Erving Goffman has a very interesting and very true perspective on the presentation of self. People get so caught up with making sure how they present to a person or people is of the upper echelon or fitting of someone else’s standards while being on the front stage instead of being themselves the same way one acts on the back stage of their lives. And that in turn, may cause them to live a long drawn out and unhappy life because who wants to wear a façade every time they are in the presence of someone else. It is also strange to think that while we are on the backstage, we practice how to act, what to say, what to wear, who we should like and dislike, how we should treat others and countless more just to manipulate people into liking a person they will never truly know and not only that but we all do it! I found it very interesting that Dr. Marshall stated that no one ever really knows a person unless it is essentially that person him/ herself. Would it be fair to say that society has brought about self-corruption since we are all shaped by our society, we revere what society says about us, and we allow it to dictate our every second. For instance, why is it socially more acceptable to loudly joke inside of a restaurant but quiet down inside of a church? Depending on what’s going on at church during that time, it would be more appropriate to get loud whereas in a restaurant, people may not want to hear someone else’s conversation during their meal time. Society has turned us into con artist as Goffman stated. He has many valid points though it’s a harsh reality that we all have to face. Benoodles123
In Goffman’s Dramaturgy, Debra tells us the we, as people, act as if the world is a stage and we are in a performance. We even present ourselves in a way that culture has said is appropriate for a certain situation. Debra give us the example that you would not walk out of the house in your pajamas without brushing your teeth because our society sees that as odd behavior, and it is human nature to want to conform. If you do not conform, you are alienated by others in society, and the isolation caused by alienation is detrimental to our mental health over a long period of time. That being said, it is an evolutionary and advantage and learned behavior to have a little voice in your head that is always telling you to fit in. We are social creatures who want to fit in and make sense out of our performances. Humans have a wonderful gift, being able to think and rationalize. Our need to rationalize drives why our performances need to make sense. For example, you would not walk out in a snowstorm in a swimsuit. Your props would not make sense in that situation to create a cohesive performance, but that is all dictated by cultural norms. What if in your culture, a sign of strength and fortitude was being able to not be phased by your surroundings? Over years, that ideology may manifest itself into a competition of who can withstand the elements best, causing people to wear their swimsuits in the dead of winter. In a case such as that, our props, swimsuits, would make sense to our environments, a snowstorm, resulting in a performance that makes sense because our culture created that idea of ‘making sense.’ The world is a stage, and our performance is dictated by culture. aardvark123
The dramaturgical approach was created by Erving Goffman. He explained that the world is one big stage for all of us to utilize to make others like us. Humans are social animals and want others to like them. In order to socialize with others, you have to have other people like you and want to be around you. In the video, Debra explains that we all don't want to wait around and wait for things to happen. We use our knowledge to alter our behavior and get what we want. This made me think back from class earlier today. We used dancer123 as an example. She said that she would make herself look cute when wanting to get another guy friend to take interest in her. She said that she would put on some makeup, do her hair, and give him a more intimate hung upon greeting him. These are all actions that us girls would not do when we are interacting with another guy friend that we are not interested in. Dramaturgy is the theatrical representation of life, which consists of a front stage and backstage. The front stage is what we present to any other person. We all want to guide and control how people see us. We do this by acting and dressing differently in social settings. Society creates a norm that we all must follow for our front stage performance. Our backstage is when we are all by ourselves. It is a time for us to relax and practice for out front stage performance. Who we truly are is when we are in our back stage. I think the dramaturgical approach is very interesting and simple to understand in our daily lives. I honestly thought that I was the only one who had a “second side” to me. It turns out, it is completely normal to act differently when we are in a social setting and a private setting. It is only when we are alone when we act as our authentic self. Check123
Sociologists often minimize the individual, but in this particular approach Debra Marshall explains Goffman’s theory about how we want to control how others perceive us. She says this is why we brush our teeth and comb our hair because we want others to perceive us as clean. Goffman explains the phenomena of behaving differently around other people than we do when we are by ourselves through acting metaphors. He says that we are all actors and our everyday lives are either on the front stage or the back stage. He says the front stage is the side we show everyone else and the backstage is who we are when we are by ourselves. For example some people will come home from work or school and immediately put on sweatpants this is because sweatpants are the most comfortable items of clothing, but they sacrifice comfort in their everyday life in order to be perceived as more professional; sweatpants are their “backstage” attire but they must where their professional costumes when interacting in the professional world. Goffman goes on to say that every time we are with another person we are at the front stage meaning that no other person truly knows us. I think that this an extremely valid point of view because whenever we are with another person we have to communicate how we feel and so much of how we truly feel gets lost in translation because people have different connotative meanings and levels of understanding. Goffman reasons that we are comparable to con artists because whenever we are on our front stage we are manipulating the audience. The comforting and scary part of this theory is that every human does this. It is comforting because it means that we are all not secretly sociopaths because we are constantly manipulating people. The scary part is that we will never really know someone’s true intentions. -Glass123
Ervin Goffman created one of the most true, straightforward, and relatable theories of human interaction: he believes that the world is like a stage, and that humans are active and knowledgeable. That we are active in the way we behave and that we know exactly what we are doing by behaving differently per specific situation. Goffman believes that we act differently in social setting than we do when we are alone. We mask our true self and show the world a made-up version, or our best version to impress others. He thinks that human beings are social con artists, that we need to put forth the best presentation of ourselves that we can to society. The way we do this two separate ways: through the front stage and through the back stage. The front stage is the way we present ourselves to others with the thought of being watched and judged. The back stage is us in our most natural form and it’s the way we would portray ourselves if we were not being watched. He also believes that we practice how to be social while in the back stage by letting our guard down and can fully relax. This theory imposes the question whether or not someone can fully know you. Goffman suggests that there may be some close people in your life like a spouse, sibling/best friend, or even parents who may have a close understanding on who you truly are, but they will never fully know who you are because they do not see you in you secluded back stage self. This theory is the easiest to comprehend because we all do it whether we realize we are doing it or not. On one hand this theory can be comforting knowing that we have some type of protection by presenting our front stage self. On the other hand, this theory can be kind of lonely knowing that no one has the capability to see you for who you truly are when no one is around in our back stage self. sunflower123
