Modernity and Self-Identity - Essay Example

Name: University: Course: Tutor: Date: (The students are already seated in their lecture halls. The lecturer had invited three theorists who would help his students understand better the concept of self in modern society. He enters together with the visitors and makes a brief introduction of each one of them. They also salute the students in turns as they take their respective seats. One of them is Erving Goffman. He is a renowned sociologist whose study focuses on human relations. His writings mainly explain the manner in which people behave both in public and private lives, with greater effort placed in the creation of an impression that will appeal to the public. The other participant in the dialogue is Anthony Giddens. He is also a well-known sociologist for his concept of structuration and an all-inclusive view of contemporary societies. Finally, the third theorist is known as Nancy Chodorow. She is a sociologist whose ideas are mostly oriented to gender issues. The lecture hall is almost fully packed; the three guests enter as the students give them a round of applause. They take their respective seats and the lecturer orders everyone to be quiet….). Lecturer: Welcome everyone to today’s forum. (He is applauded by the students, an indication that they like him. He pauses for a while then proceeds). The society has for a long time taken the issue of self as mostly a personal matter. However, sociologists have a different view on it. The interaction between an individual and the entire society brings about influence on the self ( Elliott, 2007 p 29). Dynamics in these relations have contributed in shaping the way in which society defines the self as a commodity in the 21st century. Today’s society is materialistic, coupled with a desire to fulfil selfish interests, which they hope will help to improve their self at the expense of other people around them. Mr. Erving what is your view on this? Erving Goffman: It is true that the self is a product of some other factors, which act in specific contexts. These factors have the role of shaping the private self to attain a certain level that can be presented to the public. In other words, the society assumes the role of modelling an individual for the sake of social relations. It is an idea that revolves around making a certain kind of impression to the rest of the people for them to see. For instance, celebrities and other renowned people in the society provide a very good example of the self within the social context. Their lives are greatly determined by the impression they create on the masses ( Elliott, 2007 p 29). Consequently, they have to groom and behave in a particular manner so that they depict the self that will appeal and impress the public. Lecturer: Before you proceed, I want to bring something into perspective. At the onset of the 21st century, there was a remarkable advancement in technology, which foresaw unprecedented growth in the way people present themselves within the social world. This occurred as a result of the manner in which the society has gradually defined self as a substance that can be quantified and even valued on monetary terms ( Burns, 1991, p 18). Consequently, this issue has raised a number of questions such as the following: Is this an issue to worry about as far as progress in the society is concerned? Erving Goffman: In most of my writings, I have addressed the issue of self and society with greater detail. The society has framed individuals to live in a state that makes them avoid embarrassment to themselves and to their friends. As a result, they try as much as possible to fit into the self that their audience is expecting to see. They will therefore change their appearance, or environment to suit the expectations of the public ( Elliott, 2007 p 30). Sometimes, it can cost them a lot to appear in a certain manner, but because of the social acceptance, respect and recognition, they will go ahead and bear the expenses. Hence, similar to a commodity, the self can be valued and quantified. This is alarming because it has become acceptable in the society as the order of the day. The danger lies in the manner in which self is materialized to become objects of trade. Lecturer: Thank you for that comment; let us now hear what Mr Giddens has to say about it… Anthony Giddens: (clearing his throat) Thank you very much. I feel honoured to be part of this discussion because I want to help people understand their social realm in a better way. The argument by my fellow scholar is acceptable, although I have a different point of view as far as the self in 21st century is concerned. It is true that the social and cultural practices and experiences contribute to the formation of self. Nevertheless, the concept of reflexivity counts for every aspect of self in the modern society. Since the earliest civilizations, individuals have in their own capabilities determined their likes and dislikes ( Giddens, 1991, p 32). Lecturer: Before you continue, kindly help us understand the idea of reflexivity. Anthony Giddens: Reflexivity is a concept that focuses on the relationship between cause and effect of occurrences, particularly in this case within the social context (Tucker, 1998). It shows how a person can shape his or her own preferences in an autonomous manner with little or no influence from other factors. The self in modern society follows a path of its own destiny ( Giddens, 1991, p 71). Lecturer: Do you think that idea is possible? Actually, I tend to treat it like an ideal case. (There is a little murmuring from the crowd, which dies out gradually.) Anthony Giddens: Everyone is in an effort to construct his or her own niche in the social hierarchy. In addition, those who have already attained their positions in the social hierarchy are striving to maintain these functions. I can describe this phenomenon as a social change from the traditional way in which people carried themselves within pre-set guidelines that were supposed to be followed to the latter. However, modern society has brought about transformation such that the new identity is formed through self-creation process. This has been necessitated and encouraged by expressiveness and initiatives for self-empowerment ( Tucker, 1998). Lecturer: Ms Nancy Chodorow, kindly tell us what your opinion is on this issue? Nancy Chodorow: Thank you very much for this opportunity. I have listened to the two scholars and am compelled to say that both of them are revolving around the idea of self though from different angles. One thing is very clear and cannot be overlooked. People are born with some concept of self though it