Erving Goffman

"The audience for our performances is not passive; they shape what we do through their reactions."

"What we call 'authenticity' is itself often a carefully constructed performance."

"In social interaction, sincerity is measured by how well we convince others of our performance."

"The self is not something we have; it is something we do in interaction with others."

"We are all somewhat fraudulent in our self-presentations, but this is not necessarily a moral failing."

"The maintenance of social order requires that people agree to cooperate in upholding each other's performances."

"Every person has multiple audiences, and they must manage different impressions for each."

"The presentation of self is constrained by what others are willing to accept and believe about us."

"We develop a sense of self through our experiences of how others react to our performances."

"The rules of interaction are more flexible than they first appear, but they are not infinitely flexible."

"In the presence of others, we cannot help but monitor and manage the impression we give off."

"The front stage and back stage distinction helps us understand how people manage different aspects of their lives."

"We are more likely to break social rules in the back stage, where we think no one is watching."

"The presentation of self requires emotional labor—the management of feelings to create the right impression."

"Every interaction involves an implicit negotiation about what kind of encounter it will be."

"We judge others based on their performances, even though we know those performances are selective."

"The self is a product of social interaction, not something that exists prior to it."

"We maintain our sense of self by controlling information about ourselves that might damage our image."

"The presentation of self is not optional in social life; it is something we must do to participate."

"What we think of as natural social behavior is often the result of extensive training and practice."

"The concept of role allows us to understand how people behave in consistent ways across different situations."

"We are all engaged in a constant process of presenting ourselves and interpreting the presentations of others."

"The presentation of self is not a superficial activity—it goes to the heart of what it means to be human."