Everyday Life Traving Goffman Analysis

“Social Con Artist Created From Fear”
Picture life as a stage. The stage is divides into two parts, the front and the back. On the front stage one “perform” and display themselves to the audience in the way they see fit. One has control over what is shown to their audience and what is seen of themselves. While on the backstage one plans their “performance” and decides what their audience will see. Backstage, one is concealed from the audience, and therefore free to express themselves in any way without consequences. In a more literal sense the front stage is one 's public identity while the backstage is one 's private self. Often people will display themselves different publicly on the front stage than privately on the backstage. Why is it …show more content…
This lead to social editing, or the modification of one’s self portrayal, in order to avoid such interactions. A major theme in Erving Goffman, The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life,is his “definition of the situation”. This definition is the way two people in a social interaction connect. A connection can be made through common values, morals, and interests. If the definition is agreed upon, the two people share values and opinions. If it is disagreed upon, there will be no common values, causing conflict. To avoid disagreement, people will often present themselves in such a way that influences others to agree with their preferred definition, or in a way that conforms to others prefered definition. For example, one might display themselves positively on a first impression by expressing shared accomplishments and values in exchange for gaining a person 's trust and interest. However, this reflection of a positive self, or reflection of a self conformed to others wants, is not always a healthy reflection. Goffman says, in The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life, “And to the degree that the individual maintains a show before others that he himself does not believe, he can come to experience a special kind of alienation from self and a special kind of wariness of others.” Goffman believes this false representation will ultimately cause conflict in one identity and individuality. By displaying oneself in such a way to that one doesn’t believe, they are isolating their authentic self therefore caging themselves in another 's ideals. By adjusting themselves to others, they will suppress their own consciousness and moral sense. In addition, Goffman believes one will become fearful of others and social