Oh, I'm just joking!
Moving on, to presentation of the self!
Week five saw us discussing the topic of self presentation as how we present ourselves in keeping with the social interactions we are 'faced' with (too early to be punny? Perhaps...) and the social scenes in which these interactions are set.
We all interact in certain "appropriate" ways and do (or do not do) certain things in order to have a known common courtesy. But how do we know these unspoken rules? Through social integration with those around us, especially parents and other older formative figures, we learn from an early age what is acceptable interaction and what is not.
Throughout the reading, Goffman refers to individuals as having 'face' (refer to my earlier, ridiculously lame pun) which, basically refers to a persons social dignity. Having good face is part and parcel with complying with the unwritten laws, moralities and ethics within social interaction. Our face becomes so important to us that, according to Goffman, losing face is the equivalent to "social death".
Goffman sees our daily lives and the interactions between individuals as performances that are consistently changing over time with the changing roles undertaken in our everyday lives.
This reading really interested me and got me thinking about when I've had a severely face damaging situation happen to me and how I overcame it. What about you? How do you reincarnate after a slight social death? Are we taught how to socially recuperate after a severe face-ruining incident?
Food for though... Or face... I'm hungry so we will leave it here!
Till next week!
