the looking glass self is a term used in sociology to describe the process of how we develop our sense of self through internalising and evaluating other people's reactions to us..

there are 3 stages:
1. We imagine ourselves as how we appear to people, how they perceive us
2. We imagine their reactions to us and hence interpret them
3. We then develop a sense of self concept that responds to ourselves how we think others might respond to us.. hence the self evaluating conversation continues as we continue to socialise

herein lies the explanation to why we are constantly structured into the boundaries of others' expectations of us.. and not our own.. step 2 is the reason why we do many things that might seem frivolous and unneccesary.. for what? all to gain a favorable response to our behaviours.. at the expense of those close to us sometimes.. reciprocal feelings of affection or contempt all affect how we view ourselves and in a way.. we are slaves to the minds of others ironically sold to them by the confines of our own imagination

knowing that these standards by which others judge us is not the only way to evaluate ourselves is the way to free ourselves..

the moral of the story.. dont imagine too much.. what you think others think of you may not be what they think of you in the first place..

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