NOTE:

OUR NAME IS ONLY A SIGNIFIER

WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY?

- Philosophy means “LOVE OF WISDOM”.

- “EVERYONE IS TASKED TO DISCOVER ONE’S SELF”

GREEKS ARE THE EARLIEST THINKERS OF PHILOSOPHY. THEY SERIOUSLY QUESTIONED

MYTHS.

FF ARE NAME OF PHILOSOPHERS:

SOCRATES - “KNOW YOURSELF”

PLATO - “THE IDEAL SELF, THE PERFECT SELF”

AUGUSTINE AND THOMAS AQUINAS - MATTER

RENE DESCARTES - “I THINK, THEREFORE I AM”

JOHN LOCKE - PERSONAL IDENTITY

DAVID HUME - THE SELF IS THE BUNDLE THEORY OF

MIND

IMMANUEL KANT - RESPECT FOR SELF

GILBERT RYLE - RESPECT FOR SELF

PAUL CHURCHLAND - PHILOSOPHY OF MIND

MAURICE MERLEAU-PONTY - HE BELIEVES THAT THE MIND AND

BODY ARE INTERTWINED.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SOCRATES (KNOW YOURSELF)

● HE BELIEVES THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS VIRTUE.

● HE BELIEVES THAT A PERSON MUST KNOW HIMSELF FIRST TO DO OR MAKE BETTER
CHOICES
● HE BELIEVES THAT EVERYONE HAS GOODNESS INSIDE THEM.
● HE ALSO BELIEVES THERE ARE TWO IMPORTANT PARTS TO WHO WE ARE: THE BODY
AND THE SOUL. THE BODY IS OUR PHYSICAL SELF. THE SOUL WHICH IS OUR INNER
SELF.
● HE ALSO BELIEVES THAT OUR BODY IS IMPERFECT AND TEMPORARY AND IS BOUND
TO CHANGE AND IT WOULD NOT LAST FOREVER
PLATO (THE IDEAL SELF, THE PERFECT SELF)

● PLATO ALSO BELIEVED THAT THERE ARE TWO PARTS THAT HELPS US SHAPE WHO WE
ARE: THE BODY AND THE SOUL. THOUGH PLATO BELIEVED THAT THE SOUL HAS
THREE PARTS, ONE IS TO HELP US MAKE GOOD DECISIONS, SECOND IS IN CHARGE OF
OUR FEELINGS AND EMOTIONS, AND THE THIRD ONE IS THE ONE THAT TAKES CARE
OF OUR BASIC DESIRES.
HAVING THESE ALL WORK TOGETHER CAN LEAD TO A HAPPY AND GREAT LIFE.
● HE ALSO BELIEVES THAT VIRTUE IS THE KEY TO HAPPINESS.

AUGUSTINE AND THOMAS AQUINAS (MATTER)

AUGUSTINE:

● HE ALSO BELIEVED THAT ONE’S SELF IS COMPOSED OF TWO PARTS, THE BODY AND
SOUL, BUT THE DIFFERENCE HERE IS THAT IT IS MORE ON THE GOD THING.
● PHYSICAL SELF BELONGS TO EARTH; WHILE THE SOUL, IT IS BOUND TO REUNITE
WITH THE DIVINE BEING.
● SOULS HAVE THE ABILITY TO BE WITH GOD.
● HE BELIEVED THAT THE MAIN GOAL FOR EVERY INDIVIDUAL IS TO HAVE A CLOSE
RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AND BE UNITED WITH HIM.

THOMAS AQUINAS:
● HE BUILT HIS IDEAS FROM AUGUSTINE
● HE BELIEVES THAT HUMAN IS FROM TWO PARTS: MATTER AND FORM
● MATTER IS SOMETHING THAT MAKES UP EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD AND FORM IS
SOMETHING LIKE SPECIAL ESSENCE.
● HE SAID THAT SOUL IS THE ONE THAT MAKES US HUMAN. IT GIVES LIFE AND MEANING
TO OUR BODIES.

SUMMARY:
● So, in summary, Augustine believed that humans have a body and a soul. Our bodies belong to
this world, and our souls can be with God forever. Aquinas added that the soul is what makes us
who we are, and it gives life to our bodies.