Erving Goffman is an interaction theorist. He is labeled to be one of the easiest theorists to understand, which is right up my ally. He explains his interpretations in a very good way, according to the video. The body of Goffman’s work is called The Dramaturgical Approach. “Drama” is the main word here and he is pretty much saying how the world is a stage. So he covers how we as humans act and interact in social settings. He says that humans are active and knowledgeable beings. We devise our own conduct. We have the ability to guide and control how people see us. For example, when we leave the house, we leave dressed nicely with our teeth and hair brushed. This is to put off some kind of impression to people that isn’t negative. Of course we are very different in social setting than when we are alone. And all in all, we are social con artists. Dramaturgy is the theatrical representation of life. He breaks it down into two separate regions, frontstage, and backstage. We as people use impression management as a tool to make us look more appealing to other people. This concept is very interesting but simple to understand to viewers. Goffman says that we are like actors and actresses in our lives. We put on an act on our front stage to make people like us and to be accepted into society, which I completely agree with. Just stepping out of the house can put you into that mindset. We return to the back stage when we are no longer required to be in a social environment. I’m at that point right now, hiding in my room doing homework, no need to put on an act for anyone to see. I strongly agree with Erving Goffman’s theory. rosethorns123
I believe Goffman has numerous correct points throughout his entire theory. I think it is very true that human are devious and we care very much how the world perceives us and how we are viewed daily. I have never heard that are world is like a stage, but after hearing it, it makes complete sense. I believe that is the perfect analogy for how we live everyday. I also agree with how we are one way at home and then a different person once we leave that front door to our home. When we are alone behind closed doors we are not trying to please or impress anyone. We are in a comfortable and setting all by ourselves. However during the video it almost seems like he thinks humans are out to be liars and con artists. I do not think every human has bad intentions when they wear their masks. I think we do it without even noticing what we are doing. We do not have control over the way we behave sometimes. I do think we put on a show many times for people and we are conscious of what we are doing. I think his concept of the frontstagen and the backstage is very easy to understand and to relate to as well. Before I have never noticed this, but after watching this video I notice and start to think how this happens everyday. I think I agree with his theory, but not to the extent where people are evil in any way. Overall the entire concept is interesting to think about. Litv123
Erving Goffman's theory of dramaturgy is especially compelling to me as its something I can relate to within my own life. There is a major connection to dramatic performance as well as Shakespeare here, so it is especially noteworthy to mention that I really didn't come out of my shell until I took a drama class my freshman year of high school. Ever since then I have been what I would refer to as a reality performance artist. I aim to entertain and make people laugh each and every day whether it be in face to face conversation or just over an internet application like Facebook, Twitter, etc. Dramaturgy is neat in the sense that it references both the front and the backstages in life, where you prepare your performance, and then actually perform. When I'm backstage in my own personal life I may be focusing on my inner conflicts, or my personal demons that create the performance I give to society on a day to day basis. Hoffman laid the groundwork for the front and backstages of life by implementing a groundbreaking, yet simplified theory, dramaturgy. You may notice even as you interact with many different types of people from many different cultures throughout your life, even day to day, that some people are really just performing on center stage to present to the world who they really are. However, who those individuals truly are is most represented in the backstage, before the curtains open, and the lights go down. With that being said, Dr. Marshall pointed out in the video that it is important to note the presence of the word "drama" within "dramaturgy". That drama is what plays out in our day to day lives as we transcend from one act to another and cross different waves of emotions as our life hits highs and lows.-MrG123
The Dramaturgical Approach root word is drama. Goffman feels that the world is a stage. He states that humans are active and knowledgeable, devise their own conduct, guide and control how others see them, are different in social settings than alone, and are social con artists. He feels that we are not passive creatures waiting around for things to happen to us. In society, we dress to make a presentation to other’s. We as human beings want to be accepted. There is an expectation placed on us by society by being out there by other people. The dramaturgical approach consists of the front stage and the back stage. Front stage is not an improvisation, rather a carefully crafted representation of the self to others. It is a manipulation of the audience by the actor. Back stage is where we go to practice the techniques of impression management; the actor relaxes here, and the front stage is dropped. Goffman feels that all of life is like a stage. When you are in a social setting you are in the front stage using the tool of impression management. It’s our job as human beings to make people accept us in society. We are in the back stage when we are not in a social setting. This is the stage where you have alone time to yourself. We don’t have to pretend or we don’t have to act. Can anyone truly know who you really are? No! According to this approach, every human being is trying to hold up to their own image to make society accept them. I should agree with this approach that people do tend to put on a show for other’s. It like you are wearing a mask when you are in a social setting and you take your mask off when you are in your own comfort zone. Rendezvous123
Erving Goffman’s theory that our lives are like a stage is a very interesting concept. As humans we naturally have a certain degree of care for what people think of us. It is why we do not walk around town in our pajamas or show up to work with our hair in knots. Although we might be okay hanging around our house like this, many of us would be embarrassed if we were seen by the public like that before we were ready. We like to be in control of how other people see us. Each morning we get ready for the day just as an actor or actress gets ready to go on stage. Similarly, when we are alone it is like when the actor or actress is backstage, we can be ourselves. As the video explains, it is very rare that anybody else knows our true selves as much as we do. Living with someone and being around them everyday is really the only way to truly discover who they are. People like your family, your husband/wife, or your very close friends are the only people who may know your backstage self. When you think about it it seems sort of silly that we all hide certain things about ourselves even though we are all more similar than we think. Sure we have countless differences, but these should be accepted and not judged. I think the reason we are not comfortable being entirely ourselves in public is because we feel the need to impress people whether we are aware of it or not. That is one of the reasons that our very close friends and family are so important to us, because they are the few people that we are able to be our true selves around. -Chameleon123
In the video Debra Marshall, PhD explains Erving Goffman’s Dramaturgical approach theory. Debra Marshall tells of Dramaturgy which is where life is like a theatrical show where we are on stage. There are two different stages to be on, the front stage and the back stage. When you are in public and there is more than one person around you, this is equivalent to being on the front stage. This is where people are conscious about how they look and are presenting themselves. Here people want to even deceive others so they can look their best. The video says that we are even like con artists making people think we look better than we really do. We even use props to make us look better or more attractable to others. After all people are social creatures and they want to be around other people. Some of the props could be, the clothes you wear or the shoes you are wearing etcetera. When you are on the back stage you may be a totally different person than when on the front stage. When on the back stage this is like when you are home alone. When you just get home from school or work and you throw on some sweats or shorts and let your hair down and relax. As stated when on the back stage the person is more relaxed and here he/she practices for when they are on the front stage. Here is where they practice what to say, what to wear, how they should present themselves, basically everything to make them look more appealing. This theory is pretty authentic yet very true. People are vain when in the public's eye and care a lot about how others perceive them. I have heard of this theory before, but I still like it because it seems to hit home with the truth. Diver 123
