Public Self/ Private Self

Disclaimer: I am writing this having nevertruly studied the social psychology behind the idea of public self vs private self. And anything written henceforth is more an epistle to figure this all out. If you're interested, read on. Thanks, Management.

After beginning to read David Foster Wallace's book 'The Pale King' I have become interested in the concept of public self vs private self. To provide context of the book, the book is a tornadic introduction to the 'main character' Dave Wallace and his time at the IRS center in Peoria, Ill during the years of 1985-86. During a chapter in which David Foster Wallace breaks the mold of the 'fiction genre' and becomes more of a memoir, he describes the feeling of public self and private self. And he concludes that perhaps it is a 'performative self.'

After thinking about if it was really a private self and a performative self or a public and performative, I opine that perhaps we have all three within us. For example, take a person who is in a very public job, like a congressman or whatever.

Fig 1.1

Public Self Private Self

Senator Husband, Hunter, Catholic, etc.

But then, what is the performative self of this equation? I would suggest then that the performative self would be more the abstruse thought that every politician actually cares deeply about every issue, across the board. So then:

Fig 1.2

Public Self Private Self Performative Self

Job True feelings/Inner thoughts The 'Platform'.

Furthermore, the signification behind 'platform' suggests the basis of which the politician launches their career. Granted, the performative self may infiltrate the private self and vice versa. However, I'd like to make the distinction behind a private thought (i.e. feelings about abortion) and the performative thought (i.e. passing a bill about abortion). And to take a politico like JFK who claimed during the presidential debates that he would leave Catholicism out of the equation whilst he was working in the Oval Office. But then I suppose that this is the crux of the question, then isn't it? Is there a clear meadow between each of the three parts of the self. Or perhaps is it more of a continuum. Something in the same field of vision as Plato's Divided Line.

Fig 1.3

To thrust forcibly my own beliefs into the model set forth by your friend and mine (Plato), I think it would appear something like this:

Fig 1.4

Intelligible World:

Forms (I.e. A Senator is a from, perhaps a title what Barthes and Co. would call a 'sign').

Private/Public Self

World Of Appearance

Forms (I.e. What Barthes and Co. would call a 'signifier'.

Performative (Platform)

So then to make the already murky waters a bit more brackish, could the 'performative self' also have a 3(a) section in the way of a 'perceived performative self.'

I.e. The public (voters) expect the Senator to display the 'good' when deciding public policy, to remain faithful to his country and his obligations, and to uphold the blah blah blah. Isn't that why they take the Oath of Office then and are sworn in.

So then perhaps our diagram would look something like this:

Fig 1.5

Public Private Performative Perceived Performative

Job Beliefs Platform Mores

I think I'll leave it here for now. More later.

~Jon