Representing ourselves

1) Read the article and summarise each section in one sentence, starting with the section 'Who are you?'

Who are you?: We all are involved in constructing an image to communicate our identity; there is a difference between the person we think we are, the person we want to be and the person we want to be seen to be.

I think, therefore I am: How we were perceived was based on the social constructs: CAGES

From citizen to consumer: Edward Bernays stated that people stopped behaving as 'active citizens but as passive consumers'; advertising and marketing was used to persuade people to buy things that they should want.

The rise of the individual: By the late 1960-70s people started to define themselves as individuals who wanted to express their 'differences' and 'uniqueness' - Lacan challenged the concept of individualism by suggesting we are 'fragmented' meaning we have more than one identity that change depending on external circumstances.

Branding and lifestyle: Branding is the association of a 'personality' with a product - Advertisers sell the personality rather than the products so the consumers choose products that match their own self image. 

Who will we be?: The rise of technology and social media allows consumers to construct their own identities, the consumers can share whatever they want and can manipulate the way they are seen.

2) List five brands you are happy to be associated with and explain how they reflect your sense of identity.

- Samsung: I own a Samsung S8 and it is quite sleek, modern and has many advanced features.

- Snapchat: I consider myself to be quite sociable and use Snapchat to communicate with others.

- Adidas: Their clothing is very comfy and I enjoy wearing Adidas clothing/shoes.

- Spotify: I often listen to spotify and I think that it reflects my identity 

- Netflix: it is a very popular platform and I often use it to watch films/ TV shows.

3) Do you agree with the view that modern media is all about 'style over substance'? What does this expression mean?

I agree to some extent that modern media is all about 'style over substance' because individuals care a lot about how they want to construct themselves on social media. Individuals do not focus on reflecting their true selves as they are too consumed by constructing their identities of how they wish to be seen. 

4) Explain Baudrillard's theory of 'media saturation' in one paragraph. You may need to research it online to find out more.

Baudrillard's theory of media saturation suggests that people are more focused on virtual rather than reality. This theory suggests that high cultural value is placed on beauty which means it is valued more than intelligence. 

5) Is your presence on social media an accurate reflection of who you are? Have you ever added or removed a picture from a social media site purely because of what it says about the type of person you are?

I think my social media is an accurate representation of my interests, I choose not to post many things on Instagram because I do not want to show every aspect of my life on social media. Snapchat is an accurate reflection of me because everything that is shown has no filters and is the reality. I have removed pictures only because I didn't like them and they were several years old not because of what i thought it said about me.

6) What is your opinion on 'data mining'? Are you happy for companies to sell you products based on your social media presence and online search terms? Is this an invasion of privacy?

I am happy for companies to sell me products based on my social media presence because products that are suggested are things that I like to see and would want to buy. However, people should have a choice because this is invading their privacy as it could reveal more information about their life than supposed to.