WEEK12: SPIRITUAL SELF

THE SPIRITUAL SELF

This chapter discuss the different world religions, the beliefs of early
Filipinos on different gods and goddesses, superstitious beliefs, beliefs in faith
healer, soul and spirit and how those beliefs was changed since the Spanish and
American colonization. It also discuss the different rituals, ceremonies, the
practice of religion, magic and witchcraft and also finding and creating the
meaning of life.

The practice of religion: belief in supernatural being and power

● According to Giddens (2006), religion is a cultural system of commonly shared beliefs and rituals
that provide a sense of ultimate meaning by creating an idea of reality that is sacred, all-
encompassing and supernatural.

● He identified the key elements of

religion such as (a) religion is a form of
culture-shares all characteristics of
culture such as shared beliefs, values
that create an identity, (b) religion
involves beliefs that take the form of
ritualized practices - all members
engage in behaviors that identify them
as members of the community, and (c)
religion provides a sense of purpose-
feeling that life is ultimately
meaningful.

● In addition, Durkheim (1912) defined

religion as a unified system of beliefs
and practices relative to sacred things,
things set-apart and forbidden beliefs
and practices which unite into one
single moral community called a
Church, all those who adhere to them.

https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2016/08/22/understand-todays-world-more-
students-should-study-religion-essay

● Statistics indicate Christianity as the world’s largest religion with a 33% population. It is followed
by Islam with a 21% population, Hinduism with a 14% population, Buddhism with 6% population,
Chinese Traditionalism at around 6% and Judaism at only about 0.22%.

GED 101 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

● Philippines is the only Christian country in the South East Asia. Filipinos show their religiosity
through participating on different religious practices such as baptism, fiestas, “sinakulo,” prayer,
fellowship, communion, and other activities related to church.

● Before the Spanish colonization, Filipinos believed in animism, a belief that all objects have
spirits. They also believed in supernatural being. According to McClenon (1991), the concept of
supernatural has been shaped by the Western notion of nature and causality and it is culturally
specific.

● Filipinos praised the trees, plants, sun, moon, stars and other living and non-living things. They
also praised the spirit of their ancestors, which is called “cult of the dead.” They believed on the
immortality of the soul. An evidence of this is the Manunungul Jar where the remains of the dead
were kept. This image shows the belief of life after death by early Filipinos.

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 https://pt.slideshare.net/topengpogi/sculpture-72009328

● The memories of the dead are remained through carving their image using gold and stone. This is
called “larawan” or “likha” in Tagalog, “diwata” in Bisaya and “bul-ol” in Ifugao. They also
offered sacrifices and prayers for guidance, sympathy and beseech. Not all “anitos” are good, there
are few who are evil.

● The priestess which is also called as “baylan,” “babaylan,” or “katalona” does the ritual or offering.
Early Filipinos practiced polytheism, a belief in many gods, which was brought by the early
Chinese and Indian merchants. Some of their gods are Bathala, the Almighty God, Agni, God of
Fire, Mandarangan, God o War, Sidapa, God of Death, Lalahon, God of Harvest, and Siginarugan,
God of Hell. These beliefs are passed orally to the next generation.

https://www.silent-gardens.com/culture.php

● However, there were some changes on the beliefs of the early Filipinos when the Spaniards
brought Christianity in the archipelago. The changes were not immediate because early beliefs are

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 already practiced in the country. What the Spaniards did was, they adopted the Christianity in the
belief of Filipinos on animism. Monotheism was introduced by Spaniards, a belief in only God,
which has three personas, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

● According to the Holy Bible, they already existed before the creation of the world. God the Father
sent his son, Jesus Christ to save humanity, which whoever believes in Him should not perish but
have an eternal life. When Jesus Christ died and rose after three days, the holy spirit was left in
humanity which serves as the conscience that guides the human beings in doing right things and
avoiding committing sins.

● Not all tribes are converted into Christianity,

some of them remained in their animism
beliefs. At present, where modern technology
is part of the lives of Filipinos, there are some
who are still following and practicing the
superstitious beliefs.

● According to Daskeo (2012), many Filipinos

still spice their life with superstitious beliefs that they strongly believe could help them cope
with day to day activities especially most important events in life such as marriage, finding a job,
and moving to a new house.

