What role does 'vanity' play in the lives of 21st century subjects? Exploring a range of fields including public health, information technology, media studies and feminist approaches to the body and beauty, this book offers a broad analysis of how 'vanity' shapes contemporary Western societies and its understandings of selfhood.Acknowledgements Introduction. Vanity: Language, Bodies and Material Conditions Modern Vanity: Consumption, the Body Beautiful and the New Political Subject Fitness, 'Wellbeing' and the Beautyhealth Nexus Anti-ageing Medicine and the Consumption of Youth Enacting 'Reality': Fat Shame, Admiration and Reflexivity Digital Narcissism: Social Networking, Blogging and the Tethered Self Conclusion Notes ReferencesCLAIRE TANNER is Research Fellow at Monash University, Australia. JANEMAREE MAHER is Associate Professor at Monash University, Australia. SUZANNE FRASER is Associate Professor at Monash University, Australia.