Name:
9/18/2019
SOC 101
Erving Goffman’s presentation of self.
As I interacted with my classmates, I discovered that my classmates were more concerned with what I would react to what they say, that the actual information being passed. They were thus presenting themselves as ” good” and declined any conversation that may be hurting or which may make me build a negative perspective or attitude towards them. I also realized that our physical appearance and presentation greatly influenced our conversation and degree of interaction. For example, I happened to meet a friend on a day when he was smartly dressed in a suit and bowtie, and the conversation was lively, maintaining long eye contacts and very joyful. However on the following day, we accidentally met on a store when he was not very smart, and I realized that he did not want my stories as he was trying by all means to avoid my, and never made any eye contact. I think it’s because he felt he had not presented himself well. While interacting with my classmates, I focused not only on physical appearance but also verbal expressions and social group membership. I did not want my friends to misinterpret me or and interacted more with members whom we shared social group memberships.
The decision on what to share and what not to share was highly determined how I wanted my classmates to perceive me, and the time of information I wanted from them. My words and expressions were guided by self-presentation, as believed that what I shared would determine how my friends see me, and my relationship with them for the rest of the semester and life. Therefore the first thing in any interaction was knowing what the other person likes or dislikes, the perception they have towards me and how I would communicate in a way that others understand me the way I wanted to be understood. Because I did not want to be embarrassed, I also did not want to embarrass others, and hence always restrained from using words that would be offensive and hurting even when what am saying is the truth. I also said a few words and interacted less when not in my mood, to avoid sounding offensive, uncaring, or misunderstood.
Throughout our interactions and conversation, I portrayed myself as a smart and courageous student. I didn’t know what my classmates to perceive me as lazy or shy, and hence, when talking to them, I ensured that I maintained eye contact and answered everything with confidence and without fear. I did not want my classmates to see me as ” one who knows everything” but was careful not to portray myself as quickly manipulated and knowing nothing about anything. I would, therefore, think carefully about what I am about to say, decisions to make and reactions to issues so that it put the statute of a smart and intelligent person. This portrayal was majorly through, verbal, nonverbal actions, as well as appearance.careful selection of words, ensured that my I was understood as I would like to be, while the non-verbal cues acted to emphasize my words, making it possible to communicate meanings to my classmates. I have always dressed smartly so that as I interact with my classmates, they can be able to see what I say in me. I didn’t want to be in a contradiction perceptions where I verbally present myself as smart and intelligent, but I physically appear and react otherwise. I knew that it would be easy to convince my classmates what I am and play myself perfectly through the combination of verbal and non-verbal actions.
My expression of self was highly influenced by the performance of others as the manner in which I presented myself depended on whom I was talking to, how they perceive me and what their likes are. For individuals whom I had regarded as emotional and temperamental, I tried as much as possible to avoid jokes and statements that may hurt them easily. My expression always ensured that I did not only embarrass other people or cross them. I was, by all means communicating and interacting with my classmates based on how I see their likes and dislikes are, what I perceived them to be, or how they presented themselves to me.