Erving Goffman's theory on how we live our lives as actors on a stage, is very interesting and very true. One can see that he used Shakespeare for part of his inspiration. Shakespeare once said, "All the worlds a stage, and all the men and women merely players." In the video, Dr. Marshall explained what Goffman meant when he said that there are two parts in our lives, which are the front stage and the backstage. The front stage being what we allow others to see. The part where we dressed and prepared ourselves to be seen by others. Goffman called the process of us giving our best presentation to the audience is called dramaturgy. Dramaturgy can be defined as a theatrical representation of life. He also said that while being in the front stage we are manipulating the audience into what we want them to see. I can definitely see how true that is in our lives. When we have plans to go out with friends, we make an effort to look very nice. If we go out on a date, the process of making ourselves presentable is even more complicated. We do our hair perfect, we put more of our time and effort to pick the perfect outfit, and we probably even practice what we are going to say the second he or she picks us up. We want to let that person know that we are calm and collected. When we are in the backstage, that is where we let the mask fall and be who we are. The place where we know we will not be judged or made fun of. Even though he is right with people having a front and a backstage, I believe that we should try to not be so front stage. We should be comfortable and have confidence in ourselves that we are who we are and try not to hide it. People should accept your true self, and should respect who you are. Both stages are manipulative in many ways, and it is okay to have the stages separated, but only to a degree. We should learn to mix the two together. We shouldn't manipulate, we should just accept ourselves for who we are and show the rest of the world that image. panda123
Erving Goffman's dramaturgical approach is how he views the world is a stage and everyone plays a role in it which makes sense because the root word is drama. Goffman believes that “ Humans what to guide and control how people see us” which i believe is true. Everyone at least tries to make themselves presentable before going out the house. We want to make the people around us believe that we are clean well dressed and seen as basically a role model in a way. But if we are alone we are going to throw on our pajamas and put our feet up and call it a day. Really people act different from when there are people are around and from when we are alone. Goffman states “ all of life is like a stage “ meaning when we are in front of people we are on the stage we play a role to impress our crowd also know as peers or individual around you. We do this to be accepted into society, so we can get people to like us. He says when w3e are alone we act like our true selves because we have no one to impress because that's when you can let your guard down and relax be your true self. That is only in the backstage region. The first stage region is where we get to represent who we are and what we want the people to think who we are. I agree with this but i also disagree due to the fact that i don't feel like i rehearse how i want people to view me maybe i'm not quite understanding the backstage but i do understand the front stage region. We all want people to view us as these great people and want them to think highly of us. Dancer123
Erving Goffman’s theory that the world is like a stage is very interesting because of how true it is. I think it’s weird how everybody puts on a mask and plays a role in society that isn’t completely accurate to who they fully are. When in reality most people from the same cultures are all the same deep down. There is just a cultural norm that for some reason is the only way to be accepted. I like the way she explained that we are knowledgeable about our culture, therefore we understand how to act in the process. She says that we all are “social con artists”. To be accepted socially, we have to present ourselves in a way that other people are going to like. It’s interesting that when we are with just one other person we’re being social on the “front stage.” I think this is very true but I also think that there are very few people in the world who you know so well and understand so well that you don’t have to be social at all, except in a nonverbal way. But even then, sometimes there is no communication. It’s like you and another person are hanging out back stage together. The fact that there is a front stage in life that people have to act on makes me wonder how much harder or easier it is to act in certain cultures and how that affects the people when they go “back stage.” So, no one really knows who you are completely other than yourself. I also wonder if it is more difficult for one gender to act in a culture over another. Maybe a girl has to be more respectful and hold back gestures or comments in one culture than a boy does in another. -Kiwi123
Dr. Marshall has an admiration of Erving Goffman and his dramaturgical approach. Goffman’s main idea is that the world is a stage; this draws off of the famous soliloquy from Shakespeare’s masterpiece of a play, As You Like It: “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women, merely players…” Goffman views humans as taking an active part in the process of behavior which, in turn, develops society. While Goffman acknowledges external influences, he gives most of the credit to humans themselves (more nurture than nature.) Goffman also realizes that humans, excluding social deviants, desire for others to approve of us; we desire to control other people’s perceptions of ourselves. This is why we leave the house dressed in an appropriate manner with combed hair and (hopefully) brushed teeth. Goffman kind of eludes to the idea that he believes that the act of putting on a mask is necessary to conform to societal norms. Dr. Marshall uses the term “social con artists” and I am not too sure about that. I do not totally agree with the idea that wearing a mask is deceitful; I think it is actually smart. Humans have developed trust as a sort of socio-biological resource that can be helpful which is why humans are careful with whom they choose to show their true selves. Dramaturgy is broken down into two stages: the front stage and the back stage. The front stage is the act of being in a social setting. In this setting, we ourselves are the actors, presenting the best version of our “character” to try to coerce the audience (friends, acquaintances, etc.) to like us. The backstage is where one can relax, dropping their mask. In the backstage a person is able to work on their social skills. The backstage is where a person goes to learn more about themselves. - ThreeTwo123
Erving Goffman and the Dramaturgical Approach tells us what we already know to be true and defines our innate human behavior. He says that life is like a stage with a different setting, props, costumes, tones, and genders. If you think about this and our everyday life, this makes a lot of sense. For example, the clothing you choose to wear to school and to bed are going to be totally different. The appearance you display is going to be entirely different, people may not even recognize you, depending on the environment and how you display yourself. The way we present ourselves is expected to be at a certain standard depending on the setting. The work area has a certain standard for your clothing, and the way you represent yourself. Human being are "con artists". We have hundreds of different faces and personalities for certain groups of people. Goffman explains life as the front stage and the back stage. The social environment, around 1 or more people, we are on the "front stage". This is when we are considered actors, putting our best character out there so we are liked by others. This could be a sense of manipulation just so others will like us, not being ourselves. The other place, the back stage, is when we are alone and we are most comfortable in this zone. This is when we are most like ourselves, and this is where we find out who we really are. Most people do not know how you are in the back stage, maybe just a close few. This is very sad to me. I don't think people should have to put on faces for others to like us. I wish we lived in a world that everyone could be accepted for being themselves and I truly respect the people that do not care what others think and are themselves whether they are alone or with a group of people. I strive to be myself at all times. Scuba123