● Common Superstitions:
o If a person bites their tongue, it means somebody is thinking of them;
o A girl with shite spots on her fingernails is inconstant in love;
o It is bad to sweep the floor at six o’clock in the evening for it means driving away good
fortune and graces
o One should not open an umbrella while inside a house; a centipede is likely to fall from
the ceiling;
o If a pregnant woman sews her dress while wearing it, her baby will born without hole in
the rectum;
o Appearance of a comet foretells war

https://www.shopback.ph/blog/tabi-tabi-po-top-10-pinoy-superstitions https://blog.rarejob.com.ph/archive/10-superstitious-beliefs-filipino-funerals/

GED 101 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

● These superstition beliefs are passed by the early ancestors orally and still practiced by some of
the Filipinos in recent times. With the influence of Americans and science, the numbers of
Filipinos following superstitious beliefs were diminished.

● One of the influences of American colonization is the introduction of science in the day to day
lives of Filipinos especially on health and sanitation. Their influence taught the Filipinos that
believing in superstitious beliefs may be detrimental to health. Like do not throw the dusts outside
the house after sweeping the floor, because you may experience difficulty in money matters.

The Concept of “Dungan” (Spirit or Soul)

● The term animism is one of the oldest beliefs which is taken from the Latin word Anima meaning
breath or soul. Animism is the belief that everything in nature – living things like trees, plants, and
even non-living rocks or streams – have their own spirit or divinity. Animism beliefs are still
present, accepted and never entirely disappeared.

● The soul according to the indigenous Filipinos is known as Kaluluwa, Ikararuwa or kararuwa. It
is taken from the root word duwa which means two. The soul has two parts – one is the physical
part, where it is connected to the body and its life, and other spiritual, where it exists on its own.

● For Ibanags, the soul is the principle of life in man. Body is the matter; soul is the form. As long
as the body and soul are one unit, man is alive.

● Death is the separation of the soul from the body. The body cannot stay alive without the soul. But
the soul can live without the body. Freed from the body, it ceases to experience thirst and hunger,
cold and heat. As spirit, the soul is the opposite of the body which is matter.

● The Dungan may leave the body voluntarily while the person is asleep according to BIsayans.
Among the ancient Filipinos, when the person is asleep they should not be awakened quickly in
order to give ample time for the Dungan to return to the body.

● While the Dungan is travelling outside of the body it should be free from accidents because there
is a possibility that it might be trapped in a jar or be poured out with liquid from a vessel. When
the soul has safety returned home to the body of its owner, they could then be awakened.

● It is for this reason that the Dungan needs protection and nurture. Soul-nature, the folks believe,
means the performance of age-old spirit rituals many of which are still followed in the local
provinces today. Examples of these are birth, illness and death rituals consisting of trances,

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 prayers, and animal sacrifices. An adult person with a healthy Dungan properly lodged in his
physical body will have bodily health and well-being, intelligence and good sense.

Religion, Spirituality, Magic, Witchcraft and Identity

The Function of Rituals

● Ritual traditions of Filipinos are best understood in terms of their intentions. At the core of any
ritual, balance between man and nature, and the spirit world is very important. Rituals is an attempt
to enhance and maintain this balance.

● This is evident in some villages which perform rituals to restore the state of affairs when the
balance is lost. Human nature are innumerable reasons for causing a shift in this balance. There
are equally innumerable rituals that can be done to correct the imbalance. This is the reason for
having a broad range of ritual practices in the Philippines (Obusan, 2015).

● Rituals have several functions. There are rituals to have a good harvest, ask for the guidance and
protection from their ancestors and unseen forces, to heal the sick, to bring good luck and to
conceive.

● Like in the case of Ifugao. They have rituals for marriage. If the two couples are planning to tie
the knot, they will ask guidance from their ancestors. The butcher opens the body of a sacrificial
pig and they examine if the internal organs of the pig are healthy or not. If it is healthy, they have
the approval to tie the knot this year, if not, they may try again in the following year. The purpose
of this ritual is to study the carcass for omens that guides them in their decision like marriage.

