Philosophers in the Existential Tradition

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Philosophers
Philosophers in the existential tradition argue that there is a distinction between who one really is and their public persona, or the identities they exhibit to others. This argument holds true in various circumstances. A person’s personality is formed by the combination of qualities and characteristics that make up a unique character. However, the characteristics and qualities that we display in public places are often distinct from our personal qualities and characteristics. It can be assumed that almost every person hides an aspect of themselves from the public, be it at work, with family, or friends. The desire to hide such qualities is, therefore, normal for human beings. Part of the reason why people choose to hide these personal traits is that society expects them to obey certain social conventions. The society is governed by certain social expectations and pressures, which bind a person’s actions and behavior. The public persona is therefore designed to adhere to these social pressures and expectations as required by society. In some instances, the public person is shaped by the role assigned to an individual by others, which forces the individual to live out the role as a requirement. An example would be an individual who is assigned the role of the president or prime minister. Individuals in such roles are required to publicly portray qualities such as resilience, empathy, and courageous even when faced with challenging situations and other pressures. A similar case is also exhibited in the workplace. Individuals t...