Erving Goffman developed the Dramaturgial Approach. In this approach, he discusses how people are simply actors. He gives credit to the humans rather than the structure which conflicts with what many other sociologists believe. Debra explains very nicely the difference between how we act when we are out in society versus how we act when we are alone at home. We all put on this mask to try and show the best representation of ourselves. She explains that we have a front stage and a back stage in life. We try to be as appealing as possible when we are on the front stage. Being on the front stage does not require leaving your house or your car, it just simply means that you are in the presence of at least one more person. Our ‘job’ is to try and be liked by other people and fit into the society we live in. This is not an improvisation, it is a rehearsed representation of who we are and what we want others to view us as. We return to the back stage when we are no longer required to be in that social setting. This is closed and hidden from other people because we are only there when we are alone away from everyone else. This back stage is the place where we are relaxed because we are not acting because there is no one there to act for. We behave in a manner that we are comfortable with that no one else is a part of. This begged the question that Debra wondered which is, “Can anyone really know you?” She says that the closest people to you will have the best grasp on who you are, but will never actually understand who you are in the backstage because that can only be shown when you are around no one else. I found all of this interesting because this relates to all the articles you read in the newspaper about like killers and such. The families or friends were always in denial and said things like "That's my husband. I know him. He wouldn't do this." But in reality they didn't know their husband because they can't. They couldn't ever actually know who he was because that was on his backstage. I found that very interesting. SAS123
Erving Goffman's Dramaturgical Approach is an interaction theory that basically explains social interaction like a play. Goffman says that humans are active and knowledgable when it comes to behavior. He also believes humans are not passive and so we devise our own conduct. We, as individuals, want to guide and control how people see us. Debra uses the example of how we get ready and brush our teeth and hair before we go out into society for the day. I immediately thought of social media, and how nowadays we use them as a mask to make others think a certain way of us. Goffman believes that humans act differently alone than around others. Humans want to put forth their best self, and they do this by dramaturgy. This is explained by using a front stage and back stage. When we're with one or more people, we're on our front stage. This is the stage we preform on, it is not improvisation. We use impression management to put our best face forward because we want to manipulate others into accepting us into society. We are on our backstage when we are alone and no longer required to be social. This is where we practice impression management. We also relax and bring our guard down as we can truly be ourselves. Debra explains that some people may argue that they have a close spouse, partner, friend, or family member that has the best grasp of who you truly are. Goffman's theory argues that no one actually interacts with us while we are on our back stage. I thought that this was not only an interesting theory, but very easy to grasp the concept of as well. Daisy123
Erving Goffman saw people as active participants in society, as if they are the cast of a play. He gives people a lot of recognition for who they are and for what society is. Sociologists may say that he was a man who leaned more on the side of nurture than nature. I’m sure that he accepted that the nature of someone influences them, but overall he saw life as something mainly determined by the people. We have some control over how we want to be seen and what we want to see. This can lead to us acting differently around people than when alone. This is because we feel an expectation from society to be a certain way. It is almost as if we are wearing a mask in public. We do this by what Goffman would refer to as dramaturgy. There are two stages to this: frontstage and backstage. “All of life is like a stage.” When we are in social settings, it is like we are actors on the front stage. When we stand on the stage we put on a performance in order for the audience, or society, to view us a certain way. Once we have gone backstage, we stop acting. We loosen up and behave how we want to. We may practice the act that we are going to play, but there is no pressure backstage. The idea that life is like a play leads to the question as to who our authentic selves are, and whether or not anyone else really knows who that is. Are other people allowed backstage with us ever? Maybe siblings or close friends could come if we truly feel comfortable with them. Goffman’s idea is certainly an interesting one, and it makes me question my own identity and whether or not I put on an act everyday. -M&M123
Erving Goffman has a very intriguing theory about dramaturgy. The key word that you can see within that word is "drama". He believes that humans are social con artists in a sense. He also thinks that we are devious because people like to guide and control how people view us. For example, before you leave for work and school, people will normally shower, apply makeup, comb or brush their hair, dress nicely, and so forth. We even act differently around people compared to when we are alone. I can relate to that. I am definitely going to act differently around my parents or grandparents than I will around my friends. Goffman made an interesting concept. Our entire life is like a stage. Life has a front stage and a back stage. If we are in the presence of at least one other person, being social, you are in the front stage. You are acting in a certain way like an actor would. You want to be the best you can be, or the "best character". Every person wants to be accepted. Once we are no longer in a social environment, we switch to the backstage. You are not masked anymore, you can let your guard down, and you are no longer "acting". Can you really know who people are? This theory can be slightly startling if you think about that. No one really knows how people truly behave when you are backstage. It is very easy to relate to, and somewhat startling to think about. Technically, everyone is manipulating one another which is odd to think about. I do agree with his theory. I am different in a social environment than I am at home. Not in a bad way by any means. In public, I will wear much different clothing and have more makeup than I would if I am by myself at home, for example. -softball_savvy123
Goffman’s dramaturgical analysis makes the claim the people are like the cast of a play. We put on a show for our audience. We use props, much like a cast does. We wear costumes, change our tone of voice, and we use gestures. Different cultures have different props that may be cooler or more popular than others. In this video, we saw an example of how an individual may get ready for a performance (a date), where the audience consisted of one person. Calvin spent his time getting ready for this date by preparing himself to be pleasing to the eye. He started off by doing things the way he may want to. He put on some boxers that he would like to wear, but he changed his mind in hopes that a different pair would be more impressive. He grabbed a few different shirts he liked, but he settled for an outfit that he knew would be more attractive to his date. There were several other similar things Calvin did that he obviously would not have chosen to do if he was not trying to impress someone. People do this everyday. Some put on make up, dress up, talk a certain way, use symbols we know are cool, and do many more things in order to make an impression on people. We choose to do these things because we either want to stand out or fit in. Some people may wear neutral colors because they want to be liked and accepted. Others may wear very bright colors so that people notice them. Whatever the intention, we have all put up some sort of front that hides who we are behind closed doors. Dating is one place where this probably happens a lot. Impressions are huge when it comes to dating. Most of the time, you really like someone and you are hoping that he or she will have the same feelings. We think that by making ourselves more attractive or different then we will be more likely to succeed in dating. So, we put on our make up, cologne, or whatever and we pretend to be much “cooler” than we probably are. What I wonder, “is in what point of a relationship does the acting finally stop and your partner is allowed to see the real you?” -M&M123
