MATERIAL ASPECT OF THE SELF

(REFLECTION)

“The material world is not bad; It simply holds no true value. If you insist giving a
material world a value, its actual value is for us to experience it long enough to recognize that it
holds no true value.”
- James Bianchard Cisneros

A person's material self is comprised of whatever he or she possesses, such as a car,

house, clothing, and even family and friends. According to William James, the self is all that a
person believes to be his or hers and contributes to his or her material self. For example, I own
gadgets, shoes, and clothing, all of which contribute to my material self. Material self is also a
mirror of one's success or failure, as well as a marker of one's social position. As a result,
regardless of how much or how little a person has in terms of material possessions, they will
continually aspire to get more.
In today's society, it is clear that individuals value material goods more than the
essentials of life, such as family, friends, and even peace of mind. People assess you based only
on the brand of your clothes, and we are preoccupied with whether the shoes we are wearing
are authentic or counterfeit. All of these material worries became our only preoccupation, and
tragically, this is how our lives have turned out. And, while people who have their wants and
needs tend to be happier, I don't believe that material possessions should be a way to find
happiness because not everyone has the financial means to buy everything they want, so it's
important to have a proper mindset on things to avoid unnecessary problems like large debts
caused by shopping.
In my case, I respect my material self by being aware of what I want and what I need.
We should know how to set materialistic limits for ourselves. It makes no difference what I
wear; I don't have to dress up to blend in with a group. You'll find your people by being honest
with yourself, even your financial abilities, because it's impossible to be arrogant and project a
fake self-image just to attract others to like you. You can work hard to obtain financial stability
and satisfy all of your wants, including material goods, as long as we don't lose sight of the
essential meaning of life and why we're here.