themselvesor

Themselvesor is a neologism used in speculative philosophy and literary theory to denote a framework for analyzing how individuals present themselves by alternating between two self-presentations: the inward sense of self and an outward-facing persona. The term blends the pronoun themselves with the suffix -or to indicate choice or alternation, echoing the convention of "either X or Y." It is used to discuss how people navigate identity in everyday interaction, online profiles, or fictional narratives, where a person may adopt different modes of agency.

In practice, themselvesor refers to a hypothetical agent that can switch between "themselves" and an alternate self or persona in discourse, performative acts, or narrative voice. This switching can be deliberate for strategic reasons (privacy, audience adaptation) or emergent from social context. The concept is often explored in close readings of texts, media studies, and discussions of digital identity, where the boundary between self and persona is fluid.

Critics note that as a nascent term it risks vagueness and may echo existing ideas about performativity and persona theory. Proponents argue it clarifies how multiplicity in self-presentation operates across media.

See also: identity, self, performativity, persona, online identity, narrative voice.