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Paper short abstract

This paper introduces "signifying others"—how significant others become agents of observation during moments of forgetfulness. Drawing on Goffman and the medical gaze, I examine how individuals fearing memory loss orchestrate the intensified scrutiny they face from others during mishaps.

Paper long abstract

In this paper, I introduce the concept of "signifying others" to examine how significant others become agents of observation when gazing upon moments of forgetfulness. Drawing on Goffman's dramaturgical approach, I focus on how my interlocutors, while fearing impending memory loss, navigate the intense scrutiny of those around them—particularly the suspicion that they may be experiencing memory loss. Drawing on anthropological discourse on the gaze and its multifaceted role (medical and otherwise), I outline the dynamics of these gazes, especially how moments of forgetfulness become subject to others' observation. This creates an "anticipatory space" between the fear and self-suspicion of memory loss on one side and the societal, medical, and political pressures of dementia on the other. I explore the nature of the gaze in these moments—whether it is the individual noticing the gaze and negotiating it in relation to their aging and memory loss, or actively resisting the conclusions others draw. I examine how individuals respond to the gaze, balancing their self-perception with external expectations, and consider the affective impact this dynamic has on their experience of forgetfulness and aging.