RD BK PRESENTATION OF SLF IN EVERYDAY LYF

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Summary Table: Quotes from The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life by Erving Goffman

Concept	Description	Key Insight/Quote
Theatrical Metaphor	Goffman uses theatrical metaphors to describe social interactions, where individuals perform roles in everyday life to present themselves to others.	"All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players."
Front Stage vs. Back Stage	People present themselves differently in public (front stage) and private (back stage) settings. The front stage is where we perform for others, while the back stage is where we can relax and be ourselves.	"The front stage is where we perform for others, and the back stage is where we can drop the act."
Impression Management	Individuals engage in impression management to control how others perceive them, through both intentional and unintentional behaviors.	"The individual may present himself to others as an actor presents himself to the audience, carefully controlling every action and gesture."
Role Distance	People may distance themselves from the roles they are performing, especially if the role conflicts with their true identity.	"In order to distance ourselves from a role, we may use various strategies, such as humor or irony."
Social Interaction as Performance	Social interaction is seen as a performance, where individuals constantly adjust their behaviors to fit social expectations.	"We are all actors in the drama of social life, constantly adjusting our performances based on our audience."
The Self as a Social Construction	The "self" is not an inherent, stable identity, but a social construct shaped by the roles we perform and the expectations of others.	"The self is a creation of social interaction, a role we play based on others' expectations."
Defining the Situation	Social roles and behaviors are negotiated through interactions, where individuals define situations based on mutual understanding.	"By defining the situation in a certain way, we give it meaning and structure our social performance."
Team Performance	In some situations, individuals collaborate in team performances, working together to create a shared impression for an audience.	"A team performance involves coordinating actions with others to present a unified front."

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Key Insights:

• Social life is a performance—people adjust their behavior to manage how they are perceived by others.

• Front stage vs. back stage highlights the different selves people present in public versus private settings.

• Impression management and role distance allow individuals to navigate societal expectations while maintaining some degree of autonomy.

• The self is not a fixed identity but something that is constructed through social interactions.

Would you like more details on how these concepts apply to modern social media or real-life examples of impression management?