Thanks a lot for your comment on my posts I really enjoy seeing how ideas come together, and I liked that article on how deterministic people are less likely to help others (it kinda makes sense). As to your question...why do we continue to perform roles when we are the only ones on stage, and the audience is gone. Well there are a few possible answers and you'll find them in the book :D The one I agree with is that keeping the mask when everyone's gone is just another technique actors use to make their role more authentic and it has to do with believing in it, I think Goffman calls it "honest performance".