● Dance and chants are a very essential part of their ritual. Rituals are usually accompanied by
dances. It is the higher symbolic form for the Filipino. It represents the distillation of collective
memory, affect, religious piety, humility, and purity of intention. Even a complex message can be
articulated or maybe understood through dance (Obusan 2015).

http://philippineslifestyle.com/punnuk-an-ancient-celebration-of-harvest-at-the-ifugao-rice-terraces/

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Rituals and Ceremonies

● Magos (1997), discussed the mara-it or dangerous zone of Panay Island. According to her,
Panaynon believes in spirit beings in the sea like siokoy (half-man, half fish sea monster) and
the mangingilaw (half man, half monkey man eating monster) forest which are very harmful. They
also believe that the earth and the universe has a layered structure with spirit beings live in each
layer.

● Lupan-on are spirits beings who live on land, the idalmunon are spirit beings who live underneath
the surface of the earth and the tubignon are spirit beings who live in water. These folks remind
them that the earth is sacred, inhabited by the spirit and thus dangerous. If Panaynon uses the
earth's resources with discourtesy or greed, they will make the spirits angry. There are necessary
fishing and farming rites to be performed regularly to gain the favor from spirits such as daga
(bloodletting) and the samba (communal fishing rite).

● People of Zambales also conduct a ritual in building their house. According to the official website
of the Provincial Government of Zambales, residents of this province perform rituals before
building a house. The ritual starts with choosing which day is specified in the Pilaton as a good
day to start the project.

● According to Ms. Cristeta Acebes, principal of Uyugan Elementary School (2012), “pilaton,”
refers to a list of dates, including the phases of the moon, that would ensure the success of any
major undertaking or activity of residents in the province. The second step is burying coins in the
first hole during laying of foundation. Fresh animal blood is allowed to be dropped in the same
place. On the day set to roof the house, relatives, neighbours and friends usually come to help.
Those who cannot perform actual construction work normally offer akhad (anything that can be
served or cooked as food) or tudung (drinks, usually wine) (Provincial Government of Zambales).

http://www.batanes.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/rituals2.jpg

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Religion, Magic, and Witchcraft

Religion
● Religion came from the
Latin word religio means
to respect or care for. It is
generally defined as;
“belief in, worship of, or
obedience to a
supernatural power or
powers considered to be
divine or to have control
of human destiny."

● According to Santrock
(2014), religion is an
organized set of beliefs,
practices, rituals and
symbols that increases an
individual’s connection to
a sacred or transcendent
other (God, higher power,
ultimate truth).

● It may also be referred to as an organized system of beliefs, ceremonies, rules used to worship
god. Another description for religion is, an interest, a belief, or an activity deemed to be of utmost
importance to a person or group.

● However, there is no exact definition of religion. Religion is functional especially in the unification
of a certain place or country. It binds the people through its teachings, practices and the end goal
that everyone wants to attain. If there is no religion, what would be the content and priority of the
law making body in creating and proposing a bill in the congress? Probably, that would be the
earthly things in the world.

● Religiousness is the degree by which one is affiliated with an organized religion in terms of the
person’s participation in the prescribed rituals and practices, connection with its beliefs and
involvement with its community of believers.

● Spirituality, on the other hand, involves experiencing something beyond oneself in a transcendent
manner and living in a way that benefits others and society. It could be related to a search for the
sacred.

● The term “sacred” may signify a person, an object, a principle, or a concept that transcends the
self. The sacred can include a divine being or a divine object that is “set apart” and considered as
holy or beyond ordinary. The reference to what religion is, also refers to the dynamics of the
meaning attached to spirituality. It emerges as people relate to the developmental and existential
challenges of the search for the meaning of existence amidst the ambiguity of life.

● Spiritual identity is the persistent sense of self that addresses ultimate questions about the nature,
purpose and meaning of life. It results in behavior that are consonant with the individual’s core

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 values. The definition of a sense of
spiritual identity focuses on the
individual construction of a
relationship to the sacred and
ultimate meaning.

Magic
● Magic is the power apparently
influencing the course of events by
using mysterious or supernatural
forces. It is the ability to use
supernatural forces to make
impossible things happen, such as
making people disappear or
controlling events in nature.

● A magician is usually a worker in the kind of magic that is on the whole public and good, whereas
a sorcerer is generally considered an evil figure, one who deals in matters that his or her clients
would rather keep secret and one whose work may be downright antisocial (Frankle and Stein,
2005).

