UNIT 3: THE MATERIAL SELF

This unit will delve into the role of material possessions as they contribute to the
definition of the self and how consumer culture contributes to your sense of self and
identity. Reflective guide questions will facilitate your understanding of your economic
self.

“A man’s self is the sum total of all that he can call his‖ – William
James

DID YOU KNOW?

• In the Philippines, shopping malls outnumber parks and there are
approximately 153 malls in the National Capital Region alone.
• In the second quarter of 2016, Filipinos were deemed to be the world‘s
most confident consumers (Nielsen, 2016).
• 86% of Filipinos are willing to pay extra for products and services that come
from companies committed to positive social and environmental impact.
• According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (2015), Filipino households
spend the most on food and non-alcoholic beverages, miscellaneous
goods and services, and utility fees. On the other hand, Filipino households
spend the least on health, communication and recreation and culture.
• Nescafe, Lucky Me, and Surf are among the top brands whose products
are most frequently purchased by Filipino consumers for the home.

WHAT IS THE MATERIAL SELF?

• The Material Self includes all the

physical elements that reflect who a
person is (e.g. possessions, cars, home,
body, clothes, immediate family)
• The more people invest themselves in
objects, the more attached they
inevitably are to them.
• Money can powerfully influence the
thoughts and actions of individuals in
ways that they are often not aware of,
no matter what their economic circumstances

HOW DOES MONEY CHANGE PEOPLE?

1. Social and Business Value: Motivations For Completing A Given Task (Heyman &
Ariely, 2004)
a. Social Value
• When people recognize the social value of a task, they think that
it is a worthy investment of their time, that it is part of social duty,
and they are often happy to help out
 • When money is involved, people think less of social value and
more of business value
b. Business Value
• People that focus on the business value of a task often demand
for compensation before or after they have engaged in it.
E.g. When taking care of the elderly or young relatives, some
people do it voluntarily (social value) while some ask to be
compensated (business value).

2. Self-sufficiency and Service

• Money-conscious individuals typically strive to be more self-
sufficient or independent than those who do not prioritize money

3. Self-view
• The amount that people earn could have an effect on how they
view themselves
• Class Essentialism is the belief
that differences between classes
are based upon identity and
genetics, rather than
circumstance
• Wealthy people are more likely
to believe that they were
entitled to wealth based upon
their personal circumstances
and actions, whereas poor people tend to believe that anyone
can be rich and anyone can be poor.

4. Ethics
• Those who perceive themselves to be in a
higher class are the most likely to engage in
unethical behavior • According to Piff (2012),
Self-interest Maximization is the idea that
suggests those that have the most money or
occupy higher classes are more likely to
according ask ―What‘s in it for me?‖

5. Addiction
• Addiction is brought about by a
positive response from a certain type
of behavior
• Behavioral or Process Addiction
occurs when there is compulsive
behavior motivated by a process
that leads to a seemingly positive
outcome (not an addictive
substance).
 E.g. Earning can become ‗addictive‘ since obtaining money or
seeing a large number one‘s savings account can cause a
chemical reaction in the brain that result to positive feelings.

WHAT ARE THE ROLES OF CONSUMER CULTURE ON OUR SENSE OF SELF?

A. Possessions and the Extended Self:

• Since possessions are viewed as part of the self, unintentionally
losing these possessions are regarded as a loss or lessening of the
self

Here are some research findings and articles that expound on possessions and
the self:

a. Goffman (1961) described this point

in that there is a deliberate
lessening of the self that is
maintained in some institutions
(metal hospitals, homes for the
aged, prisons etc.). When people
go to these places, they become
deprived of personal possessions
and adapt to standardized ‘identity kits’ (e.g. same uniforms, haircuts).
There is an elimination of one‘s uniqueness and a traumatic lessening of
the sense of self.

b. According to Rosenblatt, Walsh, and Jackson

(1976), the non-voluntary loss of possessions through theft or casualty may
diminish the sense of self. Possessions have sentimental value and people
experience grief and mourning following the loss of these possessions.
E.g. When you lose your umbrella/bag/phone, you cry and say
“Sayang! Pinagipunan ko yun at matagal na sa akin”.

c. McLeod (1984) claims that feelings of loss of a

part of the self are experienced by victims of
natural disasters or casualty. They undergo the
process of grief or DABDA (denial, anger,
bargaining, depression, and acceptance).

d. Juliet
Schor (1998) studied the connection between
wealth and well-being. There is what she termed a
―Cycle of Work and Spend‖ wherein people work
more to buy more and the income one earns
determines the level of consumption
which becomes a reward for working hard.
 WHAT ARE SPECIAL CASES OF THE EXTENDED SELF?

1. Collections
• “I shop, therefore I am;
I have, therefore I am”
• Modern humans
assemble
collections of non-
necessities for
distinction and self-
definition (e.g. cars,
shoes)
• Collections may be
security blankets for
adults

2. Pets
• Representatives of the self and given characteristics of people
• Some pets are regarded as family members and become
surrogate parents for children and surrogate children for adults.

3. Body Parts
• Cathexis is defined as charging an object, activity or an idea
with emotional energy.
• When a body part is more highly cathected, there is greater use
of grooming products to care for this part of the body
• Women generally groom and tend to cathect body parts to a
greater degree than men and that such cathexis reflects self-
acceptance.
• The body is more likely and more strongly cathected as
compared to other objects since it is permanent.
References:

Chafee, J. (2013) Who are you? Consciousness, Identity and the Self. In the Philosopher's
Way: Thinking Critically about Profound Ideas. Pearson. 106 — 169.
Heyman, J., & Ariely, D. (2004). Effort for Payment. A Tale of Two Markets. SAGE Journal
Nielsen (2016). ‗Filipino Consumers Are Most Optimistic in the World in Q2 2016‘, 2
August. Retrieved from
http://www.nielsen.com/ph/en/insights/news/2016/filiinoconsumers-are-most-
optimistic-in-the-world-in-q2-2016.html/
Piff, P., et.al. (2012) Higher Social Class Predicts Increased Unethical Behavior. National
Academy of Sciences. Retrieved from
http://www.pnas.org/content/109/11/4086.full
Villafuerte, S. Quillope, A. Tunac, R. Borja, E. Understanding the Self, NIEME Publishing
House Inc., Quezon City 2018