Erving Goffman and the Performed Self

Dramaturgical account of human interaction, we display a series of mask in enacting roles and staging how we appear

There is no true self, the roles are the performer. So is this widely accepted as a fact? I mean is it empirically proven, or just philosophical? thanks

erving is a loooordddd!! classic dawg

It's too bad Stephen Frye turned into a coward in support of thr Pied Piper of fascism in Jordan Peterson. Then again, anyone who questions Peterson is liable to get death threats.

no CC??

"juggling masks" has got to be one of the most delightful mixed metaphors that I've yet encountered.

Wonderful exit, Stephen.

Is there an actual name for this? it seems like there would be

Is that the Stanley Parable narrator?

We're all performing and sometimes it's hard not to get caught up

i went here because of our mid term exams

Wow whoever animated this is amazing!

The Mask - Jim Carrey

Ok

But how would Goffman explain the outsider, the radicalized and extremist persons behavior? One whom create their identity as being different, opposite or anti-structicalist? Any suggestions?

Blackadder!!

Very interesting

Old town road

"My life is a 🎥"

Wait Does't he say that we play multiple roles in life ?

Coursera course "Leading transformations: Manage change" brougth me here !

In daily life we need that performing otherwise we can not complete our day unless serious way 😋

Its just copying from Erasmus. Not cool, and original!

Buraz al mi je ovo pomoglo na ispitu sto britanci ne odrade celu skriptu 😂

This helps! Thank you!

Equality means that despite your inferiority you're going to be accepted and brought along.That doesn't work in hedonistic world where the pursuit of happiness is the priority. Conflict is inevitable.

So not following his expressive order (meaning you present a different self to different people without the will to hold on to one "character" as much as possible) means you are a hypocrite

And I just realised that the word hypocrite is a synonym for "actor" in Greek (for example when we say "he is studying the art of hypocrisy" we mean he is studying to become an actor) (of course, the word is mostly used in its negative connotation. I just like the relation of the word and of Coffman's ideas to theater)

Thankyousomuch

Okay hold on. Wait wait. We've got to do the Shakespeare dirty jokes before we start on the philosophy, OK? Let me have this.
All the world's a stage - In context, Willy Shakes is punning. He uses the metaphor of a stage because fourth wall breaking, but also using "stage" to mean "a temporary state, a phase." The line goes on to talk about life stages. Another pun, since the play was staged at the Globe (all the world).

I'm not a Shakespeare person myself so I don't have a source available but there is NO. WAY. that shakes was not using innuendo when referring to each player's entrances and exits. ...Okay, I managed to find a little more info, and apparently Willy used "play" for doing-the-do and "parts" is... self-explanatory. I just need to set the tone here as very eyebrow-wiggling before we try to take it seriously. Coolthanks

Okay, so like yes we perform roles and code-switch when around different people based on our previous interactions with them, what we believe is culturally appropriate, and how we want to be perceived.

Oh just dropping that controversial bit in the last few seconds? Okay! Lol. I would argue that our "selves" are still based on our self-concept, whatever that is, unless we are intentionally deceiving someone. Example-- Someone writing in a diary. No one else is supposed to read this diary and, in fact, never will. But that diary's entries still reflect the character and personality of the person writing it. That's because we have a social conception of ourselves--we want to play a role for our own benefit, a role less specific than the roles we take in social interactions. We want to embody the traits we value and we try to perform those traits even when no one else is around. At least, that's my knee-jerk reaction to this idea.

I've joked with a friend that "your real personality only exists when you are halfway between sleep and wakefulness, so long as you aren't picturing anything. that's the real you"

Because trying to construct a real self external from the roles you play is ignoring a big part of who you are

What about loners, those who seek relief in being free of social roles for long periods -- does the true self manifest under such conditions? Some people become neurotic, others depressed, others satisfied - but a balance is necessary: solitude to re-acquaint with self and socializing to become the other personas one has fabricated -- like it is said, "learn another language, get another soul" or something like that -- we mature and grow personally by virtue of our interactions (if they are affirming), or else we become static or even diminish if those roles are self-damaging or limiting. But we're made to associate, to be in relationship with others, we are a social species

Coursera brought me here

Also, I only put up a mask for girls interested in me. Not anyone else. With everyone else I was the same except my family. It’s cause I have to put up a mask for the girls and my family. I couldn’t tell my family the truth because I was using duty to justify my feelings. Before the girls I never worried about mixing up my duties with feelings. Once I started I couldn’t stop, no one know me so I couldn’t get help and I definitely needed a lot of help. I knew that and I did what I could to make sure no had to take that on. It didn’t work out that way

I was never shy, it’s a mask to make sure I don’t hurt someone. If I’m wearing a mask it’s only cause I think someone doesn’t want me to be honest. I couldn’t shake the feeling and it into my other lives. Others didn’t know me deeply and I couldn’t get myself back. This is something no one person could do unless they knew what I needed

It gets more complicated when we get to social media in which we have to present a version of ourselves to everyone on our friends lists and that inevitably leads to tensions.

oh love this video!! I AGREE WITH HIM!!!

is it just me or someone came here after watching that Mindhunter's scene?

Thankyou so much , interesting video 😀

Nothing morally wrong with wearing that kind of 'mask' demanded by the situation and society's expectations. It is similar to climatic adaptation e.g. clothing change when the seasons change.
What is wrong though is believing there is a fixed and permanent self or starting identifying with one particular mask thinking it is our self (e.g. someone is a boss at work continues as boss at home). The self is not unitary. It is multiple.

soicology is badass for not using the psychological innate self lmao

So it's philosophically telling me everyone is an NPC ?

"We all wear masks, metaphorically speaking" THE MASK

Ratko Mladić has let himself go.

Sounds like he would have liked Stewart Lee

Stewart lee has let himself go.

Stewart Lee, would’ve liked that.

Basically just wear the mask to survive emotional abuse by society

Very beautifully explained ❤

Goffman is spot on

It's masks all the way down, AND all the way up.

He is not quite right. Of course we adapt our behaviour to the situation and people we are with. But people alone vary in their behaviour. Some will be cruel and indifferent to their pets others will be doting etc . Shakespeare is correct but Goffman has slightly misunderstood -probably in eagerness to come up with a sociological theory.