Week 5: Goffman-What is the self? How are selves socially produced and managed?

http://www.epicfail.com/2009/08/11/facebook-job-fail/

             

            Deference is described as the means of displaying appreciation for an individual through actions. Deference works in conjunction with demeanor in the production of individuals and their expectations of social interactions. Demeanor is explored by Goffman as a way in which the individual expresses themselves through a variety of behaviors to be interpreted by other members of the social grouping. Scotts explores this in the way in which certain talk or behavior may change or be determined by the class group with whom the individual is interacting. Character profanation is when the deference does not meet the expectations of the individual and can come in the form of play, threat to others and the threat to self-image. This can occur when a ‘mark’ is ‘cooling’ or an individual is adjusting to a position that they feel does not meet their perceived demeanor. This ‘cooling’ may come in the form of venting or may be prevented through the disconnection of the individual from the role. Goffman suggests that consolation for this event can be produced when social roles remain separate.

            What we see occurring in this Facebook interaction (linked above) is a case where an individual feels they are suffering character profanation within their workplace. The status itself is obviously a case of ‘cooling’ or what Scott describes as the “hidden transcript” (Scott 1990, xii) of the subordinated. They are both venting and-it may be assumed since they are on a trial- disconnecting from the job itself as it does not yet meet their standards. The issue that arises here is that several life roles of the individual have been merged so that the transcript or ‘cooling’ of the individual is no longer hidden from those in a higher social position (i.e. their boss). Thus we see how modern technology merges several forms of social intercourse or social roles causing problems for the individual.

           

References:

Goffman, Erving. 1967. “The Nature of Deference and Demeanor”. Pp 47-96 in Interaction Ritual; Essays on Face to Face Behaviour. New York: Pantheon Books.

Goffman, Erving. 1952. “On Cooling the Mark Out: Some Aspects of Adaptation to Failure.” Available at http://www.tau.ac.il/~algazi/mat/Goffman--Cooling.htm

Scott, JC 1990, Domination and the Arts of Resistance: Hidden Transcripts, Edwards Brothers inc, United States of America.