On ensuring the roles we play are consistent with our values.
We live in a culture that values authenticity. It is never hard to find books, articles, films, songs and other media extolling the virtues of being our authentic self, of transcending the barriers that keep us from showing the world who we truly are. In this context, it can be uncomfortable to consider the ways we might embrace a level of performance in how we present ourselves. Yet I will start today’s essay with a perhaps countercultural assertion: We perform all the time. We perform in what we say, what we do, how we dress. For example, as I write these words, I am wearing what I usually wear to work: A formal suit with a jacket. I am writing the way I tend to speak in professional settings, with formal language. This is, to an extent, a performance. I am choosing to present in these ways in the hope that doing so will help me to better navigate the spaces I inhabit and better serve the interests of public health. In this sense, performance is a tool, a means to the end of helping to advance our mission.
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