#aestheticconsumerism

[kcostanz]

“Needing to have reality confirmed and experienced enhanced by photographs is an aesthetic consumerism to which everyone is now addicted.”

Susan Sontag, On Photography (1977)

[kcostanz]

Exploring Aesthetic Consumerism in My Camera Roll: A Four Part Series

This idea resonates deeply with me, as I'm sure it does with you. It seems nearly impossible to refute if you engage in 21st century social media. The precision of this nearly 45 year-old assertion compels me to consider the relationship between the human mind, social perception, and the photograph. 

In the age of Instagram models, constantly evolving online platforms, and well curated social media profiles, what exactly makes Sontag’s statement so devastatingly true?

[kcostanz]

What is aesthetic consumerism?

It’s easy to agree with Sontag’s claim without pausing to understand a critical term within it. 

Aesthetics: a branch of philosophy that deals with the nature of beauty and taste, as well as the philosophy of art.

Consumerism: a social and economic order that encourages the acquisition of goods and services in ever-increasing amounts.

Our growing need to “confirm reality and enhance experience” with photographs leads us to curate a collection of pictures, ideas, and sentiments as a way of self expression, seeking external validation of a personal identity. 

Creating this branded image of ourselves through photos and online profiles allows the public to access, perceive, and sometimes validate that existence. Demanding social pressures urge us to join in this personal curation- not participating prohibits a vital element of 21st century interconnection. Together these forces drive a cyclical demand to develop and contribute to this personal brand, fostering what Sontag identifies as an obsession with aesthetic consumerism.

(A snapshot of my Instagram- an aesthetically driven portrayal of identity.)