ANTHROPOLOGY AND THE SELF

Some of us might think of what is the connection of Anthropology in terms of knowing

oneself. Is there really a sense of learning and studying “Anthropology” for us to deeply
understand how we all came up to the “self” that we are right now? Anthropology has five
different fields and one of those fields is Cultural Anthropology which played a big role and has
a lot of contribution in order for a person to discern how a certain culture affected and shaped
one’s being.

Culture is defined as customary beliefs, behavior, norms, religious and social practices
that people accept and apply to their lives without generally thinking about them and handed
down from generation to generation. However, the different cultures of our forefathers and
ancient groups definitely made an influential effect that people at this present time still
continue to practice and apply with their own lives. In a broader sense of culture leaving an
effect to oneself, we cannot deny that we owe a lot of who we are right now to those people
that made a history which served as a guide for us to track why are we all having various kind of
identities that might be similar or different from others. If we are going to determine where we
closely obtained the “self” that we are today is from the society that we belong through
accepting and embracing the culture that most of the members within the community obey.
From the distinct traditions and routines up to the manners, values, way of life and etc. dictates
how we achieved and reached the “self” that may function and live alone (egocentric) or the
other way around which is to interact and engaged with others (sociocentric). On the one hand,
the culture that you pertain also has the chance not to be followed depending on how you
perceive the “self” that you want to become. Nevertheless, it is a choice to be made that is only
you who knows if it is beneficial or detrimental to you with all consideration to your future self.

Aforementioned things considered, self is not just about how you see yourself, how you
value yourself or how well do you know yourself. “Self” is not just revolving about “yourself”.
Self is also taking account of where you might be from, specifically the culture that is
dominating within your being. There are no recorded right or wrong actions for a person that

Fernandez, Lea A.
BEED-I
desires for the “self” that he or she wants to attain since we are all given the chance to create
the “self” in the best way that we could even if there are different cultures, school of thoughts
and ideologies on how an individual can form and build his or her own self.

Fernandez, Lea A.
BEED-I