Amour-Propre in the Age of the Digital Profile: Rousseau’s Moral Psychology

Abstract

This paper examines the psychological and social consequences of social media through the lens of Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s moral psychology, focusing on his distinction between amour de soi and amour-propre. As social media platforms incentivize promoting idealized projections of one’s identity, self-love is increasingly dependent on external validation (Likes, Reposts, Followers). I argue that this dynamic cultivates a toxic culture of comparison, narcissism, and self-alienation rooted in Rousseau’s notion of amour-propre. Situating the hyper-use of social media within Rousseau’s moral framework reveals how the digital landscape exacerbates estrangement and contributes to rising rates of anxiety, depression, and identity instability among young adults— namely Generation Z. By examining the need for curating one’s digital image, this paper offers a diagnosis of a lingering sense of online-induced depression and, in turn, proposes a minimal remedy through the lens of intentionality, community, and a return to more authentic modes of self-relation