Erving Goffman has a very interesting and very true perspective on the presentation of self. People get so caught up with making sure how they present to a person or people is of the upper echelon or fitting of someone else’s standards while being on the front stage instead of being themselves the same way one acts on the back stage of their lives. And that in turn, may cause them to live a long drawn out and unhappy life because who wants to wear a façade every time they are in the presence of someone else. It is also strange to think that while we are on the backstage, we practice how to act, what to say, what to wear, who we should like and dislike, how we should treat others and countless more just to manipulate people into liking a person they will never truly know and not only that but we all do it! I found it very interesting that Dr. Marshall stated that no one ever really knows a person unless it is essentially that person him/ herself. Would it be fair to say that society has brought about self-corruption since we are all shaped by our society, we revere what society says about us, and we allow it to dictate our every second. For instance, why is it socially more acceptable to loudly joke inside of a restaurant but quiet down inside of a church? Depending on what’s going on at church during that time, it would be more appropriate to get loud whereas in a restaurant, people may not want to hear someone else’s conversation during their meal time. Society has turned us into con artist as Goffman stated. He has many valid points though it’s a harsh reality that we all have to face. Benoodles123
ReplyDeleteIn Goffman’s Dramaturgy, Debra tells us the we, as people, act as if the world is a stage and we are in a performance. We even present ourselves in a way that culture has said is appropriate for a certain situation. Debra give us the example that you would not walk out of the house in your pajamas without brushing your teeth because our society sees that as odd behavior, and it is human nature to want to conform. If you do not conform, you are alienated by others in society, and the isolation caused by alienation is detrimental to our mental health over a long period of time. That being said, it is an evolutionary and advantage and learned behavior to have a little voice in your head that is always telling you to fit in. We are social creatures who want to fit in and make sense out of our performances. Humans have a wonderful gift, being able to think and rationalize. Our need to rationalize drives why our performances need to make sense. For example, you would not walk out in a snowstorm in a swimsuit. Your props would not make sense in that situation to create a cohesive performance, but that is all dictated by cultural norms. What if in your culture, a sign of strength and fortitude was being able to not be phased by your surroundings? Over years, that ideology may manifest itself into a competition of who can withstand the elements best, causing people to wear their swimsuits in the dead of winter. In a case such as that, our props, swimsuits, would make sense to our environments, a snowstorm, resulting in a performance that makes sense because our culture created that idea of ‘making sense.’ The world is a stage, and our performance is dictated by culture. aardvark123
ReplyDeleteThe dramaturgical approach was created by Erving Goffman. He explained that the world is one big stage for all of us to utilize to make others like us. Humans are social animals and want others to like them. In order to socialize with others, you have to have other people like you and want to be around you. In the video, Debra explains that we all don't want to wait around and wait for things to happen. We use our knowledge to alter our behavior and get what we want. This made me think back from class earlier today. We used dancer123 as an example. She said that she would make herself look cute when wanting to get another guy friend to take interest in her. She said that she would put on some makeup, do her hair, and give him a more intimate hung upon greeting him. These are all actions that us girls would not do when we are interacting with another guy friend that we are not interested in.
ReplyDeleteDramaturgy is the theatrical representation of life, which consists of a front stage and backstage. The front stage is what we present to any other person. We all want to guide and control how people see us. We do this by acting and dressing differently in social settings. Society creates a norm that we all must follow for our front stage performance. Our backstage is when we are all by ourselves. It is a time for us to relax and practice for out front stage performance. Who we truly are is when we are in our back stage. I think the dramaturgical approach is very interesting and simple to understand in our daily lives. I honestly thought that I was the only one who had a “second side” to me. It turns out, it is completely normal to act differently when we are in a social setting and a private setting. It is only when we are alone when we act as our authentic self. Check123
Sociologists often minimize the individual, but in this particular approach Debra Marshall explains Goffman’s theory about how we want to control how others perceive us. She says this is why we brush our teeth and comb our hair because we want others to perceive us as clean. Goffman explains the phenomena of behaving differently around other people than we do when we are by ourselves through acting metaphors. He says that we are all actors and our everyday lives are either on the front stage or the back stage. He says the front stage is the side we show everyone else and the backstage is who we are when we are by ourselves. For example some people will come home from work or school and immediately put on sweatpants this is because sweatpants are the most comfortable items of clothing, but they sacrifice comfort in their everyday life in order to be perceived as more professional; sweatpants are their “backstage” attire but they must where their professional costumes when interacting in the professional world. Goffman goes on to say that every time we are with another person we are at the front stage meaning that no other person truly knows us. I think that this an extremely valid point of view because whenever we are with another person we have to communicate how we feel and so much of how we truly feel gets lost in translation because people have different connotative meanings and levels of understanding. Goffman reasons that we are comparable to con artists because whenever we are on our front stage we are manipulating the audience. The comforting and scary part of this theory is that every human does this. It is comforting because it means that we are all not secretly sociopaths because we are constantly manipulating people. The scary part is that we will never really know someone’s true intentions. -Glass123
ReplyDeleteErvin Goffman created one of the most true, straightforward, and relatable theories of human interaction: he believes that the world is like a stage, and that humans are active and knowledgeable. That we are active in the way we behave and that we know exactly what we are doing by behaving differently per specific situation. Goffman believes that we act differently in social setting than we do when we are alone. We mask our true self and show the world a made-up version, or our best version to impress others. He thinks that human beings are social con artists, that we need to put forth the best presentation of ourselves that we can to society. The way we do this two separate ways: through the front stage and through the back stage. The front stage is the way we present ourselves to others with the thought of being watched and judged. The back stage is us in our most natural form and it’s the way we would portray ourselves if we were not being watched. He also believes that we practice how to be social while in the back stage by letting our guard down and can fully relax. This theory imposes the question whether or not someone can fully know you. Goffman suggests that there may be some close people in your life like a spouse, sibling/best friend, or even parents who may have a close understanding on who you truly are, but they will never fully know who you are because they do not see you in you secluded back stage self. This theory is the easiest to comprehend because we all do it whether we realize we are doing it or not. On one hand this theory can be comforting knowing that we have some type of protection by presenting our front stage self. On the other hand, this theory can be kind of lonely knowing that no one has the capability to see you for who you truly are when no one is around in our back stage self.