is based and limited by gender difference. Lecturer: Perhaps you should expound on it… Nancy Chodorow: Male and female children experience different social surroundings during their process of growth. These experiences shape the manner in which ladies and gents view the concept and value of self later in life. Actually, in every culture, feminine nature is portrayed to have a deeper relationship with other people in the community than the masculine nature does (Chodorow, 1979). Boys and young men grow with a sense of masculine identity just like the way girls and young women grow with a feeling of feminine identity, although the two genders do not experience the same problems. During the formative years of a male child, he develops problems in accepting masculine personalities. This is because his mother is the key person he interacts with during his early life. Men thus require gaining a perfect idea of self and gender difference because of the fundamental gender identity problems that were established in early years (Chodorow, 1979). Nevertheless, the idea of gender difference is well elaborate for girls because they learn them from the right person; their mother. Consequently, girls are more affected by social pressures to behave in a particular manner because they are acting naturally as feminine. As the social world becomes dynamic, the expression of social identities can fluctuate considerably ( Deegan, 2012, p 233). Such fluctuations in identity provide evidence of the ways in which people respond to their environment and are obliged to make choices that seem most appropriate to that setting. Lecturer: How do you rate the masculine or feminine gender on overconsumption? Nancy Chodorow: Feminine personalities are more extravagant in their spending than masculine ones. Statistics show that most of the citizens in Australia have adopted the culture of overconsumption. It is naturally known that women spending rate is at a higher scale when compared to that of men. This is because, even though everyone wants to make their best appearances in public in order to impress others, ladies are the most affected. Ladies are more cautious of their outlook than men ( Hamilton, 2002, p 3). Therefore, expectations from the society precede gender identities hence making individuals to be subjects of manipulation. They will go at whatever length and incur any cost to fill the gap that would otherwise be manifest if they did not conform to societal demands. Erving Goffman: This issue is turning out very interesting. My fellow scholars, there is need to put into considerations the notion that in most cases, people do not have a choice but to subject to societal demands. Instead, the current situation in the modern world sets the pace and the preconditions with little or no room for alternatives. For instance, the increase in frequency of communication between two or more people is necessitated by advancement in technology. Before communication devices were invented, passage of information from one place to another used to take a lot of time because of the use of primitive methods. However, in the current world, communication is happening in almost real time. Everyone is now compelled to carry communication devices for the purpose of passing or receiving information. Similarly, people do not have a choice but to conform to the conditions that have already been pre-set by the social world so that they can fit into the system (Demerath & Beckford, 2007, p 552). Public figures such as politicians always ensure that they create and maintain a certain impression so that they can retain the confidence of their followers. Their self exists in an unconscious state where it is prevented from obtaining the forms of knowledge, thoughts and emotions. Lecturer: That is very serious indeed because it implies that the person has no control over what happens around him or her! Erving Goffman: As a matter of fact, it is an experience that explains why such a person’s life is full of apprehension, and strain. This is not only found in high profile individuals but every person is affected. For instance, an interviewee will have to present himself in before the interviewer in a particular manner so that he can increase his chances of being hired for the job. Even if he never wears a suit and a tie, that moment he will do so ( Kumar & Weintraub, 1997, p 157). Why? Because that is how the society has shaped us to become. We want to appear as ideal as possible because we think that our irregularities will affect our acceptance in the society. This is the practice that has forced Australians to adopt a culture of overconsumption as they try to satisfy their cravings to impress others. Most of the Australians’ spending habits are guided by the advertisements conveyed through the mass media ( Hamilton, 2002, p 2). They are left overwhelmed by societal expectations to appear in a particular manner. Therefore, it is clearly evident that the value of self is determined by the impression we create about ourselves on others. This is no more less but a materialistic point of view which considers the self as a commodity. Anthony Giddens: This explanation reveals the underlying problems of creation of self. Although the process is seen as one that leads to autonomy of self on the outward look, it leaves a lot to be desired. However, such problems can only be realized when scrutinized keenly. This process makes a person to lose grip in the social dynamics ( Tucker, 1998, p 206). Erving Goffman: The self is just like a personality that has theatrical influence which stands out from the manner in which it is portrayed to the masses. The most important thing and the one which makes individuals to be careful on the impression created to the audience is that, this theatrical framing can be accepted or declined ( Elliott, 2007 p39). A good impression counts a lot in the social realm. This is how recommendation for a job or something else works. A person who has been recommended by a high profile figure such as the chief executive officer of a certain company is more likely to get the job than the one who does not have someone to recommend him or is recommended by a person of lesser authority in the social hierarchy. Also, a theatre patient is most likely to accept to be operated by a doctor who he or she knows about his competence and skills than the one he does not ( Elliott, 2007 p39). On the same note, a child feels safe with his mother than with a stranger implying a specific impression was created for that person, a relationship that is distinct and based on one’s own personal encounter with that person. Lecturer: Wow! Mr. Anthony, do