Honne and Tatemae: a world dominated by a “game of masks”

This paper examines the intricacies of communication and managing communication across different cultures, societies and geographical boundaries. In specific, it extends Austin’s Speech Act Theory beyond its speaker-centred conceptualisation to explore the dynamics and complexities of communication process as an interactive dialogic act of meaning making. Drawing on Goffman’s symbolic interaction theory the authors reflect on empirical examples and the dynamics of everyday communication and explore the tension between Honne (true individual feelings and desires) and Tatemae (individual facade) from a dramaturgical perspective. The authors then examine some practical and ethical implication and applications of the above in relation to effective and ethical communication in a world dominated by a game of masks (Honne & Tatemae).