Description
Book SynopsisYou and Your Profile blends social theory, philosophy, and cultural critique to unfold an exploration of the way we have come to experience the world. A deft and wide-ranging consideration of our era’s identity crisis, this book provides vital clues on how to stay sane in a time of proliferating profiles.
Trade ReviewClose readers will also admire the book’s overarching theory of identity, which, like many grand theories, is elegant and enticing. . . The authors convincingly argue for identity as an ever-evolving technology and profilicity as its latest, most complex iteration. -- Gloria B. Yu * Los Angeles Review of Books *
You and Your Profile is a truly wonderful book that provides a penetrating exploration of today’s conceptions of identity. This beautiful work offers powerful insights on the contemporary condition as well as a moving way to think about identity formation. -- Michael Puett, coauthor of
The Path: What Chinese Philosophers Can Teach Us About the Good LifeThere can be no doubt that questions of identity, authenticity, and character take on a completely new meaning in the digital age of social media. Moeller and D'Ambrosio's startling book provides fascinating insights into the global fabrication of a new conception of the self. -- Hartmut Rosa, author of
Social Acceleration: A New Theory of ModernityIn this illuminating, inventive work of philosophy and social theory, Hans-Georg Moeller and Paul J. D’Ambrosio argue that identity today is less about authenticity (being true to oneself) or sincerity (fulfilling one's roles) than a ceaseless project of curating the profiles by which others see us. Profilicity—the work of winning views, likes, ratings, and followers—has displaced authenticity. Drawing artfully upon Daoist philosophy, German social theory, and astute observations of popular culture,
You and Your Profile offers a novel, provocative account of identity for the social media age. -- Michael J. Sandel, author of
The Tyranny of Merit: What's Become of the Common Good?What is your profile on social media? More likely, you manage several. Read Moeller and D'Ambrosio for insightful observations about the new problem of curating identity. In contrast to pre-modern
sincerity aligning self to external role and modernity’s problem of
authenticity as expression of the 'true self,' they give us
profilicity. -- David Stark, author of
The Performance Complex: Competition and Competitions in Social LifeTable of ContentsPre-Face
1. The Bigger Picture
2. Profilicity
3. Sincerity
4. Authenticity
5. Identity
6. Sanity
7. Conclusion
Postscript
Acknowledgments
Notes
Bibliography
Index
