In a world where the internet, and more specifically social media gaining an evergrowing presence in people’s lives, the way that people portray themselves on apps such as Instagram and TikTok etc, has created a growing consensus, particularly from the youth of today, that they must live their lives a certain way.
Erving Goffman implied in the book ‘The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life’ with his theory of ‘Impression Management’. In this, he states that “the individual in ordinary work situations presents himself and his activity to others, the ways in which he guides and controls the impression they form of him” (Goffman, 1959), while also introducing the concept of front-stage, back-stage, and off-stage performances, which implies that people act differently (performing) when in front of people to create a perception of them which may not be entirely accurate in the attempt to look better.
Although Goffman’s theory still holds weight in today’s society, he wrote this book in 1959, and since then media has changed drastically and therefore doesn’t account for the way social media has been used by influencers, celebrities, and regular civilians alike to create false identities. One of the best examples I can provide of how Goffman’s theory can be applied to social media is looking into the rise, fall, and resurgence of Lil Tay. In around 2017/2018, Lil Tay was a 9-year-old internet sensation who was best known for flaunting ‘her’ extensive range of sports cars, stacks of cash, and designer clothes, she immediately stood out because of her age and how flashy she portrayed her lifestyle to be (the video embedded above shows clips of some of her most famous videos), and she influenced others on Instagram and YouTube, such as Supreme Patty, to copy her blueprint and flaunt their “wealth” aggressively to their audience.
She began to blow up in the early months of 2018, reaching over 2 million followers in 3 months, however, her momentum suddenly came crashing down after she appeared to suddenly disappear. She stopped posting in the Summer of 2018, and since then, there had been reports of maltreatment from her parents and carers, who were taking control of Lil Tay’s social media accounts, which had been further perpetuated by posts on Tay’s own account, as well as a death hoax and the eventual resurgence of Lil Tay in 2023. Her comeback shed light on what had been happening behind the scenes of her social media life, and how not she was not living as glamourous as it seemed.
References:
Cole, Nicki Lisa, Ph.D. “Goffman’s Front Stage and Back Stage Behavior.” ThoughtCo, Feb. 16, 2021, thoughtco.com/goffmans-front-stage-and-back-stage-behavior-408797
Goffman, E. (1959). The moral career of the mental patient. Psychiatry, 22(2), 123-142.
I think Lil Tay is a simple yet effective example to illustrate the point that social media is a stage and followers (the audience) will never get to see everything that is happening backstage. I watched her livestream in which she explained why she had disappeared and what her father had done to her. While I found her experience heartbreaking, I couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable when I realized she was also promoting her new single. This PR move just shows that, even when people are showing parts of their “real” life, it is still carefully orchestrated, and we as spectators need to be more conscious when consuming their content.
The story of Lil Tay written in the blog is an interesting example, and I have learnt more about it through the internet, the extravagant life that this little girl has shown on the internet , makes me keep questioning the fact that nowadays, in the online society, people often post false news in order to establish a persona. In my social circle there will also be some people who often post some of their exquisite life on the media, but these are just relying on their own construction, not real, in order to make people around them think that they have a good life. The real life behind this online mask is unknown.
Lil Tay is such a relevant example of Goffman’s theory, especially with how extreme the death hoax was. I remember when it first started circulating around social media and how people reacted- many with ridicule and many also acknowledging how online personas and her parents may be effecting her social media presence. The public may never know specific things that go on behind the scenes with their favourite personalities and influencers, which can both be a good thing but also can become corrupt and dangerous.
Enjoyed reading this blog! I was first drawn by your feature image, and I thought that Lil Tay is the prime example to represent Goffman’s theory of performance at the front of stage and the withholding of information backstage. I remember when Lil Tay’s problems with her family were first revealed online, it finally showed a raw side of her that no one had seen before at the time but I thought it was properly sad how someone so young had to experience that whilst being in the judgement of the public.