I Consume, Therefore I Am: Identity Construction, Digital Consumer Culture, and the Branding of the Self

• In Event: 20203 - Discerning Consumers across Race, Class, and Moral Divides

Abstract

In an era of algorithm-driven consumerism, young people increasingly shape and perform their identities through digital consumption. Social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram have transformed consumption into a form of self-expression, where trends such as Get Ready With Me videos, shopping hauls, and viral aesthetics dictate the construction of archetypal identities. This paper examines the intersection of digital consumer culture and identity formation, drawing on classical sociological theories including Veblen’s concept of conspicuous consumption, Bourdieu’s notion of cultural capital, and Baudrillard’s theory of hyperreality.

Author

• Michaela Michalopulos, McGill University