Unit

 3  
 THE  MATERIAL  AND  ECONOMIC  SELF    
Learning  Objectives  
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1. To  define  the  material  and  economic  self        
2. To  identify  and  discuss  the  components  of  the  material  self        
3. To  explain  the  main  variables  in  material  and  economic    self      
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                     We  buy  things  we  don’t  need  using  money  we  don’t  have  to  impress  people  
we  don’t  like  (The  Fight  Club).  Truly,  you  have  heard  the  statement,  “you  are  what  
you  eat  or  you  are  who  your  friends  are.”  Having  a  material  self  simply  notches  up  
these   statements   into   saying,   “you   are   what   you   have”;   “you   are   what   the   brands  
you  buy”;  and  you  are  what  the  things  you  cannot  live  without.  
 
I. Defining  the  Material  and  Economic  Self    
                       The  material   and   economic   self  refers  to  the  tangible  objects,  people  or  
places  that  carry  the  designation  of  my  or  mine.    It  is  categorized  into  two  types:  
 
                   1.    Bodily   self  -­‐  This  consists  of  intimate/personal  categories  that  are  clearly  
associated   with   our   identities   and   to   which   we   could   easily   confer  
ownership.  
Ø Capitalism  and  consumerism  (Marx  and  Goldthorpe)  
Ø Conspicuous  consumption  and  the  joyless  economy  (Scitovsky)  
 
                     2.  The   Extracorporeal   Self  –  This  is  the  extended  self  which  expresses  our  
psychological   ownership   of   particular   things,   objects,   places,   and   even  
people.  
Ø Material   possessions   as   emotional   investments   (Scheibe,   1985  
and  Ulric  Neisser,  2002)  
Ø Materialism  as  an  expansion  of  one’s  sense  of  self  (Sartre  ,  1943)  
Ø The  mere  ownership  effect  (Beggan,  1992):  
Ø When   material   possessions   are   imbued   with   value,   we  
accumulate   and   use   them   to   elevate   self-­‐worth   (Kahneman,  
Knetch  and  Thaler,  1990):  
Ø Impression  Management  (Erving  Goffman,  1994)  
Ø Materialism  and  symbolism  (Roland  Barthes,  _______)  
 
 
  
II. Components  of  Material  Self  
1. Self-­‐Concept  
                   The  ways  in  which  we  look  at  ourselves  affect  how  we  materially  
express  that  self.    
 
                   For  example,  it  is  expected  that  a  make-­‐up  enthusiast  would  invest  on  
tons  of  cosmetics  and  less  on  food  while  the  cooking  enthusiast  would  spend  
more  time  in  baking  and  cooking  stores  than  in  department  stores.  
 
2. Body  Image    
                   How   we   look   at   and   value   our   bodies   and   how   we   look   like   are  
also  important  determiners  of  the  brands  and  things  that  we  buy  and  
items  that  will  make  us  happy.    
 
                   For  example,  the  body  conscious  would  go  to  certain  lengths  like  build  
a  home  gym,  eat  exclusively  organic  foods,  and  buy  dietary  supplements.  
 
3. Self-­‐  Esteem  
                   The   level   of   value   we   give   ourselves   also   has   an   effect   in   the  
material   things   we   buy.  Needless  to  say,  more  confident,  outgoing  people  
would   sport   certain   items   more   beautifully   while   introverted,   socially   aloof  
people   who   have   been   conditioned   that   they   have   ceiling   points   in   all  
aspects  of  life  would  not  have  the  same  confidence.  
 
4. Role  Performance  
                   The  roles  we  play  and  the  demands  of  these  roles  also  determine  
our  sense  of  materiality.      
 
                   For   example,   the   academician   would   invest   in   books,   highlighters,  
skills   training,   forum,   symposia   and   seminars;   people   in   film   would   flock  
premiere   nights   and   block   screenings   of   the   most   talked-­‐about   films;   and  
athletes   would   spend   more   time   in   gyms   and   health   and   well-­‐being   facilities  
than  most  people.  
 
 
  These      components      include      important      social      categories      such      as      gender,  
  ethnicity,  socio-­‐economic      status  (occupation),  and  specific  roles  in  one’s  social  
  relationships.  
 
 
                       
III. The  Main  Variables  in  Material  and  Economic  Self    
 
1. Material  possessions  
                   Our  sense  of  self  or  identity  influences  how  we  choose  to  purchase  
our   wants   and   how   we   make   economic   decisions   that   will   address   our  
economic  needs.  
 
2. Dimensions  
                       The   following   dimensions   of   material   and   economic   self   simply  
present   our   guiding   principles   when   we   are   investing   in   particular   items  
which  in  the  long-­‐haul,  inevitably  identifies  us  and  the  type  of  people  we  
are.  
 
2.1. Needs  versus  Wants  
           When   we   buy,   our   budget   is   divided   between   two   categories,   those  
items   which   fall   under   our   needs   and   those   under   our   wants.   The  
essential   difference   between   the   two   is   that,   needs   compel   us   to  
apportion  our  money  and  list  them  as  priorities  because  they  satisfy  
our   basic   needs   or   survival   needs.  On  the  other  hand,  our  wants   are  
the   things   we   save   up   for   or   impulsively   buy   because   they   often  
represent  our  psychological  investments  or  simply,  the  things  that  
make   us   feel   intrinsically   accomplished   and   motivated   or   simply  
happy.   This   logic   is   akin   to   William   James’   understanding   of   utility  
(need)  versus  significance  (wants).  
 
2.2. Experiential  versus  Material  Purchases  
These   categories   were   put   forward   by   the   sociologist   John  
Goldthorpe.   He   said   that   consumerism   can   be   divided   between  
experiential  versus  material   purchases.    Material  purchases  would  be  
things   being   bought   impulsively   without   any   significant   rationality  
or  purely  out  of  necessity.  On  the  other  hand,  experiential  purchases  
may   be   a   case   of   conspicuous   consumption   and   may   be   a   point   of  
discourse   in   social   mobility   since   access   to   things   and   experiences   are   no  
longer  limited  to  those  with  higher  purchasing  power  and  the  elites.    
 
   Take  for  example  the  Disney  World  experience.  Round  trip  tickets  
and   the   cost   of   the   entire   stay   in   Hong   Kong   and   other   Disney   World  
locations   may   not   be   shelled   out   immediately   by   people   in   the   middle  
and  the  lower  class.  But  a  year  of  saving  for  it  might.  The  saving  process  
 or  the  concept  of  working  hard  for  it  add  to  the  experience  and  as  such,  
build  up  psychological  fulfillment  for  the  person.  
 
                   2.3  High  Materialists  versus  Low  Materialists  
                                                     High   materialism   and   low   materialism   are   concepts   also  
introduced   by   Goldthorpe   to   understand   consumerism   and   consumer  
behaviors  and  trends.    He  said  that  high  materialists  keep  capitalism  
going   because   their   frequent   purchases   keep   the   flow   of   demand   and  
supply.  On  the  other  hand,  low  materialists  are  people  living  ascetic  
lives  or  are  still  in  isolated  communities  with  low  level  of  urbanization  
and  contact  with  industries.