RENE DESCARTES (I THINK, THEREFORE I AM)

● HE IS KNOWN AS THE FATHER OF MODERN PHILOSOPHY

● HE BELIEVES THAT A PERSON IS MADE OUT OF TWO PARTS: THE BODY AND THE MIND
● BODY: PHYSICAL SELF; MIND: THINKS AND FEELS.
● MIND IS SEPARATED FROM THE BODY ACCORDING TO HIS BELIEFS
● HE BELIEVES THAT THE MIND IS A THINKING ENTITY OF ITS OWN, IT IS DIFFERENT
FROM THE BODY.
● “I THINK, THEREFORE I AM” (COGITO, ERGO SUM) MEANS BCS WE THINK, WE KNOW
THAT WE EXIST, WE KNOW SOMETHING EXISTS.
● HE BELIEVES THAT THE BODY IS JUST LIKE A MACHINE THAT DO FAVORS FOR OUR
MINDS FOR OUR BODY HAS THE ABILITY TO DO SO.

SUMMARY:
In summary, Descartes believed that a person is made up of a body and a mind. The mind is the thinking
part of us, and the body is like a machine that the mind controls. He thought that we exist because we can
think, and it's through our thinking abilities that we can explore and develop ourselves.

JOHN LOCKE (PERSONAL IDENTITY)

● HE BELIEVED THAT OUR PERSONAL IDENTITY IS NOT BASED ON OUR SOUL OR OUR
BODY, BUT TO SOMETHING CALLED “PSYCHOLOGICAL CONTINUITY”; SENSE OF SELF,
WHO WE THINK WE ARE, IS CONNECTED TO OUR CONSCIOUSNESS AND OUR
MEMORIES.
● PERSONAL IDENTITIES IS BASED OR SHAPED ON PERSONAL EXPERIENCES
● MEMORIES PLAY A BIG ROLE TO ONE’S PERSONAL IDENTITY

SUMMARY:
In simpler terms, Locke believed that personal identity is about how we see ourselves, and it's based on
our consciousness and the memories we have. It's not just about the choices we make, but also about the
experiences we've had and the things we remember.

DAVID HUME (THE SELF IS THE BUNDLE THEORY OF MIND)

● WE CAN'T OBSERVE OURSELVES DIRECTLY WITHOUT OTHER PERCEPTIONS

SUMMARY:
In simpler terms, Hume believed that the idea of a fixed and unchanging self is not clear and doesn't
match our experiences. He thought that the self is just a label we give to all our perceptions and
experiences, which are always changing. We can't observe ourselves separately from our thoughts and
experiences.

IMMANUEL KANT (RESPECT FOR SELF)

● Respect others as you would respect yourself.

SUMMARY:
So, in simple terms, the idea is that every person is important and should be treated with respect. We
should never use others as a means to our own ends, but instead, treat them as equals and value their
rights.

GILBERT RYLE (RESPECT FOR SELF)

● RYLE WANTED TO SOLVE THE DEBATE OVER THE BODY AND MIND ARE SEPERATED.
● HE SAID THAT WHAT MATTERS THE MOST IT HOW A PERSON BEHAVES ON A DAILY BASIS.
● HE DISAGREED WITH THE IDEA THAT THE BODY AND THE MIND IS SEPARATED.
● HE BELIEVES THAT WHAT BUILDS YOU AS PERSON REALLY DOES NOT MATTER, BUT HOW YOU
ACT ON EVERYDAY LIFE IS WHAT COUNTS.
SUMMARY:
So, the important thing is not to try to find a separate self, but to pay attention to how you act, how you
treat others, and the things you do in your everyday life. That's what shows who you really are.
PAUL CHURCHLAND (PHILOSOPHY OF MIND)

● HE BELIEVES THAT NEUROSCIENCE WILL EXPLAIN MORE AND HELP US UNDERSTAND WHY
PEOPLE DO SUCH THINGS COMPARED TO FOLK PSYCHOLOGY.
● NEUROSCIENCE IS A FIELD OF STUDY IN WHICH IT HELPS US UNDERSTAND THE BRAIN AND
HOW IT WORKS.
● “FOLK PSYCHOLOGY” - WHY DO PEOPLE DO THINGS. IT IS CURRENTLY THE MOST USED THING
TO UNDERSTAND WHY DO PEOPLE DO SUCH THINGS.
● HE BELIEVES THAT THE MIND AND THE AND BRAIN ARE THE SAME THING.
SUMMARY:
So, in a nutshell, Churcland believed that the brain and the mind are the same thing, and we should use
scientific language to explain human behavior instead of talking about beliefs and desires. He thinks that
in the future, neuroscience will become really good at explaining why people do things, and we won't need
to use folk psychology anymore.