● A sorcerer is translated from the Greek word pharmakos, and carries with it the idea of medicine,
magic potion, drugs, and poison. A wizard is one who is thought to be acquired with the secrets
of the nonmaterial or unseen world while a necromancer is one who is “seeking unto the dead”. It
is a term that includes all forms of attempt to make contact with departed spirits.

● Balang is the Filipino term for a sorcerer. It is used to describe malignant sorcery or familiar spirits
(usually a swarm of destructive insects, specially carnivorous beetles). In the Philippines, it
swarms small invisible insects residing in bamboos that enter the body through open space causing
the intestine, stomach, lungs, and liver to swell during high tides and shrink during low tides.
Mambabarang is a person who practices this specific type of sorcery or witchcraft. Binarang is
the target (usually a person) of sorcery or witchcraft.

● Kulam is the Tagalog word for “voodoo” or “witchcraft”. It is one of the most well-known aspects
of Philippine folklore. The fear of kulam usually has an effect on how a person conducts himself
in the community and on how people treat each other in a community. A mangkukulam is a person
who uses black magic or spells on a victim. After the spell is cast, the victim will experience a
form of illness which cannot be cured by modern medicine, misfortunes to himself and loved ones,
inability to concentrate, lack of sleep, loss of appetite, freak accidents, and other unexplained
events.

● Albulario/mananambal is a Filipino practitioner of traditional medicine; he is also a medicine man

who is also capable of performing sorcery. Albulario is a Filipino witch doctor, folk healer or
medicine man. When the person feels that his ailments and misfortunes are caused by kulam, he
consults an albulario who performs rituals in order to defeat the spells of the mangkukulan and
bring the person back to normalcy.

● Most Filipinos aside from being a superstitious people believe in the mythical creatures of local
folklore which includes the aswang, manananggal, kapre, dwende, sirena, syokoy, engkanto,
sigbin, tikbalang, tianak and many others. According to local folklore such creatures inhabit dark

GED 101 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

 forest and unexplored regions of barrios in the provinces. Each region has their own mythical
creature which usually comes out in the night looking for food in the form: fresh blood, pregnant
mothers (they target the fetus), and human organs like the liver or for victims to take them into the
other world.

Finding and Creating Meaning

● Everybody is experiencing different challenges and problems in life. Some have common
problems, but some do not. Some have different strategies in solving the same problems. There
are some who are good at hiding their problems or sufferings. Some people may think their
problems are bigger than the problems of others. However, when they ask some people or have an
open forum, they will realize that they are wrong. There are other people who have bigger and
more difficult problems than them.

● Viktor Frankl an Austrian neurologist and psychologist

founded Logotherapy. Logotherapy is based on the
premise that the human person is motivated by a “will to
meaning,” an inner pull to find a meaning in life (Frankl
1988). Finding and creating meaning in life is what Viktor
Frankl would like to teach to everybody. The following
list of tenets represents basic principles of logotherapy:

http://pagehanify.com/7criteria/coaching/mans-search-for-meaning-dr-viktor-frankl/

1. Life has meaning under all circumstances, even the most miserable ones.
● Every occurrence in one’s life has meaning. People tend to find the meaning of that occurrence
especially if it is a good incident or circumstances. However, they tend to ask themselves or God
for the occurrence of bad happenings in their lives. Sometimes, they ask themselves and God,
“why did it happen to them?” “why did it happen to their love ones, despite that they are good
people, they do not deserve to experience that such sufferings, but why them?” There are things
beyond the control of humanity, cannot explain by their minds and intelligence, but Almighty God
can. Individuals must realize that whatever circumstances they have, even if it is good or not, they
must find that life has meaning. Those circumstances have purpose and meaning in their lives.

2. Our main motivation for living is our will to find meaning in life.
● People experience different sufferings in life in terms of relationship, love, studies, money, job,
etc. Finding meaning in life despite the sufferings should be the main motivation for living. An
example of this is, an individual who developed an inner hatred towards her family when she knew
that her mother tried many times to abort her due to poverty and her siblings bullied her that she
was an adopted child. She developed a thought that she is not part of the family and even at the
start, she is an unwanted child. This pushes her to be the black sheep of the family and be involved
in different vices. Time is a good healer. During her rebellious stage, she realized that she was
only destroying herself, it will not change the attitude and personality of her family. She also
realized that she only needs to accept her family as they are and forgive the family members who
caused her pain. Being a rebellious person will not make her family to change. The change will
start on one’s initiative and not by other people. Finally, she found the meaning of her life. The
feeling of rejection disappeared as times went by. She was alive when she was still an unborn child
because someday, she will serve as the light of other people living in a dark life and will be an

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 inspiration to the youth. Those are her motivations for living. She is thankful to the Almighty God
for discovering the meaning of her life.

