The concept of “environment” is ambiguous in social theory. Sometimes it is wielded like a “tyrant” which moulds subjects as if they were a simple reflection of its environment; other times it is treated as if the environment is a “slave” of subjects whose agency can transform it. This paper reflects on the complex interaction between people and their environments. Social theory cannot establish a univocal, abstract, final explanation of the influence of the environment on people’s behaviour and identity. Each environment will have a situational configuration that will have different consequences depending on other biological and cultural traits of the subject. Each specific situation must be analysed empirically to understand this complex interaction. The subject-environment mismatch creates “social folds” — that is wrinkles which open new social spaces and enable freedom. The modulation between environment and subject creates risks to freedom, but also liberating opportunities.

“环境”的概念在社会理论中是模糊的。有时它像一个“暴君”一样被运用，塑造主体，就好像它们是其环境的简单反映；有时，环境被视为主体的“奴隶”，主体的力量可以改变环境。本文反映了人与环境之间复杂的相互作用。社会理论无法对环境对人们行为和身份的影响建立一个明确的、抽象的、最终的解释。每个环境都会有一个情境配置，根据对象的其他生物和文化特征，该情境配置会产生不同的后果。必须对每种具体情况进行实证分析，以理解这种复杂的相互作用。主体与环境的不匹配造成了“社会褶皱”——即打开新的社交空间并实现自由的皱纹。环境与主体之间的调节给自由带来了风险，但也带来了解放的机会。