MAURICE MERLEAU-PONTY (HE BELIEVES THAT THE MIND AND BODY ARE INTERTWINED)

SUMMARY:
● So, in simple terms, Merleau-Ponty believes that the mind and the body are not separate things.
They are connected, and our bodies play a big role in how we experience and understand the
world.

SUMMARY OF EVERYTHING

PEOPLE WHO BELIEVED THAT ONESELF IS DIVIDED INTO TWO PARTS:

SOCRATES (BODY AND SOUL)
PLATO (BODY AND SOUL)
AUGUSTINE (BODY AND SOUL)
AQUINAS (MIND AND FORM)
DESCARTES (BODY AND MIND)

PEOPLE WHO BELIEVED THAT ONESELF IS COMPOSED OF PARTS THAT ARE JUST
INTERTWINED:

MAURICE MERLEAU-PONTY - HE BELIEVES THAT THE MIND AND BODY ARE INTERTWINED
CHURCHLAND - THE MIND AND THE AND BRAIN ARE THE SAME THING.

NEUTRAL:
LOCKE - PERSONAL IDENTITIES IS BASED OR SHAPED ON PERSONAL EXPERIENCES
HUME - WE CAN'T OBSERVE OURSELVES DIRECTLY WITHOUT OTHER PERCEPTIONS
KANT - RESPECT OTHERS AS YOU WANT OTHERS TO RESPECT YOU
RYLE - WHAT MATTERS THE MOST IT HOW A PERSON BEHAVES ON A DAILY BASIS.

LESSON 2:
WHAT IS SOCIOLOGY?

A scientific study of social group and human relationship generates new insights into the
interconnectedness between self and other people.

Is the study of society, pattern of social relationship, social interaction and culture of everyday life.

WHAT IS ANTHROPOLOGY?

Anthropology is the study of what makes us human. Anthropologists take a broad approach to
understanding the many different aspects of the human experience, which we call holism.

They consider the past, through archaeology, to see how human groups lived hundreds or thousands of
years ago and what was important to them.

They consider what makes up our biological bodies and genetics, as well as our bones, diet, and health.
Anthropologists also compare humans with others to see what we have in common with them and what
makes us unique.

WHAT IS SELF?

The self, in contemporary literature, is defined by the following characteristics: Separate, self-contained,
independent, consistent, unitary and private” (Stevens, 1996)

THE SELF AND CULTURE?

2 Faces of the Self according to French anthropologist Marcel Mauss

» Moi – refers to a person’s sense of who he/she is, his body, and his/her basic identity, his/her biological
givenness. A person’s basic identity

» Personne – is composed of the social concepts of what it means to be who he is. Such as what it
means to live in a particular institution, family, religion, nationality, and how to behave given expectations
and influences from others

THE SELF AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SOCIAL WORLD

» More than a person’s givenness, one is believed to be in active participation in the shaping of the self
» Language is another aspect of social constructivism

MEAD AND VYGOTSKY

For George Herbert Mead and Lev Vygostky, the way that human persons develop is with the use of
language acquisition and interaction with others. The way we process information is normally form of
an internal dialogue in our head Treated the human mind as something that is made, constituted through
language as experienced in the external world and as encountered dialogs with others

Mead saw this on children’s conceptualization of the self through “role plays” and their scripts Vygotsky
saw children’s conceptualization of the self through real life dialogs with family, caregiver, or playmate
SELF IN FAMILIES

» Sociologists focus on the different institutions and powers at play in the society. Among these, the most
prominent is FAMILY
» Disposition from the child’s parents’ genes and general condition of life, the impact of one’s family is still
deemed as a given in understanding the self
» The kind of family, the resources available, and the kind of development will certainly affect us
» Human beings are born virtually helpless
» dependency period of a human baby to its parents for nurturing is relatively longer than most other
animal
» Learning therefore is critical in our capacity to actualize potential of becoming humans
» Babies internalize ways and styles that they observe from their family
» Internalizing behavior may either be conscious or unconscious
» Without a family, biologically and sociologically, a person may not even survive or become a
human person

GENDER AND THE SELF

» Gender is one of those loci of the self that is subject to alteration, change, and development
» It is important to give one the leeway to find, express, and live his identity
Sonia Tolstoy, the wife of the famous Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy, wrote when she was twenty -one “I
am nothing but a miserable crushed worm, whom no one wants, whom no one loves, a useless creature
with morning sickness, and a big belly, two rotten teeth, and a bad temper, a battered sense of dignity,
and a love which nobody wants and which nearly drives me insane”.

