The Scenario, Essay Example

Ronald is suffering from a self verification crisis. He has found himself at cross roads because he is unable to decide the best course of action. One course of action will leave him with better income, while the other action will leave him poorer but he will be able to retain his high esteem. The students seem to be enjoying the fact that they are served by the by their teacher at the restaurant. Actually though far fetched, one might even conclude that the students see the chance of being served by Ronald as an opportunity to get equal to Ronald who is their senior both academically and by social status. Self consciousness has an antagonistic effect to self confidence. As one self consciousness increases the self confidence is negatively affected (Pereira). Ronald’s self consciousness is becoming his stumbling block towards establishing self esteem.

The awkwardness of the situation is underlined by the fact that Ronald is serving the students that he is teaching. Worse still the students have developed a habit of frequenting the restaurant that he serves. The performer of an act who is involved in impression management ought to give or give off the correct impression he wants the audience to have of him (Allan G p. 31).  Goffman further argues that a person creates an impression of themselves that he thinks is likely to earn him most respect and tries to maintain the self respect and esteem by doing deeds that he thinks are most respectful.

The self is an obsession that drives people towards being and feeling part of a social system, involved in an up and down dance and forgetting all about their personal obsessions (Travers). As part of the resolution of the self verification crisis that Ronald is going through, he needs to stop identifying himself as being alien to the student population. This implies that he ought to stop that painful and harmful self consciousness.

Ronald is troubled by the fact that his authority and position as a lecturer is getting compromised by the fact that he is serving the same students that attend his classes. The theory about obsession with self to a painful extent comes true since Ronald is worried about his identity not as part of a wider community but as a lone person. This openly puts him at cross roan. If Ronald is to stop worrying about his identity as a person and his esteem, he will reduce his self consciousness.  This will help him stop worrying about the view that the students have of him. Since the students often time their meals to coincide with Ronald’s shift in the restaurant. If this was seen from another perspective the students might be enjoying Ronald’s service. In this way, if the students enjoy Ronald’s service, he should revel at the opportunity to serve the students. Just as the students promptly attend Ronald’s classes, so should he enjoy serving them he will find more satisfaction and self importance in the appreciation of the students.

Ronald therefore has an option of continuing with the work at the restaurant. This will be possible if he changes his attitude towards serving the students. He should identify with the students as part of the society in which everybody fits in a natural jig and see himself as part of those participants.  In doing this he will spare himself the identity crisis that he is facing.

Works Cited

Allan G. Erving Goffman. California:SAGE. 2000.

Tavers A, Reviewing Sociology. 1997. 03 August 2009. http://www.reading.ac.uk/RevSoc/archive/volume10/number1/10-1e.htm

Perera  J. Self Confidence Tips. July 2007. 03 August 2009. http://www.more-selfesteem.com/self_confidence_tips.htm