Together and Alone: Telling Second Stories on the Humans of New York Facebook Page

Abstract:This article investigates the phenomenon of telling second stories on the Humans of New York Facebook page. An integrated textual analysis was applied to selected second stories in the commentary of one post. Tentative conclusions include: (1) second stories connect with, transcend, and recontextualize the first story; (2) compelling second stories become new first stories and even usurp the initial first story. Based on the relationship between second and first stories, this article further reveals how social media affordances facilitate as well as impede meaning-making, intimacy, and solidarity in the storytelling process. Additionally, this article also serves as a starting point to understanding Humans of New York's enduring worldwide influence as an iconic storytelling project.