Browsing by Subject "yrittäjäminä"

Traditionally psychological theories approach performance orientation as a personal trait or character. This study is based on the question if these traditionally individual considered traits could be consequency of social discourses. I consider neoliberal ethos as a governance by which individuals begin to govern themselves according to political interests. In neoliberal context entrenepreunial self becomes a new model of ideal self and governing themselves according this ideal individuals aim to redeem their proper citizenship and to secure their ”market value” in rising competition. Pursuing ideal self individuals adopt an entrenepreunial and performance oriented mentality and start to direct their actions and govern themself according these rationalities. The data consist of three half-structured interviews by general and adult education students of University of Helsinki. I study how society and its values is discussed by data and what are the individual consequences of neoliberal discourse and how individuals govern themselves by self techonlogies. The data is analyzed in discourse analytical way. The results consists of three chapter. At first chapter I analyzed how interviewees discuss about society and its values. Economical rules, result orientation and individual responsibility were emphasized but it could also be read that social responsibility was rising. At the second chapter I analyzed citizenship in neoliberal context. ”Zero-citizenship” was associated with participation of labor markets while reaching an ideal citizenship was associated with entrepreneurial performance rationalization and self governance. It was interesting that individuals detach themself of neoliberal governace e.g. through depression. This also makes agency possible. At third chapter I analyzed how downshifting and well-being have become an alternative to neoliberal demands althoug they could also be read as a new ways of governing the self. In this study is shown how neoliberal governance can effect harmful to individuals’ well-being. Mental health issues have traditionally been considered as a patological diseases but study’s results questions this view while considering these issues as a way to detach from neoliberal governance. Performance orientation is originated both individual and society and according to my reading some individuals are more sensitive to some ways of governance per se and adopt some subjectivities better than others. In future it would be intetersting to combine psychological and social perspectives when studying the formation of the self.