Self Branding Obsession

This self-branding obsession is further illustrated in the ‘Humans of New York (HONY)’ text. This book was likely important to the neoliberal individual as part of defining their version of good-taste and placing emphasis on their own cultural capital. Ideas that suggest the connection between capital and branding obsession become further apparent in this text. Sociologist, Pierre Bourdieu’s habitus framework becomes clear, the importance of the interactions between the individual (habitus), power relations (competition for forms of capital) and social structure (the field) (Stringfellow et al, 77). Part of enabling a positive version of this framework is to have ‘good taste’ an idea that is significantly related to cultural capital (Stringfellow …show more content…
Imagery is a political process, in this world that encodes and reinforces dominant ideologies of individualism in a neoliberal framework.This concept extends o construction of place, the ‘ HONY’ book constructs the infamous dead city of New York as diverse and full to the brim of cultural capital, this is the practice of selling places (Ateljevic and Doorne , 648- 659) Zygmunt Bauman among others, examined the ways in which individuals’ desires and modes of selfhood were tied to consumerism (Mehita, 26). The importance of this mere object in this subject’s life suggests its importance as a marker of social identity and difference, that highlights the emphasis of market individualism and branding in this ancient place (Dunn, …show more content…
Locating boredom in aspects of Western, human culture as a void that ought to be occupied in a productive way through increasing an individual’s various form of capital is apparent in each of these texts combined. Kevin Aho discusses the manifestation of boredom as a consequence of living in what was a modern, secular world (Aho, 449). Yet it was useful to money economy because it is a space that promotes selling experiences to a consumer. To avoid boredom, is to seek out new experiences that add excitement and productivity to activities. Producers of products tapped into these hedonistic tendencies and proposed either instant, present pleasure or exciting new experiences (ibid, 459). The ‘HONY’ text provides a form of entertainment and cultural gain , establishing self-brand on Linkedin.com is a productive way pf occupying time, and the Gym advertisement entertains the idea of consuming an experience whilst improveing the self. Production and consumption happened non-stop at a fast pace, avoiding boredom was tied to the money economy (ibid,