Tuesday, April 9, 2013
COM 250 / Week 2 Discussion: The performative nature of identity communication: Is it making us snobbish and insincere?
"People enact identities by performing script that are proper for their desired identities" (p. 65 of textbook). But the problem is, does this make us less authentic and less genuine? I mean, somebody might project an identity in public life and project a different identities in private life because of the performative nature of our identity. So, by performing identity, we somewhat become an impostor. Is identity communication making us snobbish and insincere? What should we do to overcome this irony?
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Well, if you look at the movie stars or even professional wrestling on television, the actors are definitely showing they have two different identities. The one they show on television, then the one they show in their personal life to the ones they love. The way to change this is to just be yourself and not someone that you pretend to be and don't like....
ReplyDeleteI can definitely relate to Identity communication, and changing how we talk and act to fit different situations. It truly is a part of being human, but I don't think that it's a negative thing at all. If a person acted the same all day, every day, with everyone, than that would be a very boring person. I don't want someone to talk to me like they talk to their parents or girlfriend/boyfriend/spouse because first off, that's creepy, and second off, why does it matter if we slightly change how we speak to who we speak too? I can see the dilemma when we dramatically change our morals and values to fit into a group, or impress someone, but when it's a little conversation, I think it's a positive thing that we slightly adjust who we are as to not offend, or make the situation weird. I don't believe this makes a human snobbish because, as mentioned before, I wouldn't project the same image I project to my girlfriend to a professor because that's inappropriate to the professor, and it's clearly unromantic to my girlfriend. (unless of course my girlfriend is my professor, which is a ethically wrong, and it can cause a paradox that may destroy the very fabric of this class.) It certainly isn't making a person insincere either because a slight change to accommodate someones needs and personality is a positive thing I would think. Though, if we are talking on a more wider scale, then yes, it is snobbish and insincere to project yourself as one person to someone, and then to someone else, you're completely different. That's called lying and as we all know from our mommy's and daddy's it's wrong, but people still do it, which is why this world is messed up. Like Adam mentioned, the media portrays that's it's okay to play someone else because it's fun, so society does that every day(if that makes sense). I think it would be futile to suggest a plan to overcome this irony, because we change to meet peoples interests and needs so subconsciously, that I don't believe we notice it until it's pointed out to us, or two different groups of people meet up. So that's my take on this blog, I think this is a very interesting, and psychologically grasping subject, I'd love if someone has any other opinions, please feel free to share.
ReplyDeleteRegards,
Steven Greene
I agree with you that we need to perform our identity depending on the context of our communication. But we cannot perform our character to make people believe we possess some quality which we don't have. Society allow us to perform does not mean we can misuse and abuse this leeway. More important, somebody even believe what they are performing. They are addicted to the benefits generated from performing and will keep doing this, to the extent they even believe what they are performing. For example, I am a coward, I can perform for a moment that I am a brave man. But I know very clearly who I truly is and will not dwell on that identity. This performance thing is very prevalent in our society now. People adopt some identity and can use equipment to make others, and even themselves to believe this identity.
ReplyDeleteMaybe I have watched too much Dr. Phil and I know in real life most people are generally sincere and genuine. But we need to be very mindful about this danger that we may be seduced to perform an identity and dwell on it.
There's no doubt that many people are affected by society with regards to their identity, but this could be because a number of factors. Shyness, or human nature to perform differently under certain circumstances can result in this less-than genuine identity.
ReplyDeleteTo solve this issue is to be comfortable with your own identity and perform it always. Certain circumstances will allow to act differently, such as enacting with children, but for everyday re occurrences of communication it would be best to present one's self with one identity. As we have discussed in class, high school is a prime example of this multiple identity personality. A person can be presented as a certain individual within school, but once seen in the real world will act as if a different person. This is acceptable up until a point in life, because as kids we are opening up to the world and its many ideas that change who we are. However, once we are living on our owns and have become true adults we must conform to one identity. This will make our lives and others much easier to live with. You don't want two different friends coming to you with different perceived identities of who you are.
To overcome this conflicting battle of ironic identities we must arrive at the person who we want to be, become comfortable with our identity, and perform this identity at all times. To accomplish this task we must first ask ourselves if we want to be known with one identity?
I wouldn’t say that identity communication is making us snobbish and insincere; it gives people a base to start with. Since society has an image that they expect us to achieve, people start from a young age to accomplish this identity. I think that having this expected imagine does make a lot of people insecure and doesn’t help make them confident because they feel that they have to match up with everyone else. And if they don’t match up that they are worthless or less than their peers. I would agree though that with an expected identity it does make people impostors because they have to act a certain way to accommodate to the norm. And in America if you stand out and don’t fit in with a certain group you could be classified as a loner, emo, different which messes with a person’s self-esteem about themselves. On the other hand if you are considered to be popular, in a cool group, athletic, the perfect image of an American teenager than it boosts ones ego. This can result negatively because since you find you and your group are above everyone than you tend to be rude and snobbish; when in reality that’s not who you truly are but since you see these type of people act this way you will replicate the actions. People need to find a balance between fitting in with the norm and being unique and original. It doesn’t hurt to conform to others but once in a while you need to stray from this perfect image and create your own.
ReplyDeleteI personally can see performing identities being a problem. Many people act certain ways to be noticed and accepted by others. Whether it is being an actor/actress, singer or just a normal human being. People put on fronts so they are perceived a certain way to avoid being hurt, rejected, not good enough, made fun of…..etc. I was actually watching an interview that related to this discussion. The interview was of a singer name Toni Braxton. Her and her sister recently started a TV show called Braxton Family Values. The interviewer was asking Toni if Tv and acting certain ways on the show effected there family in any way. She stated that her little sister who was part of the show started being very dramatic and very snobbish off camera. She states that it got to a point that her family was telling her that she is acting fake now that she got the attention of viewers and now is a TV star. I believe that people in general do become less authentic and genuine becomes a person started acting how they normally wouldn’t and it then becomes a scripted routine. Most people do change their natural identities in some sort because we know we have to act certain ways in order to get certain things. Also these days we are so immune to performing identities that we just think it is a way a person or one self acts all the time.
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