you want to add something? Anthony Giddens: Yes of course, I have something to add. Although many people have become empowered through self-creation, they have also paid price for it. This occurs after conforming to the requirements already set by the social-world; thereby making a person to rise in the social ladder. For example, an upcoming politician has to behave in a certain manner so that he can impress his voters and woo many more supporters. He has to dress in a certain way, talk and interact with particular people who have influence so that he can sail through. After he wins the position he wanted, he will do everything possible to retain the first impression he created on his supporters provided he is ambitious and wants to grow his career. In a nut shell, he becomes enslaved such that he has to do exactly what the social world demands in order to attain success. Therefore, we can say that modernity renders people to feel powerless because they have got little or no control of what affects their self ( Tucker, 1998, p 207). This is similar to the way an object has no control over the person who determines its value, hence self is just another commodity. Lecturer: In other words, the idea gravitates back to the issue of self being depicted as a commodity? Anthony Giddens: Absolutely. And it is worth noting that formation of self occurs in the social framework, which is controlled by authorities that are on the other hand susceptible to improbability. Some of these authorities include the church, mass media, government and its agencies, and family settings mainly the parents. Religious authorities such as the church are always at war of words with mass media because of its negative influence on the masses ( Tucker, 1998, p 206). Lecturer: Mentioning about mass media, what can you say about the advertisements being displayed and transmitted through the mass media channels? Nancy Chodorow: The society is to blame concerning this issue. It has greatly contributed in making people believe that they can get emotional satisfaction by responding to what marketers display through the mass media. They are bombarded with information which promises to improve their quality of life ( Hamilton, 2002, p 26). Another aspect found in advertisements is the use of erotic images to attract the customer’s attention. Images used in these advertisements comprise of almost naked women with the level of nudity varying from one place to another and with the type of advertisement made. This is a proof that the modern society has assumed and defined the self as a commodity. This practice is detrimental to feminist movements that have been on the rise ever since 20th century. It can therefore be argued that modernity has to some extent affected feminism in a negative way through perpetuation of such practices. Erving Goffman: Advancements in technology affect the social and cultural environments around which people live. Social media and mass media channels have great authority on the end consumers. Aggressive advertisements which are displayed through the mass media and social media channels convey the message that happiness can be attained by living luxuriously. The end consumer feels disconnected when he or she does not join the band-wagon of extravagance. However, most of these images depict ideal cases and the most interesting thing is that individuals, who watch them, usually develop a craving to idealness. The craving is immense as the individuals find themselves spending more than they earn hence the increase in consumer debt ( Hamilton, 2002, p 2). However, as long as the delivered content is profitable to the mass media companies, they do not care on their influences to the society through repeated production of negative images. Adolescents are predominantly vulnerable because of their curiosity and therefore most advertisements are designed to target them (Riggins, 1990, p 164). In addition to effect of mass media, there is peer pressure, which makes the young people hardly resist the main cultural messages that the media perpetuates and reinforces. Lecturer: Thank you very much for your contribution to the dialogue. (He shakes their hands one at a time and then faces the students), I believe this forum was very helpful to all of you. It has helped to unearth different feelings and opinions that people had concerning the concept of self in the modern world. It has been found true that the self is indeed taken as a commodity, which has a material value. This has been encouraged by the contemporary social norms and forms which have contributed to a great detail the creation of self within the realm of modernity. It has been realized that concept of self exists in either objective of subjective states. Most of the people are unconscious of their self, and therefore they have no control over their actions and behaviours because they are subjects to other external forces. Consequently, “the self in the 21st century is just another commodity.” (The lecturer and his three guests rise to their feet ready to leave, the rest of the students rise also as they give them another round of applause) Reference List Burns, T. (1991), Erving Goffman, Routledge, New York. Chodorow, N. (1979), Gender Differences in the Creation of Difference, Retrieved September 25, 2012, from http://staff.um.edu.mt/mbor7/gender.htm Cronk, G. (2005, June 27), George Herbert Mead (1863—1931), Retrieved September 19, 2012, from http://www.iep.utm.edu/mead/#SH6b Deegan, M. J. (2012), Self, War, and Society: George Herbert Mead's Macrosociology, Transaction Publishers, Edison. Demerath, J., & Beckford, P. J. (2007), The SAGE Handbook of the Sociology of Religion, SAGE, Thousand Oaks. Elliott, A. (2007), Concepts of the Self, Polity, Cambridge. Giddens, A. (1991), Modernity and Self-Identity: Self and Society in the Late Modern Age, Stanford University Press, Stanford. Hamilton, C. (2002), Overconsumption in Australia, The rise of the middle-class battler, The Australia Institute Bruce ACT, 2617. Kumar, K., & Weintraub, J. (1997), Public and Private in Thought and Practice: Perspectives on a Grand Dichotomy, University of Chicago Press, Chicago. Little, D. (2012, April 19), George Herbert Mead on the self, Retrieved September 19, 2012, from http://understandingsociety.blogspot.com/2012/04/george-herbert-mead-on-self.html Tucker, K. (1998), Anthony Giddens and Modern Social Theory, SAGE, Canyon. Morrione, T., & Blumer, H. (2004), George Herbert Mead and Human Conduct, Rowman Altamira, Blue Ridge Smt. Riggins, S. (1990), Beyond Goffman: Studies on Communication, Institution, and Social Interaction, Walter de Gruyter, Berlin. Read More