The Dynamics of Objectification Within Individual Identity

Abstract

This portfolio work focuses on the individual's experience of being seen as an object through society's gaze and the pressures to present themselves and perform in a certain way, knowing they are being watched. Though there are factors which can be perceived as negative by the individual, being seen can also be advantageous. The awareness of being seen by certain groups in society is a significant contributor to the construction of the individual's identity. This work looks at different perspectives and degrees through which individuals in certain scenarios navigate the weight of their community's gaze. Included in this study are perspectives and insights from Jean-Paul Sartre and Michel Foucault which also intertwine with the effects of modern day social media. This is also looked at through the various layers of philosophy, literature, and history, specifically concerning vanity, Racine's "Phaedra," and former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.