Self-branding succeeds for few yet is promoted as a universal fix

Evidence

It is not productive to criticize self-branding’s emphasis on commodification just because it feels distasteful. As Adam Arvidsson writes in the preface to his book Brands, “to be critical of brands per se is about as fruitful as it is to be critical of factories or bureaucracies.” The problem is that self-branding, as a practical technique, is limited and will only be successful for a slim sliver of the population, yet it is being advocated as a universal solution to the economic downturn that can be adopted by anyone. — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update, 525

Categorization

• SEED: Angle: a critique essay on the meritocratic myth that ‘anyone can brand themselves’ — how self-branding scales privilege rather than opportunity.
• QUESTION: What determines the ‘slim sliver’ that succeeds — existing social capital, appearance, or luck?
• XREF: connects to: Branding yourself is promoted as an essential Web 2.0 career strategy. — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update: Celebrity, Publicity,…, 413; Self-branding success depends on privileged white-collar positions unavailable to most workers. — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update: Celebrity, Publicity,…, 419; Self-branding success is unsustainable for most and structurally excludes marginalized workers — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update: Celebrity, Publicity,…, 444 (+5 more)

Broader Connections

• Self-branding success remains exceptional and gated by networks of power #corroborates (0.95) — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update, 719
• Self-branding success is unsustainable for most and structurally excludes marginalized workers #expands (0.85) — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update, 444
• Personal branding went from discredited to universal within a decade #corroborates (0.80) — Naomi Klein, Doppelganger, 175