Gender Roles - The World As Our Stage

"All the world's a stage,`and all the men and women merely players" - William Shakespeare

In Leigh S. Shaffer's From Mirror Self-Recognition to the Looking-Glass Self: Exploring the Justification Hypothesis, we see how individuals shape their behavior based upon the "reflections" they see of themselves in others reactions to them. This shows how man is a purely social creature, for without those reflections, he could not "see" himself.

This principle can be seen in how a gender's specific roles are displayed by individuals in today's society. Just like actors, people "learn to manage the impressions of others in the improvised roles of everyday life" (Leigh). This skill of managing others impressions is paramount in surviving modern-day interactions. One must always be cognisant of what others see in them. This awareness allows for one to construct an image of them self, which, in turn, can then be used by that individual to preform better in social situations. 

I see this in my daily interactions as well. Over the years, I have constructed an image of what I am, both physically and mentally. This image serves me well, for I am aware of my strengths and weaknesses. Which allows me to know when to push an issue, or perhaps, let it mellow out a bit. This approach does hamper my interactions, for I know my weaknesses, so I will try my hardest to avoid them. This helps to lead an "easier" life, but what fun is that? By improving upon my faults, I can improve my daily life, and further augment my mental self image. The goal is to increase my comfort with myself. This is all a way in which I "manage the impressions of others".

This management can also been seen in the study of gender roles, for as children we learn to balance many factors (from parental lessons to societal expectations) in the construction of our self. We watch films that show large, heavily muscled men rescuing a defenseless, but beautiful, princess. These images stick with young children, and they assume that this is the way the real world works. This can lead to a disillusioned view on gender roles and a distorted view of one's body.

Interesting study on ideal muscle mass from Harvard: here

This distorted body view carries with it some major consequences, for as a jury begins its talk on Barry Bond's perjury charges, one cant help but to consider the consequences this will have. Steroids have been in use since 1950's, when the Russian Olympic team made an incredible debut performance in the 1952 Olympics. The use of these drugs has only increased since then. With widespread media coverage and references, one cannot help but to be bombarded with images of a "magical muscle builder". This leads young athletes looking for an edge to consider an aid to their performance, in the form of steroids. This is the wrong path, for steroids are only effective when an athlete intends on training above, and beyond, the normal human limits of recovery and intensity. However, in a society filled with "miracle pills" and dreams of grandeur, who can really blame these kids?   

Who doesn't fit?