The Technological Gaze

3min Snip

00:00

Play full episode

Summary

Transcript

Episode notes

The technological gaze is a persistent self-policing, narcissistic gaze that we sort of perform to. It's fed by how we see ourselves or other humans in technology and then it's also fed by the way that we perform. We both are learning from what we see on screens, but we are also feeding these algorithms by performing to the standards that we are fed by the screens.

Humans have always been captivated by beauty, and for almost as long, we’ve been marketed products and new technologies to help us achieve certain beauty standards. Elise Hu is a journalist and the author of “Flawless: Lessons in looks and culture from the K-beauty industry.” In this episode, she shares the fascinating insights she’s learned from years of studying the $10 billion K-beauty industry and the cutting-edge skincare, niche makeup products, and technology that promise to optimize our appearance. Elise and Chris talk about the real stakes of placing a premium on our looks, why a more inclusive version of “beauty” is worth pursuing, and how we can both enjoy and push back against the very human desire to feel beautiful. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts