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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

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 unaware of, no matter 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 who focus on a task's business value often demand
compensation before or after they have engaged in it.
E.g., When taking care of the elderly or young relatives, some do it
voluntarily (social value) while some ask for compensation (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.
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 Wealthy people are more likely to believe they were entitled to wealth
based on 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 compulsive behavior is
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 results in 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 is 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 a deliberate lessening of the self is
maintained in some institutions (mental 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 after losing
these possessions. E.g., When you lose your umbrella/bag/phone, you cry and
say “Sayang! Pinagipunan ko yun at matagal na sa akin”.

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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 considered 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 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 such cathexis reflects self-
acceptance.
• The body is more likely and more strongly cathected than 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

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