ReplyDeletesunflower123
Erving Goffman is an interaction theorist. He is labeled to be one of the easiest theorists to understand, which is right up my ally. He explains his interpretations in a very good way, according to the video. The body of Goffman’s work is called The Dramaturgical Approach. “Drama” is the main word here and he is pretty much saying how the world is a stage. So he covers how we as humans act and interact in social settings. He says that humans are active and knowledgeable beings. We devise our own conduct. We have the ability to guide and control how people see us. For example, when we leave the house, we leave dressed nicely with our teeth and hair brushed. This is to put off some kind of impression to people that isn’t negative. Of course we are very different in social setting than when we are alone. And all in all, we are social con artists. Dramaturgy is the theatrical representation of life. He breaks it down into two separate regions, frontstage, and backstage. We as people use impression management as a tool to make us look more appealing to other people. This concept is very interesting but simple to understand to viewers. Goffman says that we are like actors and actresses in our lives. We put on an act on our front stage to make people like us and to be accepted into society, which I completely agree with. Just stepping out of the house can put you into that mindset. We return to the back stage when we are no longer required to be in a social environment. I’m at that point right now, hiding in my room doing homework, no need to put on an act for anyone to see. I strongly agree with Erving Goffman’s theory. rosethorns123
ReplyDeleteI believe Goffman has numerous correct points throughout his entire theory. I think it is very true that human are devious and we care very much how the world perceives us and how we are viewed daily. I have never heard that are world is like a stage, but after hearing it, it makes complete sense. I believe that is the perfect analogy for how we live everyday. I also agree with how we are one way at home and then a different person once we leave that front door to our home. When we are alone behind closed doors we are not trying to please or impress anyone. We are in a comfortable and setting all by ourselves. However during the video it almost seems like he thinks humans are out to be liars and con artists. I do not think every human has bad intentions when they wear their masks. I think we do it without even noticing what we are doing. We do not have control over the way we behave sometimes. I do think we put on a show many times for people and we are conscious of what we are doing. I think his concept of the frontstagen and the backstage is very easy to understand and to relate to as well. Before I have never noticed this, but after watching this video I notice and start to think how this happens everyday. I think I agree with his theory, but not to the extent where people are evil in any way. Overall the entire concept is interesting to think about. Litv123
ReplyDeleteErving Goffman's theory of dramaturgy is especially compelling to me as its something I can relate to within my own life. There is a major connection to dramatic performance as well as Shakespeare here, so it is especially noteworthy to mention that I really didn't come out of my shell until I took a drama class my freshman year of high school. Ever since then I have been what I would refer to as a reality performance artist. I aim to entertain and make people laugh each and every day whether it be in face to face conversation or just over an internet application like Facebook, Twitter, etc. Dramaturgy is neat in the sense that it references both the front and the backstages in life, where you prepare your performance, and then actually perform. When I'm backstage in my own personal life I may be focusing on my inner conflicts, or my personal demons that create the performance I give to society on a day to day basis. Hoffman laid the groundwork for the front and backstages of life by implementing a groundbreaking, yet simplified theory, dramaturgy. You may notice even as you interact with many different types of people from many different cultures throughout your life, even day to day, that some people are really just performing on center stage to present to the world who they really are. However, who those individuals truly are is most represented in the backstage, before the curtains open, and the lights go down. With that being said, Dr. Marshall pointed out in the video that it is important to note the presence of the word "drama" within "dramaturgy". That drama is what plays out in our day to day lives as we transcend from one act to another and cross different waves of emotions as our life hits highs and lows.-MrG123
ReplyDeleteThe Dramaturgical Approach root word is drama. Goffman feels that the world is a stage. He states that humans are active and knowledgeable, devise their own conduct, guide and control how others see them, are different in social settings than alone, and are social con artists. He feels that we are not passive creatures waiting around for things to happen to us. In society, we dress to make a presentation to other’s. We as human beings want to be accepted. There is an expectation placed on us by society by being out there by other people. The dramaturgical approach consists of the front stage and the back stage. Front stage is not an improvisation, rather a carefully crafted representation of the self to others. It is a manipulation of the audience by the actor. Back stage is where we go to practice the techniques of impression management; the actor relaxes here, and the front stage is dropped. Goffman feels that all of life is like a stage. When you are in a social setting you are in the front stage using the tool of impression management. It’s our job as human beings to make people accept us in society. We are in the back stage when we are not in a social setting. This is the stage where you have alone time to yourself. We don’t have to pretend or we don’t have to act. Can anyone truly know who you really are? No! According to this approach, every human being is trying to hold up to their own image to make society accept them. I should agree with this approach that people do tend to put on a show for other’s. It like you are wearing a mask when you are in a social setting and you take your mask off when you are in your own comfort zone. Rendezvous123
ReplyDeleteErving Goffman’s theory that our lives are like a stage is a very interesting concept. As humans we naturally have a certain degree of care for what people think of us. It is why we do not walk around town in our pajamas or show up to work with our hair in knots. Although we might be okay hanging around our house like this, many of us would be embarrassed if we were seen by the public like that before we were ready. We like to be in control of how other people see us. Each morning we get ready for the day just as an actor or actress gets ready to go on stage. Similarly, when we are alone it is like when the actor or actress is backstage, we can be ourselves. As the video explains, it is very rare that anybody else knows our true selves as much as we do. Living with someone and being around them everyday is really the only way to truly discover who they are. People like your family, your husband/wife, or your very close friends are the only people who may know your backstage self. When you think about it it seems sort of silly that we all hide certain things about ourselves even though we are all more similar than we think. Sure we have countless differences, but these should be accepted and not judged. I think the reason we are not comfortable being entirely ourselves in public is because we feel the need to impress people whether we are aware of it or not. That is one of the reasons that our very close friends and family are so important to us, because they are the few people that we are able to be our true selves around. -Chameleon123
ReplyDeleteIn the video Debra Marshall, PhD explains Erving Goffman’s Dramaturgical approach theory. Debra Marshall tells of Dramaturgy which is where life is like a theatrical show where we are on stage. There are two different stages to be on, the front stage and the back stage. When you are in public and there is more than one person around you, this is equivalent to being on the front stage. This is where people are conscious about how they look and are presenting themselves. Here people want to even deceive others so they can look their best. The video says that we are even like con artists making people think we look better than we really do. We even use props to make us look better or more attractable to others. After all people are social creatures and they want to be around other people. Some of the props could be, the clothes you wear or the shoes you are wearing etcetera. When you are on the back stage you may be a totally different person than when on the front stage. When on the back stage this is like when you are home alone. When you just get home from school or work and you throw on some sweats or shorts and let your hair down and relax. As stated when on the back stage the person is more relaxed and here he/she practices for when they are on the front stage. Here is where they practice what to say, what to wear, how they should present themselves, basically everything to make them look more appealing. This theory is pretty authentic yet very true. People are vain when in the public's eye and care a lot about how others perceive them. I have heard of this theory before, but I still like it because it seems to hit home with the truth. Diver 123
ReplyDeleteErving Goffman's theory on how we live our lives as actors on a stage, is very interesting and very true. One can see that he used Shakespeare for part of his inspiration. Shakespeare once said, "All the worlds a stage, and all the men and women merely players." In the video, Dr. Marshall explained what Goffman meant when he said that there are two parts in our lives, which are the front stage and the backstage. The front stage being what we allow others to see. The part where we dressed and prepared ourselves to be seen by others. Goffman called the process of us giving our best presentation to the audience is called dramaturgy. Dramaturgy can be defined as a theatrical representation of life. He also said that while being in the front stage we are manipulating the audience into what we want them to see. I can definitely see how true that is in our lives. When we have plans to go out with friends, we make an effort to look very nice. If we go out on a date, the process of making ourselves presentable is even more complicated. We do our hair perfect, we put more of our time and effort to pick the perfect outfit, and we probably even practice what we are going to say the second he or she picks us up. We want to let that person know that we are calm and collected. When we are in the backstage, that is where we let the mask fall and be who we are. The place where we know we will not be judged or made fun of. Even though he is right with people having a front and a backstage, I believe that we should try to not be so front stage. We should be comfortable and have confidence in ourselves that we are who we are and try not to hide it. People should accept your true self, and should respect who you are. Both stages are manipulative in many ways, and it is okay to have the stages separated, but only to a degree. We should learn to mix the two together. We shouldn't manipulate, we should just accept ourselves for who we are and show the rest of the world that image.
