The looking glass self is an ideology I came across during my educational journey. Its an intriguing relativity I found while I authentically sat down and evaluated my own self reflection on what allowed me to progress into this moment as I sit here striking this pen across my note pad. This ideology was formed by a man named Cooley who was aware of himself and the role others played in is identity growth process. We have all had moments where have starred the shotgun down the barrel trying to pin point whats causing the pain and how we can change that pain into pleasure. The key to what Cooley suggests equates to three concepts. These three concpets combine to create our self identity. These simple concepts are also complex in a way that most of us don’t understand them entirely and society uses them against us.
The first concept to look at is where this process starts. Whether or not we admit it, being a social creature we are constantly wondering how others will respond to what we do. We often bite our tongues to save someones feelings or we might wear certain garments to fit in or not stick out. When we do those types of things what we are really doing is looking out in the direction of others and trying to figure out how they will view us based on our presentation and our actions. We all think about how we appear to other people. Its important to see how this becomes an explotation that the oprressors use against us. They understand that we all look to each other for acceptance. That is why they do such a great job making us recognize each others differences and they use that in a way to get us to divide into the groups they choose. After all, we just want to be accepted which means if we don’t feel like we fit in we will push those people away. The disassociation from the group allows us to dehumanize that person or group of people which then boils the pot of soup over the edge of the pot into the next concept.
In the second phase it deals with the concept of how we imagine others evaluate us. This measure takes us to the selfconscious alerts and feelings we create solely based on our own. It’s in some cases taking stereotyping to the next level. In others, it’s using our critical thinking and listening skills to the best of their abilities. Ultimately, we reflect a vision of ourself based on the stereotypes we have for others and how we think those stereotypes create thoughts for them. It’s like looking into a broken mirror and wondering why we can’t see our whole selves or that we see 5 of us due to the way the mirror is cracked. Society helps us form inaccurate stereotypes that we then use to evaluate how we think others see us. Which then in returns helps us decide how to act. This leads to the concept of this self discovery process.
At this point we’ve already decided how we will present ourselves and how others feel about that presentation entirely based on the societal standards we were taught to uphold and believe. Now that we’ve made the decision to present and evaluate we create feelings about ourselves based upon those perceptions gained through the process. Which is the third concept.
To sum this up, talking about the cycle of this process is the best way to simplify it. We’re taught what to think from the media and our developmental process. Using those points of reference we try and create an identity that from a glance of very few words we will fit into the group. Once in the group we start to try and figure out how the other members value us. Using what we gather, a perception of who we are is created by us. We then use that perception and gauge it against the next in line which starts the cycle over again. Now we’re shaping our own identity and using the reflection of others to do so.
ainthavinit 