WorkLife: The dangers of identity capitalism with Jia Tolentino

In this episode of Worklife, host Adam Grant interviews Jia Tolentino, a writer from The New Yorker, about personal branding in the age of social media. Tolentino shares her experiences with building a personal brand and the pressures of maintaining an online presence. She discusses the concept of "commodified selfhood," where social media platforms encourage users to view their personalities as market commodities. Tolentino reflects on her early experiences with reality TV and blogging, noting the differences between those experiences and the current landscape of constant self-surveillance. She and Grant explore the cultural and economic factors driving the popularity of personal branding, including the dissolution of labor organizations and the rise of self-exploitation. Tolentino advocates for focusing on instinct and genuine human connection rather than strategic brand management, emphasizing the importance of aligning one's actions with their deepest values and capabilities.