Post 2: The Self

     Is it possible to know an individual without actually meeting them? In the electronic age of online dating and facebook it is a particularly potent issue; yet, I feel that quite possibly, people in this class may come to know each other better than if they had simply attended a traditional class together. I feel that the internet provides a sense of security in which people may share ideas, feelings or facts about themselves that they otherwise would not in a traditional class setting or even in person. When students first enter a traditional classroom, the first impression is always based upon physical appearance firstly, and alters slightly once the person speaks. In an online course, students must learn about one another solely through speech mannerisms and possibly pictures (although pictures seem to add an element similar to the traditional classroom by allowing the students to base opinions upon physical appearance as well as based upon what the person says (writes).

     However, Goffman makes an interesting point when explaining the expressiveness of the individual. He states that ‘the expressiveness of an individual involves the expression that the individual gives and the expression that the individual gives off’ (Goffman, 1959). Essentially, Goffman states that the verbal symbols he uses to convey ideas and information is one type of expression and a range of actions (mannerisms) that may or may not support the first form of expression is the second. In an online class setting, the students cannot receive expressions that the individual ‘gives’ or ‘gives off.’ I believe that it is subconsciously important for a person to understand the vibe that another individual gives off. Humans are susceptible to the moods of others and the feelings they can project; those of a unique individual are inherent to the persons personality and therefore vital in the conveying of an individual’s ‘self.’ In an online class, this is nearly impossible. While a student may glean tone and voice from another student’s blog posts, it is more difficult to do so. Humans are biologically proficient at reading other human’s facial expressions (unless the person has a disorder such as Aspergers syndrome) and gleaning information from it. With the absence of face to face contact, it would be more challenging to discern the tone or expression of the individual.
      Although I agree with this point, the argument holds that students in this class may complete the course knowing more about one another than they otherwise would have. Students may not have the ability to glean information through reading individual expression (facial and bodily), but with the added sense of security and guided prompts of the course’s organization, I believe that if the students were to meet outside of the class, it would not seem a meeting of strangers.