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Tribulations of the Self (Sociology) Essay

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<center><b>What constitutes the 'tribulations of the self' in contemporary society, according to Anthony Giddens? Do you agree? Give reasons for your answer.</b></center><br><br>This essay will seek an explanation of what constitutes the 'tribulations of the self' according to Anthony Giddens (1991). In the first part of this paper, I discuss some central ways language has been viewed focusing the review on social constructivist writings as well as those stemming from the study of human development. In the second part of this paper, I discuss data that leads to the reconsideration of aspects of the language - selfhood interface. I conclude by suggesting some future avenues of research.<br><br>First the essay will outline the various …show more content…

Among other things there is awarness of high consequence risks and the notion that 'things go wrong' (Giddens, 1991. P182) are going to cause anxiety in every day life. The next tribulation Giddens examines is 'ontological security, anxiety, and the sequestration of experience' (1991. p 183). Ontology is the science of being therefor ontological security is the security of being, the maintenance of identity and the self. This would cause anxiety and result in the withdrawal from certain experiences/ activities to maintain the ontology. The latter describing the sequestration of experience.<br><br>One of the main threats to this is the notion of globalisation and everyone being caught up in it. Losing a sense of place and identity due to the change in lifestyle and other aspects feel beyond our control. <br><br>This involves exposure to crisis situations. Giddens (1991, p 184) says that:<br>'a "crisis" exists whenever activities concerned with important goals in life of an individual or a collectivity suddenly appear inadequate. Crises in this sense become a "normal" part of life, but by definition can not be routinised'<br>Giddens (1991, p 184) states that it is the 'crisis prone nature of late modernity' that is causing may of the tribulations of the self and this creates a general uneasiness. As a result many will withdraw from society in order to

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