3. We have freedom to find meaning in what we do, and what we experience, or at least in the
stand we take when faced with a situation of unchangeable suffering.
● Problems and challenges are inevitable. These make individuals strong and hold their faith to their
God. These also make them to be flexible in a changing and dynamic society, to win in the battle
or to accept the defeat but with satisfactory adjustment. Everybody is entitled to have and practice
freedom in finding meaning in whatever they do or experience. They are not slaves to anyone and
are not manipulated by other people. Their actions should not be dictated by anyone, rather, it is
their will that will be done. It is the right of everybody to look for the meaning in their lives when
faced with a situation of unchangeable suffering. Situations with unchangeable suffering may
cause pain, but at the end of the day, individuals will find its purpose in their lives.

● According to Frankl, everybody can discover the meaning in their life in three different ways:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCpa0AFepoM

1. By creating a work or doing a deed

o Individuals will find the meaning in their lives through the works, accomplishments, and
achievements they have. This will give insights and realization to individuals that creating
or doing something specially to fulfill not only their needs but also the needs of other
people, that they will find the meaning of their life.

2. By experiencing something or encountering someone

o Individuals will discover the meaning in their lives by opening opportunities to experience
something or to meet other people. Confining themselves in a four corner of their room
will only limit themselves to new experiences of life. If they tend to open themselves to
new experiences or to encounter other people, their world will be wider. They will realize
that others’ problems and situations are more difficult than them; that they are less
fortunate people; that they have to give importance to their lives and to the people that
love them; and to change themselves to become good and responsible individuals.

GED 101 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

3. By the attitude we take toward unavoidable suffering and that everything can be taken from
a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one's attitude in any given
set of circumstances

● Individuals will find meaning in their lives by having a positive attitude towards circumstances.
Failures in life, for example, is unavoidable suffering that gives pain to individuals. Facing those
failures in a positive way with a positive and right attitude will make individuals more mature,
more responsible, and think more ways to solve the problems. Having a positive attitude in facing
the problems will also help individuals to cope up with the problems like death of a love one. It
will make them cope up easily and move on with their lives without losing their cherished
memories.

References:

Acebes, C. Understanding the Self. Accessed July 28, 2020.

https://www.actionresearch.net/living/rawalpdf/Chapter7.pdf

Arcega, A M., Cullar, D. S., Evangelista, L. D. & Falculan, L. M. (2018). Understanding the Self.
Malabon City: Mutya Publishing House Inc.

Daskeo , K. Self-awareness and Self-knowledge. Accessed July 28, 2020.

https://gupea.ub.gu.se/bitstream/2077/30157/1/gupea_2077_30157_1.pdf

Frankle, V & Stein, G. Examination of Self. Accessed July 28. 2020.

https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1163278.pdf

Frankl, V. Man’s Search for meaning. Accessed July 28, 2020.

https://edisciplinas.usp.br/pluginfile.php/3403095/mod_resource/content/1/56ViktorFrankl_Mans%20Sea
rch.pdf

Gazzingan, L. B. et al. (2019). Understanding the Self. Muntinlupa City: Panday-Lahi Publishing House,
Inc.

Giddens, A. Self-Identity in Modernity. Accessed July 30, 2020.

https://skemman.is/bitstream/1946/12134/1/Self-Identity%20in%20Modernity.pdf

Magos.J. Invisible Voices. Accessed July 28, 2020. https://www.diva-

portal.org/smash/get/diva2:788803/FULLTEXT01.pdf

McClenon, J. Handbook of Self and Identity. Accessed July 29, 2020.

https://dornsife.usc.edu/assets/sites/782/docs/handbook_of_self_and_identity_-_second_edition_-
_ch._4_pp._69-104_38_pages.pdf

Santrock, J (2014) Adolescence. New York, USA: McGraw Hill International edition

GED 101 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

WEEK 13: POLITICAL SELF: DEVELOPING ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP

This section discusses the nature of politics, elements of active citizenship,

and how they shape one’s political self. It details how one can become
actively involved in political and communal affairs, and how they are
significant to the shaping of the self.

