From Saussure to AI: How Semiotics, Consumerism, and Technology Shape Identity and Culture

Explore the fascinating evolution of meaning, identity, and consumerism in this collection of essays, tracing semiotics from Ferdinand de Saussure’s foundational theories to AI’s transformative role in 2025 and beyond. Delve into how structuralism, deconstruction, and post-structuralism shape cultural understanding, uncover why iPhones and cowboy boots emerge as status symbols, and discover the psychological and cultural forces driving our love for everyday objects. Learn how artificial intelligence bridges emotions and culture in cognition, reshapes identity through advertising, and accelerates consumerism’s fusion with selfhood—from 1950s myths to 2050s minds. Perfect for students, academics, and curious minds searching for insights on semiotics explained, AI’s impact on identity, and the future of consumer culture.

Executive Summary This collection of essays charts the profound evolution of meaning, identity, and consumerism from Ferdinand de Saussure’s pioneering semiotics to the AI-driven futures of 2050 and beyond. Beginning with the foundational shift from structuralism’s order to post-structuralism’s fluidity, it reveals how signs shape language and culture. The essays then explore why objects like iPhones and cowboy boots become potent status symbols and beloved extensions of self, driven by semiotics, evolutionary instincts, psychological attachment, and cultural narratives. Bridging emotions and culture, artificial intelligence emerges as a key lens, decoding their interplay in cognition and accelerating identity formation through modern advertising. Culminating in the Identity Velocity Framework, the collection traces an unstoppable trajectory—from 1950s myths to 2050s neural pulses—where AI fuses consumerism with selfhood, blending semiotics’ symbolic power with affect’s visceral pull. Together, these works offer a multidisciplinary perspective on how meaning and identity evolve, providing critical insights for understanding human experience in a technology-shaped world.

From Saussure to Semiotics: The Evolution of Structuralism, Deconstruction, and Post-Structuralism Explained

MYTH & MEANING ESSAYS 1 OF 6 Ferdinand de Saussure’s Course in General Linguistics (1916/1983), a foundational text compiled posthumously from his lectures, marks a seismic shift in how we understand language and meaning. More than a linguistic treatise, it lays the groundwork for structuralism, sparks Jacques Derrida’s deconstructive critique, fuels the rise of post-structuralism,…

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Why iPhones and Cowboy Boots Are Status Symbols

MYTH & MEANING ESSAYS 2 OF 6 I. Introduction Picture this: a gleaming iPhone rests in your palm, its smooth edges catching the light, while a pair of scuffed cowboy boots kicks up dust on a sunlit porch. Nearby, designer sunglasses perch on a table, reflecting a world of cool aloofness, and an expensive watch…

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How AI Explains Emotions and Culture in Cognition

MYTH & MEANING ESSAYS 4 OF 6 Abstract This essay investigates the interplay between affect and semiotics as a fundamental dynamic shaping human cognition and behavior. Affect, characterized by visceral, limbic-driven responses, operates as an immediate, pre-conscious force, while semiotics, encompassing structured symbolic systems, constructs cultural meaning over time. Historically, these dimensions have been examined…

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How AI Advertising Shapes Your Identity in 2025

MYTH & MEANING ESSAYS 5 OF 6 Introduction Imagine a moment in 2025: you’re scrolling through a social media feed when an image flickers past—a bamboo toothbrush, its muted green handle catching your eye. Seconds later, it’s in your online cart. The decision felt like yours, a quiet nod to a sustainable self you admire.…

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