“The self, then, as a performed character, is not an organic thing that has a specific location, whose fundamental fate is to be born, to mature, and to die; it is a dramatic effect arising diffusely from a scene that is presented, and the characteristic issue, the crucial concern, is whether it will be credited or discredited.” (Goffman,1959). This quote is from Erving Goffman’s book; The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life. This quote is very powerful and it seems like many people could relate to the feeling of “playing a role” which Goffman often references. Goffman describes the human tendency to perform a version of ourselves in front of others; almost as if we are in a play.
Goffman also refers to life as a kind of ‘stage’; referring to people as ‘actors’ on the stage of life. We as human beings are performative in an attempt to gain approval and acceptance from the other ‘actors’ around us. Life is like a competition between all of the actors to see who is able to perform the best version of themselves. Human beings seem to be a projection of all of our worldly experiences.