Vintage cameras: young people's nostalgic practices on social media and the pursuit of identity in contemporary China

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article investigates the phenomenon of young people in China rejecting new technologies, embracing nostalgia, and engaging with nostalgic practices on social media platforms. Conducting qualitative interviews with participants recruited from the popular Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu, the study draws on frameworks of social media fatigue and cultural capital to reveal the multi-layered motivations behind young people's use of vintage digital cameras as a means of resistance against the dominant consumerist culture and for self-expression. The findings emphasize the role of cultural capital in shaping nostalgic practices, as young people strategically accumulate and display it to distinguish themselves. This study highlights the complex interplay between cultural capital, identity, and social dynamics in contemporary Chinese society, shedding light on the diverse strategies employed by young people to navigate the challenges and opportunities of the modern world.