In the writings of Cooley and DuBois, the authors contemplate the ways in which an individual shapes their identity based on their interactions with the people and society around them. Cooley explains this in a more generalized way, where the individual's identity is intrinsically linked to society through the “looking glass self”. DuBois applies this concept to the lives of African Americans, which he describes with a concept called “The Veil.” By examining African Americans' lack of privilege, he demonstrates a scenario that simultaneously fits Cooley's theory and departs from it. Both Cooley and DuBois address the issue of society's impact on the individual, however their ideas differ regarding the role the individual plays in creating their own identity. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay In Cooley's book, Human Nature and the Social Order, he establishes the concept of the looking glass self. Cooley assumes that identity is shaped by the individual's perception of others' reactions to the individual's being, how the individual imagines and derives meaning from that reaction, and how that influences and determines that individual's choices . In thCooley and DuBois: The Looking Glass Self and The VeilIn both Cooley and DuBois's writings, the authors contemplate the ways in which an individual shapes his or her identity based on his or her interactions with the people and society around him or her. Cooley explains this in a more generalized way, where the individual's identity is intrinsically linked to society through the “looking glass self”. DuBois applies this concept to the lives of African Americans, which he describes with a concept called “The Veil.” By examining African Americans' lack of privilege, he demonstrates a scenario that simultaneously fits Cooley's theory and departs from it. Both Cooley and DuBois address the issue of society's impact on the individual, however their ideas differ in the role the individual plays in creating their own identity. In Cooley's book, Human Nature and the Social Order, he establishes the concept of "looking." glass itself. Cooley assumes that identity is shaped by the individual's perception of others' reactions to the individual's being, how the individual imagines and derives meaning from that reaction, and how that influences and determines that individual's choices . In this sense, the choices we make and how we modify ourselves to fit social norms become our identity and, therefore, the individual is intrinsically linked to and dependent on society. In DuBois' book, The Souls of Black Folk, he describes the struggle of African Americans in a white supremacist society, where they are not a valued or visible part. DuBois describes this concept of the inability to be normative – or be seen by others as normative – because of the color of one's skin as a phenomenon called "The Veil." The literal and metaphorical implications of this concept are linked. A literal veil hides the characteristics of the person it covers, while the metaphorical veil represents the incorrect and racist assumptions that society associates with African Americans, which distorts the perception of who that individual really is. Their African American identity will affect society's view of them, so that person is not seen for who they truly are. At a certain point, the person can no longer see himself for who he really is, because society's opinions have surpassed his. This is “Double Consciousness,” or the dichotomous idea that a person's true self differs from, but coexists with, the waywhich others see that person. When referring to African Americans, this is the additional perception or non-normative stigma associated with their race. The author's two concepts are related: Cooley studied the theoretical idea of ​​social interactions, while DuBois's focused on a more concrete example of the looking glass self. However, The Veil does not appear to be related to the looking glass self and symbolic interactionism, or the exchange of symbols and meanings in communication. If Cooley's logic is applied, the individual ultimately creates his own identity. While this may be true for marginalized individuals – one may accept a perceived social judgment such as racism and let it discourage and reinforce their marginalized identity – an important part of racism is its definition as discrimination rooted in institutions and laws. Therefore, when Cooley's theory is applied to the idea of ​​the Veil, there is a discrepancy. Racism is systemic and this systemic impact must be taken into account. Oppression, which underlies the struggle that African Americans face, is not fully explained by symbolic interactionism. If one uses symbolic interactionism to understand The Veil, it is implied that the struggle to be African American comes from the mental persistence needed to combat the negativity of the looking glass self. While this may be true, The Veil also comes from a more functionalist view, or the expected role an individual plays in a given social group. This becomes evident in how African Americans are given and expected to play a specific role in society that is dictated and enforced by government and laws. Cooley and DuBois' concepts both refer to an individual's identity and how this is influenced by society, yet they differ in fundamental ways. One way is through the concept of The Veil, in which an African American's stigmatized and non-normative identity is imposed on him by others, while for whites, in the mirror of the self, the individual shapes his or her own identity. This analysis goes hand in hand with the institutional and functionalist nature of racism, which is another way in which The Veil departs from Cooley's concepts. While these two concepts of identity are different, they are also intertwined; Cooley's Racism Functionalism and Symbolic Interactionism work together to paint a picture of how the individual and society are interconnected. The meaning, the choices we make and the way we modify ourselves to fit social norms become our identity and, therefore, the individual is intrinsically linked to and dependent on society. In DuBois' book, The Souls of Black Folk, he describes the struggle of African Americans in a white supremacist society, where they are not a valued or visible part. DuBois describes this concept of the inability to be normative – or be seen by others as normative – because of the color of one's skin as a phenomenon called "The Veil." The literal and metaphorical implications of this concept are linked. A literal veil hides the characteristics of the person it covers, while the metaphorical veil represents the incorrect and racist assumptions that society associates with African Americans, which distorts the perception of who that individual really is. Their African American identity will affect society's view of them, so that person is not seen for who they truly are. At a certain point, the person can no longer see himself for who he really is, because society's opinions have surpassed his. This is “Double Consciousness,” or the dichotomous idea that a person's true self differs from, but coexists with, how others see that person. When referring to African Americans,.