The traditional advice to “be yourself” can be dangerous in high-pressure environments where power imbalances prevail. The Triadic Self Theory (TST) reframes identity as a survival strategy rather than a fixed essence. TST defines three facets of self: Ideal Self: Private dreams and core values, which must be protected. Disposable Self: Public persona and reputation, used to navigate social expectations. Fluid Self: The regulatory layer that decides which self is expressed in any context. At the heart of TST is Selfrupcy, a process in which modern systems—corporate culture, social media, and digital networks etc—extract value from individual identities while providing little protection. Mental health, according to TST, is not about “finding yourself", but about oscillating effectively between selves to safeguard the Ideal Self and avoid burnout. TST offers a new framework for understanding identity at the crossroads of psychology, philosophy and contemporary culture, emphasizing strategy, adaptability and resilience in (digi)modern life.
George-Dorian Stanciulescu (Sun,) studied this question.