Erving Goffman

"We learn to manage our emotions through social performance."

"Authenticity is itself a kind of performance."

"Society depends on our willingness to perform for one another."

"The concept of face is central to social interaction."

"We adapt our behavior based on our audience and context."

"Self-awareness emerges through social interaction with others."

"The maintenance of social order requires constant negotiation."

"Our identities are not fixed but fluid and contextual."

"The presentation of self is both art and necessity."

"Everyday interactions are more complex than they appear."

"We are all engaged in a kind of social theater."

"The self is constructed through social performance and interaction."

"Deference and demeanor are key elements of social performance."

"Social life requires tact and diplomacy in everyday encounters."

"The meaning of our actions depends on the context of our interactions."

"We are always aware of how we appear to an imagined audience."

"Stigmatized individuals must manage the impressions others form of them."

"Social institutions function to regulate and control behavior."

"The self requires constant maintenance through social interaction."

"We perform not to deceive but to participate in social life."

"Interaction is the fundamental unit of social life."

"Our sense of shame and embarrassment reflects social values."

"The front stage of life is where we perform for public audiences."

"The back stage is where we relax our social performances."

"Social mobility depends partly on our ability to perform new roles."

"The presentation of self is constrained by social norms and expectations."

"Conversation is a fundamental form of human interaction."

"We maintain our identity through strategic impression management."

"Social interaction requires a kind of mutual agreement to suspend disbelief."

"The self is an accomplishment that requires ongoing social work."