[tehabwa2562]

Get your hands on The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life by Erving Goffman -- very readable and interesting book. He uses a theatre metaphor.Yes, we all have somewhat different persona, depending on who we're with -- and the context.It's actually not a BAD thing. For instance, when hanging out with friends, the whole point is just to enjoy each other. When at work, the work is the point, and excessive goofing off and laughing is counter-productive.Things one might ordinarily say might shock or offend one's grandparents.When with one's parents, one often falls back into being like a child -- sometimes because parents bring this on by talking to us or treating us as the children we once were, rather than the adults we are now. (This is one of the not-so-good aspects.)When at work, or with teachers, one wants to put across competence, intelligence, interest in doing good work, and so on. Teachers and bosses have power over us. So we hold back snappish words, and put on a professional or scholarly demeanor.BTW, people like parents and teachers act differently around us than around their peers, too.