The brief primers on Politics, Citizenship and the Self and Active Citizenship were accessed July 27, 2020
from https://utsged101portfolio.wordpress.com/section-1-the-political-self-developing-active-
citizenship/rio's

POLITICS, CITIZENSHIP AND THE SELF

 As members of the society, people are naturally obligated to participate in a political system as social
citizens. Politics refers to the actions or activities concerned with achieving and using power in a
nation or society. It is also defined as the ways that power is shared in an organization and the ways
it is affected by personal relationships between people who work together.
 As Aristotle stated, “man is, by nature, a political animal.” This is because man is a social being and
that people naturally drawn to various political involvements in order to satisfy their social needs.
 Politics as imbibed by man implies several things:
1. Politics is concerned with power. Power inequalities can be observed within societies. The one
who holds power holds influence.
2. Politics functions based on a particular social economic and cultural context. The nature of
politics and political systems is dependent on the culture of the state. Political claims made by
advocates are influenced by their geographical location and ideology.
3. The political is also personal. One’s personal choices reflect his/her personal politics; both are
indistinguishable.
4. Politics goes hand in hand with the society. Politics pervades the structure of society, and thus
influences inhabitants in their beliefs, ethics, and behavior.
 However, the political self is not only shaped by one’s political affiliation or beliefs. One’s sense of
accountability should be manifested in promoting certain advocacies through healthy political
engagement. This is aligned with the concept of active citizenship.

GED 101 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP

 Active citizenship refers to the structured forms of engagement with political processes and
everyday forms of participation in society. It is also defined as the process of sharing decisions which
affect one’s life and the life of a community in which one lives. Participation is the fundamental right
of citizenship.
 Active citizenship is anchored on one’s cognitive and behavioral engagement to participate in
formal and informal political activities. Different people manifest different levels of active
citizenship; some they take a more active approach in making their voices heard.
 Active citizenship is a practice of democracy. Democracy should not only be thought of as a form
of government. It is a communal system that allows volitional freedom of citizens to make
informed choices that allow them to be heard.
 Active citizenship is a social construct. It fosters social relatedness and belongingness.
 The most important goal of active citizenship is to instil change and influence society at large.
Active citizenship is also associated with the “sense of community.” People, including adolescents,
participate in communal activities because it gives a sense of belonging in a particular group. Active
citizenship may facilitate ethnic pride and provide a voice to the woes of their social group.
For the younger generation, active citizenship can contribute to their social development. Engaging
in such activities can also enhance efficacy and competence of the younger generation, as they are
considered to be the “future leaders” of the society. The participation of the youth in nation-building
activities enhances their value orientation and fosters integrity, compassion, and the sense of justice,
which are crucial to the holistic development of a citizen of a nation.
Active citizenship helps an individual embrace his/her individuality through the choices he/she
makes and the behavior he/she manifests. The political self is a result of various personal and
environmental factors that impact the individual. The participation of the youth in political discourse
and social activities can result in cultural and political paradigm shifts that may be felt even by future
generations. Thus, the future begins now.

SOURCE: The Political Self: Developing Active Citizenshp. Steven C. Valerio's Blog. Accessed July 19, 2020.
https://utsged101portfolio.wordpress.com/section-1-the-political-self-developing-active-citizenship/rio's

GED 101 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

WEEK 14: DIGITAL SELF

This section explores the impact of technology on the society. It focuses on

how technology use enables people to become digital citizens, how it
sustains relationships and forge collaborations with other people, and what
kind of digital identities are being forged while outlining the responsible
use of technology.