ReplyDeletepanda123
Erving Goffman's dramaturgical approach is how he views the world is a stage and everyone plays a role in it which makes sense because the root word is drama. Goffman believes that “
ReplyDeleteHumans what to guide and control how people see us” which i believe is true. Everyone at least tries to make themselves presentable before going out the house. We want to make the people around us believe that we are clean well dressed and seen as basically a role model in a way. But if we are alone we are going to throw on our pajamas and put our feet up and call it a day. Really people act different from when there are people are around and from when we are alone. Goffman states “ all of life is like a stage “ meaning when we are in front of people we are on the stage we play a role to impress our crowd also know as peers or individual around you. We do this to be accepted into society, so we can get people to like us. He says when w3e are alone we act like our true selves because we have no one to impress because that's when you can let your guard down and relax be your true self. That is only in the backstage region. The first stage region is where we get to represent who we are and what we want the people to think who we are. I agree with this but i also disagree due to the fact that i don't feel like i rehearse how i want people to view me maybe i'm not quite understanding the backstage but i do understand the front stage region. We all want people to view us as these great people and want them to think highly of us. Dancer123
Erving Goffman’s theory that the world is like a stage is very interesting because of how true it is. I think it’s weird how everybody puts on a mask and plays a role in society that isn’t completely accurate to who they fully are. When in reality most people from the same cultures are all the same deep down. There is just a cultural norm that for some reason is the only way to be accepted. I like the way she explained that we are knowledgeable about our culture, therefore we understand how to act in the process. She says that we all are “social con artists”. To be accepted socially, we have to present ourselves in a way that other people are going to like. It’s interesting that when we are with just one other person we’re being social on the “front stage.” I think this is very true but I also think that there are very few people in the world who you know so well and understand so well that you don’t have to be social at all, except in a nonverbal way. But even then, sometimes there is no communication. It’s like you and another person are hanging out back stage together. The fact that there is a front stage in life that people have to act on makes me wonder how much harder or easier it is to act in certain cultures and how that affects the people when they go “back stage.” So, no one really knows who you are completely other than yourself. I also wonder if it is more difficult for one gender to act in a culture over another. Maybe a girl has to be more respectful and hold back gestures or comments in one culture than a boy does in another. -Kiwi123
ReplyDeleteDr. Marshall has an admiration of Erving Goffman and his dramaturgical approach. Goffman’s main idea is that the world is a stage; this draws off of the famous soliloquy from Shakespeare’s masterpiece of a play, As You Like It: “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women, merely players…” Goffman views humans as taking an active part in the process of behavior which, in turn, develops society. While Goffman acknowledges external influences, he gives most of the credit to humans themselves (more nurture than nature.) Goffman also realizes that humans, excluding social deviants, desire for others to approve of us; we desire to control other people’s perceptions of ourselves. This is why we leave the house dressed in an appropriate manner with combed hair and (hopefully) brushed teeth. Goffman kind of eludes to the idea that he believes that the act of putting on a mask is necessary to conform to societal norms. Dr. Marshall uses the term “social con artists” and I am not too sure about that. I do not totally agree with the idea that wearing a mask is deceitful; I think it is actually smart. Humans have developed trust as a sort of socio-biological resource that can be helpful which is why humans are careful with whom they choose to show their true selves. Dramaturgy is broken down into two stages: the front stage and the back stage. The front stage is the act of being in a social setting. In this setting, we ourselves are the actors, presenting the best version of our “character” to try to coerce the audience (friends, acquaintances, etc.) to like us. The backstage is where one can relax, dropping their mask. In the backstage a person is able to work on their social skills. The backstage is where a person goes to learn more about themselves.
