fashion trends and social media

what do fashion trends and social media have in common? Too much as they both uphold the ideals of new capitalism—flexibility, globalization, technology-enabled logistical micromanaging, consumer co-creation. Why are these bad? because,

We have more capability to share ourselves, our thoughts and interests and discoveries and memories, than ever before, yet sharing is in danger of becoming nothing more than an alibi that hides how voracious our appetite for novelty has become. It becomes harder for our friends and ourselves to figure out what really matters to us and what stems merely from the need to keep broadcasting the self.
And so we vacillate between anxious self-branding and the self-negating practice of seeking some higher authenticity: we have to watch ourselves become ourselves in order to be ourselves, over and over again.

as noted by the author fashion trends and social media both encapsulate emerging business models of commoditization of the self, or the need to find identity in consuming and promoting our day to day to the world