A few years later she wrote “it makes me laugh to read over this diary. It’s so full of contradictions, and
one would think that I was such an unhappy woman. Yet is there a happier woman than I?” (Tolstoy 1975
) The account illustrates that our gender partly determines how we see ourselves in the world

NANCY CHODOROW

…argues that because mothers take the role of taking care of children, there is a tendency for girls to
imitate the same and reproduce same kind of mentalitY

Oftentimes society forces a particular identity unto us depending on our sex and/or gender . The
gendered self is then shaped with in a particular context of time and space. The notion that an
individual should fit in a particular environment is dangerous and detrimental in the goal of truly finding
one’s self

Gender has to be personally discovered and asserted and not dictatedby the culture and society

LESSON 3: The Self in Western and Eastern/Oriental Thought

There are actually a lot of sources in which you can analyze the perspective of each culture and country
about the concept of “self”. You can see it in their literature like how one culture depicts a hero or a villain
in their stories. You can see it in their social organization like how they see their boss or their subordinate.
Artwork, dances, even clothing may show you clues about the self.

In this lesson, we will look at religious beliefs and political philosophies that greatly influenced the
mind-set of each nation or culture in both western and eastern thoughts.

First is Confucianism, it can be seen as a code of ethical conduct, of how one should properly act
according to their relationship with other people; thus, it is also focused on having a harmonious
social life (Ho, 1995). Therefore, the identity and self-concept of the individual are interwoven with the
identity and status of his/her community or culture, sharing its pride as well as its failures (Ho, 1995).

Self-cultivation is seen as the ultimate purpose of life but the characteristics of a chuntzu, a man of
virtue or noble character, is still embedded in his social relationships (Ho, 1995). The cultivated self in
Confucianism is what some scholars call a “subdued self” wherein personal needs are repressed for
the good of many, making Confucian society also hierarchical for the purpose of maintaining
order and balance in society. (Ho, 1995).

The second philosophy is Taoism. Taoism is living in the way of the Tao or the universe. However,
Taoism rejects having one definition of what the Tao is, and one can only state clues of what it is
as they adopt a free-flowing, relative, unitary as well as paradoxical view of almost everything.
Taoism rejects the hierarchy and strictness brought by Confucianism and would prefer simple
lifestyle and its teachings thus aim to describe how to attain that life (Ho, 1995)

The self is not just an extension of the family or the community; it is part of the universe, one of
the forms and manifestations of the Tao (Ho, 1995). The ideal self is selflessness but this is not
forgetting about the self, it is living a balanced life with society and nature, being open and accepting to
change, forgetting about prejudices and egocentric ideas and thinking about equality as well as
complementarity among humans as well as other beings (Ho, 1995). In this way, you will be able to act
spontaneously because you will not be restricted by some legalistic standards but because you are in
harmony with everything.

The third belief is Buddhism. The self is seen as an illusion, born out of ignorance, or trying to hold
and control things, or human-centered needs; thus, the self is also the source of all these sufferings (Ho,
1995). It is, therefore, our quest to forget about the self, forget about the cravings of the self, break
the attachments you have with the world, and to renounce the self which is the cause of all
suffering and in doing so, attain the state of Nirvana (Ho, 1995).

The self or the individual is not the focus of the abovementioned Asian or Eastern Philosophies or beliefs.
Even with extended discussions about how the self should work, Confucianism and Taoism still situate
the self within a bigger context. In striving to become a better person, one does not create a self above
other people or nature but a self that is beneficial to his community as well as in order and harmony with
everything else. As for Buddhism, the self, with all its connections and selfish ideas, is taken not
just out of the center of the picture, but from the whole picture entirely. As previously discussed,
Western perspective does not discount the role of environment and society in the formation of the
self but the focus is always looking toward the self. You compare yourself in order to be better; you
create associations and bask in the glory of that group for your self-esteem; you put primacy in
developing yourself.

