，筆者主張Kelly的平台形象是她積極與紛絲社群交流、參考觀眾意見並真切實踐的結果。展演者的用心經營與閱聽人的高度參與，提高社群間的親密感、認同感與歸屬感，構成雙方共享學習的互動模式，不但具體化現代女性對理想生活的想像，也顯現理想劇本由展演者與閱聽人共構與共演的特性。然而，由於Kelly的平台形象是與粉絲共創的聚合自我，其理想狀態勢必吻合台灣社會的主流價值觀，筆者從劇本重複的展演內容，歸納「美麗纖瘦的身體」、「家庭主婦的角色」與「樂觀自主的態度」之三大主題，並指出這些特定展演所蘊含的意識形態，似乎暗示當代社會對女性角色的期待與規範，仍未完全脫離傳統的刻板印象。即便觀眾對展演內容產生質疑，Kelly與其他紛絲也會透過留言區的回覆，適時揭露後台的隱私元素，來補充或澄清前台演出，使這些特定而重複的表演主題，能經由社群自主的爭論與協商，重塑並鞏固其中的展演意義。 最後，筆者歸結現代女性的理想生活劇本，演繹「全得」與「幸福」兩種生活。其中，全得生活不僅代表現代女性兼顧職場與家庭的全能形象，同時反映大眾對好生活的憧憬迷思，以及現今社會對女性的期待規範；而所謂的幸福生活，可能是觀眾認同Kelly的全得生活，認為這即是種幸福的理想日常，又或是觀眾內化Kelly樂觀自主的生活態度，以影片觀看、社群參與和模仿實踐來獲取其他幸福元素，進而提升自身的幸福感。至此，現代女性的理想生活劇本，那看似瑣碎平凡的日常表演，實則傳遞後女性主義與新自由主義之重要理念，演繹著可被觀眾效仿的生活方式，提供現代女性一種積極的生存思維。而作為劇本表演的舞台，Youtube也成為正向的媒體空間，為展演者與閱聽人的日常生活，帶來實質且正面的影響力。

This study draws on Goffman's (1959) dramaturgical theory and Butler's (1988) theory of gender performativity, combined with Gee & Green's (1998) MASS system, semiotic perspectives, and online participatory observation methods. It analyzes five daily life videos (vlogs) from the popular Taiwanese female vlogger “TheKellyYang” on YouTube and the interactions in the comment sections below these videos. The goal is to understand the "ideal life script for modern women" constructed through similar and specific daily lives of amateur female vloggers and what kind of communal imagination of an ideal life enables these scripts to thrive as popular content on the platform. First, I found that Kelly's daily life videos represent a performance blending Taiwanese and American cultural symbols. Through the codes of life that resonate with her viewers, the audience is able to achieve the ideal state portrayed online by taking action offline. Among all actions, consumption serves as the shortcut to achieving an ideal life, as fans accumulate cultural capital through purchased products in an attempt to emulate the vlogger’s daily life. Here, consumption is no longer a mere act of shopping but becomes a method for viewers to construct personal identity and aesthetics of living. Through the presentation of cultural symbols, the arrangement of backstage elements, and interactions with fan communities, Kelly gradually becomes a role model for her audience. This not only enhances the authenticity of her video performances but also fosters a sense of intimacy, relatability, and homogeneity within the community. Furthermore, I observed that Kelly challenges the traditional stereotype of women "beautifying themselves for others" by often managing her appearance and performances with a focus on self-pleasure and autonomous choices. She views makeup as a disciplined method for boosting personal morale, embodying modern women's strategies of self-management. Additionally, Kelly's intertwining roles in her videos challenge the traditional gendered division of labor ("men in the workplace, women at home") by showcasing modern women's ability to balance work and family life. Kelly also redefines household chores such as cooking, presenting them as acts of self-healing or personal challenges, thus imbuing these tasks with new meanings. Moreover, her use of solo frames and deliberate exclusionary editing emphasizes the performer’s subjectivity and agency, highlighting the image of an independent and self-reliant modern woman. Kelly's daily performances of life management and planning also reflects modern women's self-control and self-discipline. In summary, Kelly’s "monologue" style of performance not only conveys the optimistic emotional tone characteristic of post-feminism but also aligns with the spirit of self-creation promoted by post-feminism and neoliberalism. Next, I argue that Kelly's platform image is a result of her active engagement with fan communities, incorporating audience feedback, and practicing it sincerely. The diligent operation of the performer and the high level of participation from the audience enhance the intimacy, identity, and sense of belonging within the community, forming an interactive model of shared learning. This not only concretizes modern women's imagination of an ideal life but also demonstrates that ideal scripts are co-constructed and co-performed by the performer and the audience. However, since Kelly's platform image is a collective self-image with her fans, her ideal state must align with the mainstream values of Taiwanese society. From the repeated performances in her scripts, I summarized three themes: "a beautiful and slim body," "the role of the homemaker," and "an optimistic and autonomous attitude." These specific performances seem to imply societal expectations and norms for women's roles, which have not entirely escaped traditional stereotypes. Even when viewers question the performance content, Kelly and other fans often supplement or clarify the on-stage performance by revealing backstage elements in the comment section. This enables these specific and recurring performance themes to be reshaped and reinforced through the community’s autonomous debates and negotiations. Finally, I conclude that the ideal life script for modern women interprets two forms of living: "having it all" and "well-being". The life of "having it all" not only represents the image of modern women balancing career and family but also reflects the public's mythical longing for a good life and the societal expectations placed on women today. Meanwhile, the life of "well-being" may stem from viewers' recognition of Kelly's "having it all" life as an ideal daily routine or their internalization of Kelly's optimistic and autonomous attitude. Through watching her videos, participating in her community, and mimicking her practices, viewers may acquire other elements of PERMA and thereby enhance their own well-being. Ultimately, the ideal life script for modern women, which appears to revolve around trivial and ordinary daily performances, in fact conveys important post-feminist and neoliberal ideologies. It showcases a lifestyle that can be emulated by audiences and offers modern women a positive way of thinking about survival. As the stage for this scripted performance, YouTube has also become a positive media space, bringing substantial and beneficial influences to both the performer’s and the audience’s daily lives.