Sociologist Erving Goffman endorsed the concepts of micro-interactions as well as social interactionism. Our social lives are theatrical performances, according to Goffman’s dramaturgic theory, in which each of us plays an actor on a metaphysical stage complete with props, costumes, and scripts. He believes that our actions vary based on our interpretations of our environment and what we think they think of us. Shakespeare’s play As You Like It features a monologue by the character Jaques discussing the various facets of a man’s life.
“All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts, His acts being seven ages.” –As You Like It, Act II, Scene VII
In his dramaturgical theory he argued that people display a series of masks to others, enacting roles, controlling and staging how we appear, constantly concerned with how we appear, always trying to set ourselves in the best light according to what we believe is superior in the environment, time and audience were faced with. He suggests a persons identity is not stable and continuously remade and adapting according to how they think they’re coming across, comparable to how actors perform on stage and interact with their audience.
Don’t we all relate to this? We all slightly change our persona according to who we are interacting with. Like if a person has different friendship groups, they most likely have different identity masks used to interact with them, to match them best. This doesn’t necessarily mean both identities are fake, however in Goffman’s view there is no true self, all masks are the performer.
In the digital world, Goffman’s dramaturgical framework is still quite applicable, especially when considering social media and digital communication. Social media use is consistent with Goffman’s concept of front stage (public performances) and backstage (private, real moments). As a front stage act for their audience, users can carefully craft their interactions, postings, and profiles to shape how others see them. This is also known as impression management, it’s a way which individuals control the opinions others have about them. Though it may not be subconscious, its the persons attempt to mould, preserve, or improve one’s public persona in order to leave a particular impression on other people.
Private messages, intimate talks, and information not intended for general public consumption may occur behind the scenes. In more private settings, users may share moments that are less polished and unvarnished. People can be more impulsive, open, and real backstage, sharing aspects of themselves that aren’t included in the carefully constructed front stage persona that they fear could make people dislike them.
By viewing social life as a stage,and understanding social media through Goffman’s dramaturgical len provide insights into the intentional and strategic nature of online identities people create. Goffman has helped us better grasp the complexities of human behavior and the ways in which individuals present themselves to the digital world. Though i agree with Goffman’s view that there is no true self, it makes me wonder if the constant adaptation of ourselves will reach a point where we have no part of ourselves in our masks?
Reference list:
Erving Goffman. (2023, December 5). Retrieved from Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erving_Goffman
Shakespeare, W. (n.d.). As you like it, Act 2, scene 7 [All the world’s a stage]. In W. Shakespeare, As you like it (pp. 1564-1616). Poets.org.
