Irving Goffman

"The self emerges from social interaction, not prior to it."

"We perform our lives, and in doing so, create meaning."

"Social interaction requires continuous impression management."

"The presentation of self is both strategic and authentic."

"We are all directors of our own social performances."

"Interaction depends on the cooperation of all participants."

"Our social identities are negotiated in interaction."

"The stage upon which we perform is society itself."

"We manage the impressions we make through language and action."

"Social life is a series of performances with rehearsed and improvised elements."

"Authenticity and performance are not opposites in social interaction."

"The self is a performed character, not an inner essence."

"Social order is maintained through adherence to interaction rituals."

"We all engage in face-saving behavior to preserve dignity."

"Performance is integral to the construction of social reality."

"The definition of the situation shapes all subsequent interaction."

"We present idealized versions of ourselves in social situations."

"Social institutions are founded on the performances of ordinary people."

"Impression management serves to create and maintain social order."

"The backstage reveals the true nature of social performance."

"We coordinate our performances with others to create social meaning."

"Social interaction is fundamentally collaborative and performative."

"The self is neither a commodity nor a possession but a process."

"We engage in strategic disclosure of information about ourselves."

"Social life requires constant attention to the expectations of others."

"Our identities are multiple and situational, not fixed."

"The presentation of self reveals the ritualized nature of social life."

"We all use front-stage behavior to maintain appropriate facades."

"Social interaction depends on shared rules and mutual understanding."

"Performance is not deception but the essence of social life."