The Marketisation of The Self

Social media made everyday life visible in new ways. Ordinary moments were filmed, posted, and measured for reaction. Increasingly, people did not only live their lives. They presented them.

British sociologist Ellis Cashmore explores this shift in his book Kardashian Kulture, published as the influencer era was gaining momentum. He set out to understand how the Kardashian family, with no traditional claim to fame, came to dominate global attention. Cashmore treats the family as a case study in cultural change, arguing that they revealed a new route to influence based on visibility, curated intimacy, and the performance of everyday life.

Cashmore focuses on how Kim Kardashian’s rise broke with older models of achievement. He records that she has: “uncoupled greatness from achievement,” becoming: “one of the best known and distinct women in the world...yet boasts few tangible achievements beyond her own gravitational sphere.” Her fame showed that exposure alone could generate power.

Cashmore then tracks how this model spread through Western culture. He writes that many now engage in: “marketization exposing themselves for sale to an audience of potential buyers as a self-willed deed.” The self becomes a product, shaped for circulation through images, narratives, and continuous display.

One of the main effects is the rise of a culture centred on appearance. Cashmore shows that when image becomes the focus, people are recognised not for what they achieve but for how they appear. Visibility becomes a goal of its own, shaping taste, behaviour, and ambition.

Cashmore notes that this pattern has particular influence on younger people who are learning what counts as success. When they see that prominence can come from presentation alone, they may copy the most visible figures rather than develop their own abilities. In the absence of stronger roll models, it is natural for people to respond to the incentives they see. If the culture rewards appearance more than skill, imitation of appearance becomes a logical strategy. Over time, this shapes how a generation thinks about opportunity, ambition, and personal development.

Cashmore argues that this creates a self-reinforcing cycle. Young people see that influence often comes from making an impression, not from producing strong work. Quick visibility appears more rewarding than long effort. As this cycle repeats, aspirations favour what can be shown instantly rather than what must be built slowly. This shift alters how people imagine their future and what they believe is worth striving for.