Calculated Craving

By Bingru He

Topic: Digital Traces

Medium: Object

Institute: Politecnico di Milano

Year: a.a. 2023-2024

This project, through a collection of personal shopping data, reveals the invisible threads of algorithmic influence. Each leaflet juxtaposes past purchases against AI suggestions, portraying a narrative of calculated choices. The infopoem invites introspection on the autonomy of our desires in an era where our digital footprints are closely monitored and commodified. it’s a visual and reflective journey that questions the authenticity of our consumption choices, resonating with the subtle yet profound impact of technology on our everyday decisions. And let the audiences think about Just What Is It That Makes Digital Age’s us So Different, So Appealing.

Featured image of the project Calculated Craving Complementary image of the project Calculated Craving Complementary image of the project Calculated Craving

Metaphor used:

In my project, on the one hand, I use a collage to present individual items I have purchased, and the collage composite reflects the overall consumer portrait I have formed. This symbolizes the diversity of my personal shopping history and the unified perspective presented by the Al algorithm that integrates this information.On the other hand, I use the leaflet" as a metaphor to symbolize and express how Al influences and shapes our consumer behavior. This metaphor emphasizes the potential influence of algorithms on our choices by comparing the similarities between algorithmic recommendations and supermarket leaflets.

Intended Meaning:

Today, human beings have been alienated into commodities under the pervasive gaze of algorithms also trapped in the Filter Bubble made of algorithms, the Filter Bubble is a critique of the capitalistic mechanism that makes human futures predictable and strips individuals of their autonomy. My project aims to provoke critical thought and inspire a reclaiming of personal agency in the narrative o the algorithmic and commercial world.

Source:

Purchase history from the online shopping platform Taobao: more than 1,000 shopping records from 2017 to the present.

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Featured image of the project Calculated Craving
Complementary image of the project Calculated Craving
Complementary image of the project Calculated Craving

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