The brief primer on The Self in the Digital World was accessed July 27,
2020 from https://utsged101portfolio.wordpress.com/section-2-the-digital-
self-uncovering-digital-citizenship

THE SELF IN THE DIGITAL WORLD

 The millennial generation is known to be the generation of digital natives because millennials were
born in an era of rapid technological advancement. As a result, daily life is almost always dependent
on the functions of technology, especially the internet which provides people with a venue of
presenting their identified through social media platforms.
 The advent of technology comes with a corresponding challenge: to ensure that technology is used
properly. This is the essence of digital citizenship, which refers to the norms of appropriate and
responsible behaviour towards technology use. Digital citizenship is anchored in 3 general
principles: respecting, educating, and protecting oneself and others. Digital citizenship serves the
purpose or regulating human behaviour in a highly-technological and digital world.
 A major concern of living in the digital era is how technology shapes one’s sense of self and identity.
One concept that is related to the concept of the digital self is online disinhibition. It is defined as
the lack of restraint one feels when communicating online in comparison to communicating in
person.
 Some individuals lose their inhibition in social interactions because there is an aspect of being
present only in the virtual, a sort of anonymity. Anonymity may serve as an option for individuals
who are naturally shy and introverted to express their thoughts, without threat to their self-esteem.
 Nowadays, however, people are more inclined to show their own personalities via online channels.
The internet becomes a multi-media venue for showcasing personal traits, qualities, and even
experiences. The values and beliefs he/she upholds are also expressed in his/her online behavior.
Thus, technology, through the development of virtual spaces and communities accessible through
the internet, can be a basis of evaluating the consistency of the self.
 The permeating nature of technology has also influenced various technological and online behaviors
people manifest. Within the concept of digital citizenship, there are 9 themes that cover these
behaviors:

GED 101 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

  The themes listed above emphasize the proliferation of technology in the world and how they are
used for specific purposes. Suffice it to say, technology is here to stay. There is a need to adapt to
the dynamic changes that technology entails.
 Technology offers limitless opportunities; its presence is inevitable. However, technology need not
control the society and people’s lives. An individual must define himself/herself based solely on
his/her terms.

Source: The Digital Self: Uncovering Digital Citizenship. Steven C. Valerio's Blog. Accessed July 19,
2020. https://utsged101portfolio.wordpress.com/section-2-the-digital-self-uncovering-digital-citizenship/

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This article was accessed July 27, 2020 from https://sensum.co/blog/the-digital-self-why-do-we-express-
ourselves-on-social-media-like-we-do

THE DIGITAL SELF: WHY DO WE EXPRESS OURSELVES ON SOCIAL MEDIA LIKE WE

DO?

The Development of the Digital Self

The idea of the digital self developed from the original phenomenon of the ‘extended self’, pioneered by
Russell Belk in 1988. He believed our possessions are a major contributor to and reflection of our identities.
Back in the day, it was external objects, such as clothes, jewellery and cars etc. that he believed we used
and considered as part of ourselves. Think about it, could you live without your smartphone or laptop? (Be
honest…)

Nowadays however, it isn’t merely tangible belongings that researchers consider as part of our extended
self. Our digital possessions such as photos, videos, statuses, texts, and emails are now seen to be
significantly important to shaping our digital self.

Why do we have a Digital Self?

The idea of the Digital Self is an interesting and relatively new topic discussed in consumer behaviour
research. Researchers, such as Stone (1996) and Hemetsburger (2005) claim that the digital web allows us
to try out different personas that differ from our real life identities. But why would we want to even do this?
We were especially interested in looking at why we express ourselves online the way we do and we wanted
to share the most common reasons:

 We want to meet the expectation of others: research shows over 50% of women would edit their
social media photos to look better and meet the expectations that the media and magazines have set
 We want to boost our self-esteem: people upload photos and statuses online that they feel will
receive ‘likes’ and positive feedback in which ultimately helps their egos
 To feel a sense of belonging: Some of us want to fit in with the crowd and upload things that are
‘down with the trend’ - for instance, who notices the amount of people posting pictures of their
food increasing? It didn’t come from nowhere.
 Bigger sense of freedom: Unlike real life, digital platforms allow us to express ourselves in any
way we want to without anyone there to physically judge us
 Striving to be our ideal selves: Digital Apps, such as Facetune, that allow us to improve our
appearances on photos (through teeth whitening, skin smoothing and body shape editing) helps
consumers to express as their ‘ideal’ self online and inevitably feel better about themselves

In conclusion, the digital world has provided us with greater opportunities to express our identity in any
form we want to. But what we all need to remember is: how will we feel if we go so far to express ourselves
differently online that we forget what reality is, or worse, we end up resenting it?

Accessed July 27, 2020 from https://sensum.co/blog/the-digital-self-why-do-we-express-ourselves-on-

social-media-like-we-do.

GED 101 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF