People may encounter a situation where a meaning is not truly understood while interacting with others. In this kind of situation, symbolic interactionism theory is useful to understand the way people behave by understanding the meaning and processes created by humans. Symbolic interaction is the ongoing use of language and gestures a person uses in anticipation of how the other will react; a conversation (Griffin, 2012, p.54).
This analysis is merely focusing on Mead’s concept of the self. Individuals create an identity and understanding of the self through reflection of the self via perception and judgment of others- the looking glass theory. According to Charles Cooley (1902), looking-glass self is defined as the mental self-image that results from taking the role of the other; the objective self; me. (Griffin, 2012)
To further explain what does Mead's concept of self means,here is an example from 3 Idiots movie.
In this movie, the self is focusing on Farhan's life. Since he was born, his parents already decided that he will become an engineer when he grown up. Since he was the only child in the family, his parents really want him to work as an engineer so that he can afford to take care of them and the society will respect him. Few years later he was accepted in Imperial College of Engineering, the best engineering college in India. Unfortunately, Farhan's dream is not to be an engineer, but a photographer. However, he couldn't be what he want to be because he knows that his parents and other people will laugh at him if he work as a photographer. Moreover, he thinks that people will look down on him if he earns small salary by becoming a photographer whilst he's actually can get more if he becomes an engineer. This shows that Farhan is actually imagining how does he appear to other people and then he develops self-feelings according to the judgement made by others to him.
The self is defined from the Symbolic Interactionism perspective as a complex interpretive process that involves a continuous communication between the “I” and the “Me;” that is, the “I” acts and the “Me” defends, evaluates, and interprets the self as reflected by others (Mead, 1934).
This scene is showing Farhan during his final year to complete his study in engineering. Finally, Farhan had the courage to tell his parents about his passion of being a photographer instead of an engineer after his friends supported him. Before he confessed his feelings to his parents he actually finds it hard to explain it. The reason being is that he afraid that his parents, especially his father will not understand his feelings and unable to accept him after all the sacrifices that his father made for him. Moreover, Farhan also think that his father will embarrass if he don't be an engineer as he knows that all people in his neighborhood praise him of being manage to enter the best engineering college in the country.
Fortunately, his parenst are willing to understand what Farhan really want in his life instead of thinking of what will people say about him. Farhan was so glad that he was accepted by his parents the way he really is to himself after so many years he is force to be someone that he is not just to fit in the society.
In conclusion, the self occur through the process of social interaction with others. Through the looking-glass self, people see and judge themselves from what others think of them thus thier identity was created via others reflection.
REFERENCES
Mead, G. H. (1934). Mind, self, and society. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press
Griffin, Em. (2012). A First Look at Communication Theory. (8th ed.) New York, NY: McGraw Hill.
3 Idiots Trailer - Three Idiots Promo. retrieved on 4/4/2012 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CiV0oJoctA
3IDIOTS_ENGLISH(PART 14).wmv retrieved on 4/4/2012 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPhoOojx9OM&feature=relmfu
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