UNPACKING THE SELF

The Physical Self and The Concept of Self-esteem

Reference(s) :
Otig V.S., Gallinero, W. B., Bataga, N. U., Salado, F. B. (2018). A holitic approach in understanding The Self.
Mutya Publishing House, Inc.
Villafuerte, S. L., Quillope, Al F., Tunac, R.C., & Borja, E.I. (2018). Understanding the self. Nieme Publishing
House Co. Ltd.

Physical appearance is among the major concerns of people today, in our world which is heavily
influenced by media. According to Erving Goffman (1971), “people are concerned with the way others perceive
them and such concern serves as a motivation to manage their behavior in order to present favorable and
appropriate images to others. Such self-presentation includes not only the individual’s social behaviors but also
his/her physical body.” Let’s journey together in exploring the trend today especially among young people that
sometimes sacrificing friendship for physical beauty.

Focus activity: “Am I Beautiful?”

Instructions: You are tasked to answer the following questions: Do people find me attractive? What can I do to
enhance my features? Share your thoughts with your friends and other individuals you me

This is the part where you have to share your thoughts based in your own understanding as well as your
experiences.
1. Do you consider yourself beautiful or handsome? What is your concept of beauty?`
2. What is the society’s concept of beauty? Do these perceptions really matter?
3. What do we exactly mean by body image? In what way we could help others and ourselves develop a
positive body image?

The physical self- is an important component in the study of the person’s self and identity. According to William
James, “the self is the sum total of all that man can call his, body, family and reputation, also his clothes and his
house…” Such body, family, clothes and etc. are also described by Russell Belk as part of our extended self.
 Well-dressed, elegant, good-looking, attractive are the words that we usually associate with beauty. These
are the determining factors that shape beauty. In fact, attractive children and adults are treated favorably by
others in the society.
 “Standards of beauty and appearance”- are the product of a diverse mix of cultural and historical
influences. Norms of beauty and appearance are tied to ideals of appearance and hard work. Today. The
norm or standard of beauty includes wavy blond hair, light skin and almond or ‘chinita’ eyes and a tall and
slim form.
 Physical appearance is dealt with great importance. Some people have the good fortune to possess
features that adhere to standardized ideals of beauty. But in several cases, a lot of individuals are so
dissatisfied with his/her physical attributes that he/she seeks to alter them through surgical means.
 “Body image” and “identity” – it refers to the person’s perception of the level of attractiveness of his/her
body or it can be somebody’s own impression of how his or her body looks. It may also be our sense of
how other people view our bodies.
 Body image can be seen as both internal(personal) and external (social). Body image lies at the heart of
adolescence and it is the mental representation of one’s own body, which is the important aspect of
identity.
 Beauty has to types: Inner beauty- refers to the inner qualities of the person
External beauty- refers to the physical characteristics of the person.
-focuses on the physical features of the body such as shape, color or form that pleases the aesthetic senses-
sight

 Aesthetic Capital- this is a new term which refers as privileges and wealth that people receive from
aesthetic traits, such as their face, hair, body, clothes, grooming habits and other markers of beauty.
 Such attraction to “body image” and “aesthetic capital” is increasingly becoming today’s preoccupation
particularly the young people because it becomes the basis upon which one’s identity and self-esteem are
built.
 What’s the role of culture in understanding body image and self-esteem? Culture is defined as shared
patterns of thoughts, beliefs, behaviors and habits in both material and symbolic realms. Culture includes
language, technology, economic, political, educational system, religious and aesthetic patterns, social
structures and so on. Through our culture, society shapes us in many ways. How we perceive our bodies
visually, how we feel about our physical appearance, how we think and talk to ourselves about our bodies
and our sense of how other people view our bodies. Sometimes we try to fit in the cultural standards of
beauty as well as the religious and social obligations. People modify and adorn their bodies as part of of the
complex process of creating and recreating their personal and social identities.

 Different perspective of beauty according to society as well as cultural standards.

 Pop Culture or commonly called as popular culture- it is a culture widely accepted and patronized by
the public as in pop music which is very appealing to the youth. In pop culture, teens define themselves as
in the case of a recent famous “K-pop boy band BTS” which gained the admiration of millions of Filipino
teenagers. Its influence goes to the point of imitating the way they dress and style their bodies, the way they
talk and express themselves.
 Self-definitions- refers to the way a person sees himself. For teens, that image is influenced to a large
extent by personal choices, which are in effect influenced by the images and associations teens pick up
from the pop culture on a daily basis. Pop culture becomes the basis of the teens definition of the self. The
self-definition can be intrinsically tied into self-esteem and confidence. Two components of a healthy
disposition throughout maturation and into adulthood.
  In our hyper-mediated society, we are constantly surrounded with media images, advertisements
representing appropriate bodies or skin and that we internalize these ideals and attempt to conform to them
or resist them.
 Media creates ideals, in the form of celebrities and models for men and women to admire. These give us
pressure to conform to the expectations. Images in media often make us worry about our own appearance
defining what body is attractive and which is not, seeing being fat as unattractive etc.

Self-esteem – referred to as self-worth or self-respect and an important part of success. Too little self-esteem can
leave people feeling defeated or depressed. Can lead the person to make bad choices, fall into destructive
relationships or fail to live up to their full potential. Too much self-esteem as exhibited in narcissistic personality
disorder, can certainly be irritating to others and can even damage personal relationships (Kendra Cherry, 2013).

 Self-esteem is used to describe a person’s overall sense of self-worth or personal value. It is how much you
appreciate and like yourself. It involves variety of beliefs about yourself such as the appraisal of your own
appearance, beliefs, emotions and behaviors.
 To overcome the adverse effects on the issues of self-esteem, there are suggestions for us to balance the
self-knowledge and respect of oneself.
a. Understanding that healthy, attractive bodies come in many shapes and sizes;
b. Physical appearance says very little about our character or value as a person;
c. How we get to this point of acceptance often depends on our individual development and self-
acceptance.
 There are few steps we can take to achieve a healthy self-esteem and positive body image.
a. Stop comparing yourselves with others and remember that each one is unique.
b. We need to appreciate and enjoy our bodies in the uniqueness of what we have.
c. Spend time with people who have a healthy relationship with food, activity and their bodies.
d. Recognize that size prejudice is a form of discrimination, as shape and size are not indicators of
character, morality, intelligence or success.
e. Put importance on a healthy lifestyle and keep in mind that the body, in whatever shape or size is good
and sacred and that body deserves love and respect.
 Lastly, we will have a positive body image when we have a realistic perception of our bodies, when we
enjoy, accept and celebrate who or what and how we are and let go of negative societal or media
perpetuated conditioning.
 According to Dr. Ben Carson, “If beauty and fame bring ideal relationships, then celebrities should have
the best marriages. But for those who live simply, walk humbly and love genuinely, all good will come
back to you! That’s life. Enjoy yours!”