This curation is based on the theories of identification, disidentification, and consubstantiality. By analyzing the sugar dating community of Seeking Arrangement through the lense of these theories, my curation will examine the methods of persuasion implemented by the creator(s) of the website that entice young women to participate in this non-traditional lifestyle. The marketing videos on the Seeking youtube channel and “about us” tabs on the homepage of the website focus on explaining what sugar dating is and how this particular website/ resources can lead girls and men to successful relationships or arrangements. On these pages, I found the use of the theories I mentioned above to be rhetorical resources which ultimately persuade young women to join the website, and act together in what they think is self interest, but what is actually in the best interest of this for-profit company.
Identification, as described by Kenneth Burke, is the result of two individuals connecting on the basis of shared beliefs, values, interests, etc. Basically, when two people have something in common, they identify with one another. But, a person may still identify with another even if they have absolutely nothing in common, but are somehow persuaded to believe that they do. This is where rhetoric comes in; if a rhetor understands the beliefs/ values/ interests of a person or group of people, they are more likely to engage that audience through identification, or by persuading the audience that they share some kind of common ground. Disidentification is another important term I will use to analyze the content of the Seeking arrangement website, blog, and youtube channel. If someone engages in disidentification online or offline, it means they are omitting an aspect of their identity or values/ beliefs, which may result in the formation of a new or different identity. For example, if I personally identify as a LGBTQ catholic woman who believes in LGBTQ rights, I may not support those beliefs on facebook because I may lose the support of my church community who can see my facebook feed. That, Zarah C. Moeggenberg would say, is an act of disidentification. By omitting certain aspects of an identity, it creates a new identity. Consubstantiality is another important term I will trace when analyzing Seeking Arrangement, and it is perhaps the most important. Consubstantiality is, Kenneth Burke says, the driving force of communal action. When individuals share common beliefs/values/ideas, they are more likely to act as one.
“Mutually Beneficial” is a term that Seeking Arrangement promotes heavily on their multiple media outlets, and serves as one of the examples of the persuasion at work in their marketing content. Because many people believe that what this website condones is the exchange of sex for money, which is prostitution or escorting, all of the media affiliated with the website aim to shift that belief by calling it a misconception, and insisting that users who engage in that type of arrangement will be banned from the site. I would like to argue that by promoting the idea that Seeking Arrangement forms ‘Mutually Beneficial’ relationships that are based on honesty and communication is more than false advertising, it is a way for the company to make money by persuading young girls and wealthy men to join their website. Throughout this curation of artifacts from the Seeking Arrangement website and youtube page, you will notice the way the website is written in an extremely ambiguous way. Just when you click on “about us” page and the “how it works,” page, you are lead down the multiple rabbit holes that lead toward more persuasion and more confusion. At the end of the day, I believe this website is putting young girls at risk, and promoting promoting prositiution with flowery language. Girls are lead to identify with the young, attractive, goal driven girls on the website and youtube page, which in turn forces them to misidentify with themselves in their listings on the website. On the “Seeking” youtube channel in particular, girls are convinced that they need a sugar daddy in order to have their college debts paid off and to take exotic vacations and receive gifts. When girls approaching the site identify with the site’s advertised girls, they are more likely, because of their consubstantiality, to act with them and join the sugar dating lifestyle. What the users of this site don’t realize, though, is that the young girls are the bait, and the older men are the money the company is fishing for. The creators of the website knew that if they could get young girls to join the website and believe that what they were doing was fun and okay, older men would pay for memberships in order to engage with the young women. That’s the business plan for Seeking Arrangement, and I hope you’ll see how they’re successful and unsuccessful at it.
Navigate this Blog with ease by finding menu options for my different pages on the Home Page. You will find a curation of artifacts from the Seeking arrangement website and a video assemblage of the artifacts from this blog (+ more!) on one page, titled “Assemblage.” Please reach out to me, Gretchen Jones, Sugar Dating Expert, with any comments or questions you have. Let me know if the Sugar life is sweeter than I make it seem, or not as sweet at Seeking Arrangement.com makes it seem. Email me at ggjones796@gmail.com
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