Living in Front of a Crowd
The sociologist and philosopher Jurgen Habermas observed that with the increase of technology, people have a different sense of self. We see ourselves as performing for a crowd—an “audience-oriented sense of self.”
It is good to recognize yourself as living in front of others. Even seeing our lives a being “on display.” Paul told the Corinthian believers that their lives were like letters, being read by those around them.
Having your day-to-day life being observed by others is not new with technology. It is also a great opportunity for believers to show that what Christ is doing in their hearts is real. However, as Habermas and others observe, this sense of being observed seemed natural on a smaller scale of friends and neighbors, but became overwhelming as technology opened the stage of our lives up to a larger and larger audience.
We all want to please people and be liked. We want our actions, beliefs, and selves approved of and praised by others. This can cause us to adapt pretense—to develop a showmanship that gives the crowd what it wants.
Performing your way through life has several damaging effects:
First of all, if we are all performing, it is natural to compare ourselves with others. It is easy to see how many “friends” or “likes” or “followers” you have compared to so-and-so. This can foster the kind of love-squelching competition that Paul warned the Corinthians and the Philippians about. Comparing ourselves with each other is unwise (2 Corinthians 10:12). Consider the destructive and ungodly pride it created in the Pharisee in Jesus’ story in Luke 18:9-14. Consider also the envy and depression it created Saul in 1 Samuel 18:8-9.
Secondly, the approval of people can become all-consuming for us. Our satisfaction and happiness can reside in the approval of others. Paul’s comment in the first chapter of Galatians, that “If I still tried to please people, I would not be the servant of Christ” seems odd at first. The point was not that there was anything wrong with pleasing people; but that if our sense of self-worth is wrapped up in that, when push comes to shove, we will abandon the unpopular truths of Jesus for crowd approval. Paul was warning the Galatians that eventually those who live to please the crowd will fail to serve Christ. Jesus often moves us in unpopular or inglorious directions.
Thirdly, we live presenting a stage face to the world. Everyone puts their best foot forward. Everyone is advertising him or herself. In other words, much of social media has the same problem many churches do—everyone is smiling and pretending everything is perfect, and you wonder what is wrong with you for having problems. You don’t feel like you can be vulnerable. You aren’t in an emotionally safe place. You fear that people might not like you as much if they knew who you really were. Likewise, the nature of social media can give the impression that you are alone in your faults, when the truth is that we are all broken.
Responses
Here are three important responses to this:
The first is to realize that the fact of being in front of a crowd is not bad—it is an opportunity to have the gospel of Jesus read in the letter of our lives.
Second, we must have our gaze fixed on Jesus, and be waiting upon and wanting his grace and presence in our lives, more than the approval of others. We must hold fast to the truths God passed down to us.
Finally, we must understand that each of us has worth as a person, seen or unseen. Other people recognizing your worth does not create it.
Under Grace,
John Fritz
John Fritz is the Volunteer Coordinator for Thoughtful Life Ministries and the primary author of the Thoughtful Life Journal, which is published weekly from March through September. The purpose of this blog is to challenge and encourage those who have a desire to cultivate a more meaningful walk with Christ. Visit our Homepage to learn more about the ministry and our annual two-week summer Discipleship Program for teens and young adults.