People are inherently social beings, predetermining their self-perception, presentation, and identification through interaction with others. However, there are multiple ways to interact with the social environment and how they might affect self-presentation. Each individual’s identity incorporates several images of themselves, including those constructed from the perspective of society and those reflecting one’s self-perception or true self (Goffman, 2018). Nonetheless, one’s behavior changes depending on a situation or environment, making an individual play a role as if life were a dramaturgical scene. Goffman (2018) refers to such identity alterations in the social context as stigmas. Moreover, the influence of the environment might be of such a power that a gloried self emerges based on the vision of an individual by others as a celebrity. Thus, people are forced to balance their true selves with the gloried and stigmatized identities imposed by society or media. This paper will explore the concepts of stigmatized and glorified identities and analyze them using examples of popular fictional characters and celebrities to explain how people navigate their competing identities.
The interaction between individuals in a social environment involves performing particular roles. These roles are metaphorically referred to as theatrical roles, which, according to Goffman (2018), set a particular mood for communication. Indeed, one’s self emerges as a continuously changing phenomenon that depends on external factors. The same person might act, behave, and communicate differently in different life situations and with different people. Goffman (2018) emphasizes that the definition of a situation and self contributes to how one behaves in a collective. A person’s appearance and behavior are the only things exhibited to others for their perception and judgment. According to Goffman (2018), it is through appearance and actions, either intentional or unintentional, that others perceive an individual’s identity. The sociologist states that “the individual will have to act so that he intentionally or unintentionally expresses himself, and the others will, in turn, have to be impressed in some way by him” (Goffman, 2018, p. 198). Therefore, an individual alters his or her true self to disclose only the appropriate characteristics of the situation.
Moreover, one changes his or her identity concerning others’ perception of their identity. Indeed, the perception of others is a complex social construct that predetermines how society might treat an individual belonging to a particular social group. For example, a well-known episode from the film Titanic shows Jack (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) preparing a fancy dinner in a first-class restaurant. He finds a suit to look like a decent representative of the first class. In such a manner, he alters his identity as a poor man to avoid judgment and a superior attitude from other guests at the event. In Goffman’s (2018) view, such behavior is a calculation made to impress others and trigger anticipated perception. In particular, “sometimes the individual will act in a thoroughly calculating manner, expressing himself in a given way solely to give a kind of impression to others,” triggering an anticipated response (Goffman, 2018, p. 199). Thus, people play roles when performing in social plays; on the contrary, societies might impose specific expectations or attitudes toward the representatives of particular groups, thus shaping such individuals’ behavior and identity.
Consequently, the expectations that society has about the representatives of particular social groups, such as racial or gender minorities, specific professions, or other categories of the population, force people to navigate their identities. Indeed, such stereotypical perception of vulnerable populations stigmatizes them, causing significant alternations in their self-presentation. A vivid example of the navigation of a true self and a stigmatized identity might be the figure of French novel writer George Sand. This female writer could not create and publish her works under her real name because it was impossible for women to be perceived seriously in writer’s roles. Therefore, she altered her identity to achieve opportunities in her career and enable her talent to be recognized.
Similarly, changes in identity occur under the persistent influence of media on celebrity personas. Such identities are called gloried and defined as the media self “created from the glory experience … influenced largely by media portrayals” (Adler & Adler, 2018, p. 219). The sociologists claim that the attention of people through the lens of media representation shapes a gloried or media self, which is different from the true identity, as well as the possible stigmatized identity (Adler & Adler, 2018). There are significant complications of the exposure to media attention, which creates ambiguity in the roles a celebrity plays in different spheres of life. When navigating these competing identities, an individual might experience the inability to differentiate his or her true self from the one created by the media. Moreover, the distinctions between the identities might be disruptive to one’s self-perception. For example, the frontman of The Doors, Jim Morrison, exhibited destructive behaviors such as using drugs and alcohol to suppress his suffering from the media’s misrepresentation of his personality. The media was particularly interested in his looks, while the musician most anticipated being appreciated for his artistic contribution.
In summary, the life of a person in contemporary society imposes significant challenges for self-identification and self-presentation. Multiple factors are derived from the ways society and media see an individual set a need for navigating glorified and stigmatized identities with true identities. On the one hand, people play social roles in triggering anticipated perceptions and attitudes of others. On the other hand, stereotypes and media representation might have a stigmatizing and destructive impact on individuals, altering their true identities and stigmatizing them. Therefore, to live among others, people are continuously exposed to the need to navigate conflicting identities, playing roles in the theatre called social life.
References
Adler, P., & Adler, P. (2018). The gloried self. In S. E. Cahill, K. Sandstorm, & C. Froyum (eds.) Inside social life: Readings in sociological psychology and microsociology (8th ed.) (pp. 217-236). Oxford Publishing Press.
Goffman, E. (2018). The presentation of self. In S. E. Cahill, K. Sandstorm, & C. Froyum (eds.) Inside social life: Readings in sociological psychology and microsociology (8th ed.) (pp. 197-205). Oxford Publishing Press.