ReplyDelete- ThreeTwo123
Erving Goffman and the Dramaturgical Approach tells us what we already know to be true and defines our innate human behavior. He says that life is like a stage with a different setting, props, costumes, tones, and genders. If you think about this and our everyday life, this makes a lot of sense. For example, the clothing you choose to wear to school and to bed are going to be totally different. The appearance you display is going to be entirely different, people may not even recognize you, depending on the environment and how you display yourself. The way we present ourselves is expected to be at a certain standard depending on the setting. The work area has a certain standard for your clothing, and the way you represent yourself. Human being are "con artists". We have hundreds of different faces and personalities for certain groups of people. Goffman explains life as the front stage and the back stage. The social environment, around 1 or more people, we are on the "front stage". This is when we are considered actors, putting our best character out there so we are liked by others. This could be a sense of manipulation just so others will like us, not being ourselves. The other place, the back stage, is when we are alone and we are most comfortable in this zone. This is when we are most like ourselves, and this is where we find out who we really are. Most people do not know how you are in the back stage, maybe just a close few. This is very sad to me. I don't think people should have to put on faces for others to like us. I wish we lived in a world that everyone could be accepted for being themselves and I truly respect the people that do not care what others think and are themselves whether they are alone or with a group of people. I strive to be myself at all times. Scuba123
ReplyDeleteErving Goffman developed the Dramaturgial Approach. In this approach, he discusses how people are simply actors. He gives credit to the humans rather than the structure which conflicts with what many other sociologists believe. Debra explains very nicely the difference between how we act when we are out in society versus how we act when we are alone at home. We all put on this mask to try and show the best representation of ourselves. She explains that we have a front stage and a back stage in life. We try to be as appealing as possible when we are on the front stage. Being on the front stage does not require leaving your house or your car, it just simply means that you are in the presence of at least one more person. Our ‘job’ is to try and be liked by other people and fit into the society we live in. This is not an improvisation, it is a rehearsed representation of who we are and what we want others to view us as. We return to the back stage when we are no longer required to be in that social setting. This is closed and hidden from other people because we are only there when we are alone away from everyone else. This back stage is the place where we are relaxed because we are not acting because there is no one there to act for. We behave in a manner that we are comfortable with that no one else is a part of. This begged the question that Debra wondered which is, “Can anyone really know you?” She says that the closest people to you will have the best grasp on who you are, but will never actually understand who you are in the backstage because that can only be shown when you are around no one else. I found all of this interesting because this relates to all the articles you read in the newspaper about like killers and such. The families or friends were always in denial and said things like "That's my husband. I know him. He wouldn't do this." But in reality they didn't know their husband because they can't. They couldn't ever actually know who he was because that was on his backstage. I found that very interesting. SAS123
ReplyDeleteErving Goffman's Dramaturgical Approach is an interaction theory that basically explains social interaction like a play. Goffman says that humans are active and knowledgable when it comes to behavior. He also believes humans are not passive and so we devise our own conduct. We, as individuals, want to guide and control how people see us. Debra uses the example of how we get ready and brush our teeth and hair before we go out into society for the day. I immediately thought of social media, and how nowadays we use them as a mask to make others think a certain way of us. Goffman believes that humans act differently alone than around others. Humans want to put forth their best self, and they do this by dramaturgy. This is explained by using a front stage and back stage. When we're with one or more people, we're on our front stage. This is the stage we preform on, it is not improvisation. We use impression management to put our best face forward because we want to manipulate others into accepting us into society. We are on our backstage when we are alone and no longer required to be social. This is where we practice impression management. We also relax and bring our guard down as we can truly be ourselves. Debra explains that some people may argue that they have a close spouse, partner, friend, or family member that has the best grasp of who you truly are. Goffman's theory argues that no one actually interacts with us while we are on our back stage. I thought that this was not only an interesting theory, but very easy to grasp the concept of as well. Daisy123
ReplyDeleteErving Goffman saw people as active participants in society, as if they are the cast of a play. He gives people a lot of recognition for who they are and for what society is. Sociologists may say that he was a man who leaned more on the side of nurture than nature. I’m sure that he accepted that the nature of someone influences them, but overall he saw life as something mainly determined by the people. We have some control over how we want to be seen and what we want to see. This can lead to us acting differently around people than when alone. This is because we feel an expectation from society to be a certain way. It is almost as if we are wearing a mask in public. We do this by what Goffman would refer to as dramaturgy. There are two stages to this: frontstage and backstage. “All of life is like a stage.” When we are in social settings, it is like we are actors on the front stage. When we stand on the stage we put on a performance in order for the audience, or society, to view us a certain way. Once we have gone backstage, we stop acting. We loosen up and behave how we want to. We may practice the act that we are going to play, but there is no pressure backstage. The idea that life is like a play leads to the question as to who our authentic selves are, and whether or not anyone else really knows who that is. Are other people allowed backstage with us ever? Maybe siblings or close friends could come if we truly feel comfortable with them. Goffman’s idea is certainly an interesting one, and it makes me question my own identity and whether or not I put on an act everyday.
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Erving Goffman has a very intriguing theory about dramaturgy. The key word that you can see within that word is "drama". He believes that humans are social con artists in a sense. He also thinks that we are devious because people like to guide and control how people view us. For example, before you leave for work and school, people will normally shower, apply makeup, comb or brush their hair, dress nicely, and so forth. We even act differently around people compared to when we are alone. I can relate to that. I am definitely going to act differently around my parents or grandparents than I will around my friends. Goffman made an interesting concept. Our entire life is like a stage. Life has a front stage and a back stage. If we are in the presence of at least one other person, being social, you are in the front stage. You are acting in a certain way like an actor would. You want to be the best you can be, or the "best character". Every person wants to be accepted. Once we are no longer in a social environment, we switch to the backstage. You are not masked anymore, you can let your guard down, and you are no longer "acting". Can you really know who people are? This theory can be slightly startling if you think about that. No one really knows how people truly behave when you are backstage. It is very easy to relate to, and somewhat startling to think about. Technically, everyone is manipulating one another which is odd to think about. I do agree with his theory. I am different in a social environment than I am at home. Not in a bad way by any means. In public, I will wear much different clothing and have more makeup than I would if I am by myself at home, for example. -softball_savvy123
ReplyDeleteGoffman’s dramaturgical analysis makes the claim the people are like the cast of a play. We put on a show for our audience. We use props, much like a cast does. We wear costumes, change our tone of voice, and we use gestures. Different cultures have different props that may be cooler or more popular than others. In this video, we saw an example of how an individual may get ready for a performance (a date), where the audience consisted of one person. Calvin spent his time getting ready for this date by preparing himself to be pleasing to the eye. He started off by doing things the way he may want to. He put on some boxers that he would like to wear, but he changed his mind in hopes that a different pair would be more impressive. He grabbed a few different shirts he liked, but he settled for an outfit that he knew would be more attractive to his date. There were several other similar things Calvin did that he obviously would not have chosen to do if he was not trying to impress someone. People do this everyday. Some put on make up, dress up, talk a certain way, use symbols we know are cool, and do many more things in order to make an impression on people. We choose to do these things because we either want to stand out or fit in. Some people may wear neutral colors because they want to be liked and accepted. Others may wear very bright colors so that people notice them. Whatever the intention, we have all put up some sort of front that hides who we are behind closed doors. Dating is one place where this probably happens a lot. Impressions are huge when it comes to dating. Most of the time, you really like someone and you are hoping that he or she will have the same feelings. We think that by making ourselves more attractive or different then we will be more likely to succeed in dating. So, we put on our make up, cologne, or whatever and we pretend to be much “cooler” than we probably are. What I wonder, “is in what point of a relationship does the acting finally stop and your partner is allowed to see the real you?”
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