Status-seeking techniques like self-branding reflect and reinforce existing social hierarchies.

Evidence

But these new concerns do not mean that this book’s critique of social media is irrelevant. The techniques that people use to gain status in the scene—lifestreaming, self-branding, and micro-celebrity—are deeply embedded in American society. They reflect a fragmented economy that celebrates individualism as it eliminates job security; a popular culture that is based on celebrity, publicity, and attention; and an incredible rise in the number of social technologies available to the average American. When looking at the great potential positive effects of social media, the promises of participation and egalitarianism, we need to weigh them against Web 2.0’s reinforcement of hierarchy. Huge populations of people who are marginalized in the world at large—non-Westerners, women, people of color, and queer populations, for instance—are de-emphasized or ignored. Moreover, there are consequences for moving our social lives into realms that are so focused on the free market. Social media has changed the way we broadcast and share personal information, creating a cultural shift with long-term implications for social interactions, privacy, social status, and social hierarchies. — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update, 48

Categorization

• DEFINE: Names the three core techniques—lifestreaming, self-branding, micro-celebrity—that this foundational text will define.
• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update: Celebrity, Publicity,…, 48
• XREF: connects to: Status hierarchies can emerge purely from individuals’ belonging, distinctiveness, and esteem needs — Roderick M. Kramer, Geoffrey J. Leonardelli, Robert W. Livingston, Social Cognition, Social Identity, and…, 855; Self-branding exercises frame profit-seeking as the discovery of an authentic self. — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update: Celebrity, Publicity,…, 496; Social media reframed self-identity as a personal brand selling attention — Tim Wu, The Attention Merchants, 1031 (+8 more)

Broader Connections

• Social media reframed self-identity as a personal brand selling attention #exemplifies (0.85) — Tim Wu, The Attention Merchants, 1031
• Social media’s design rewards visibility and self-promotion with social status. #corroborates (0.82) — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update, 39
• Self-branding exercises frame profit-seeking as the discovery of an authentic self. #expands (0.80) — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update, 496
• Social media popularity created an attention-based status hierarchy parallel to engineering wealth #exemplifies (0.80) — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update, 175
• Subordinates’ positive self-stereotypes can reinforce the status quo. #corroborates (0.80) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 2904
• Status hierarchies can emerge purely from individuals’ belonging, distinctiveness, and esteem needs #qualifies (0.78) — Roderick M. Kramer, Geoffrey J. Leonardelli, Robert W. Livingston, Social Cognition, Social Identity, and…, 855
• Status hierarchies are perceived unevenly and sharpen with community inculcation #expands (0.75) — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update, 885
• Visible group distinctions make people link personal needs to group status #corroborates (0.75) — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 1473
• The Web enabled individuals to apply corporate branding strategies to themselves #corroborates (0.72) — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update, 466
• Self-branding arose from corporate branding models applied to individual workers #expands (0.72) — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update, 416