One can also describe that the Western thought looks at the world in dualities wherein you are
distinct from the other person, the creator is separate from the object he created, in which the self
is distinguished and acknowledge (Wolter, 2012). On the other hand, the Eastern perspective sees
the other person as part of yourself as well as the things you may create, a drama in which
everyone is interconnected with their specific roles (Wolter, 2012). Several studies showed that
Americans, for example, talk more about their personal attributes when describing themselves
while Asians in general talk about their social roles or the social situations that invoked certain traits
that they deem positive for their selves (Gleitman, Gross, and Reisberg 2011). Evaluation of the self
also differs as Americans would highlight their personal achievements while Asians would rather
keep a low profile as promoting the self can be seen as boastfulness that disrupts social
relationships (Gleitman, Gross, and Reisberg 2011).

The Western culture is what we would call an individualistic culture since their focus is on the
person. Asian culture, on the other hand, is called a collectivistic culture as the group and social
relations are given more importance than individual needs and wants. By valuing the individual,
Westerners may seem to have loose associations or even loyalty to their groups. Competition is the
name of the game, and they are more likely straightforward and forceful in their communication as well as
decision making. Eastern or oriental persons look after the welfare of their groups and values
cooperation. They would also be more compromising and they tend to go around the bush in explaining
things, hoping that the other person would “feel” what they really want to say (Quingxue 2003).

Individualism stresses individual goals and the rights of the individual person.

Collectivism focuses on group goals, what is best for the collective group, and personal relationships.An
individualist is motivated by personal rewards and benefits.
Individualist persons set personal goals and objectives based on self. Individualistic workers are very
comfortable working with autonomy and not part of a team.

The collectivist is motivated by group goals. Long-term relationships are very important. Collectivistic
persons easily sacrifice individual benefit or praise to recognize and honor the team’s success. In fact,
being singled out and honored as an individual from the rest Westerners also emphasize more on the
value of equality even if they see that the individual can rise above everything else. Because everyone is
on their own in the competition, one can say that they also promote ideals that create “fair” competition
and protect the individual. Asians, with their collectivistic culture, put more emphasis on hierarchy as the
culture wants to keep things in harmony and order (Quingxue 2003).

For example, Westerners would most likely call their bosses, parents, or other seniors by their first name.
The boss can also be approached head-on when conflicts or problems about him arises. For Asians, we
have respectful terms for our seniors and a lot of workers would not dare go against the high-ranking
officials (Quingxue 2003).

It must be emphasized, however, that these are general commonalities among western cultures as
compared to Asian or Oriental cultures. In the case of the Philippines, we can also consider the
colonization experience for differences and similarities with our Asian neighbours. We might also find
variation among provinces and regions due to geographical conditions. With social media, migration, and
intermarriages, variety between Western and Asian perceptions may either be blurred or highlighted.
Whereas conflict is inevitable in diversity, peace is also possible through the understanding of where each
of us is coming from.

LESSON 4: The Self From Various Perspectives PSYCHOLOGY

In confidence or in an attempt to avoid further analytical discussions, a lot of people say, “I am who I am”
Yet, this statement still begs the question….. “if you are who you are, then who are you that makes you
who you are?”
“Self” is the “sense of personal identity and of who we are as individuals (Jhangiani and Tarry 2014)

William James (1980)

He was one of the earliest psychologists to study the self and conceptualized the self as having two
aspects-the “I” and the “me”.

The “I” is the thinking, acting, and feeling self (Gleitman, Gross, Reisberg 2011; Hogg and Vaughan
2010).

The “me” on the other hand, is the physical characteristics, as well as psychological capabilities that
makes you who you are (Gleitman, Gross, Reisberg 2011; Hogg and Vaughan 2010).

Carl Rogers’s (1959)

His theory of personality also used the same terms, the “I” as the one who acts and decides while the
“me” is what you think or feel about yourself as an object (Gleitman, Gross, Reisberg 2011)

Other concepts similar to self are identity and self-concept.

Identity is composed of personal characteristics, social roles, and responsibilities, as well as affiliations
that define who one is (Oyserman, Elmore, and Smith 2012).

Self-concept is what basically comes to your mind when you are asked about who you are (Oyserman,
Elmore, and Smith 2012)

3 COMPONENTS OF SELF CONCEPT

SELF IMAGE
IDEAL SELF
SELF-ESTEEM

Self, Identity, and self-concept are not fixed in one time frame.
Carl Rogers captured this idea in his concept of self-schema or our organized system or collection of
knowledge about who we are.
● NATIONALITY
● HOBBIES
● RELIGION
● FAMILY

As you grow and adapt to the changes around you, they also change. But they are not passive receivers,
they actively shape and affect how you see, think, and feel about things

Theories generally see the self and identity as mental constructs, created and recreated in memory.
Current researches point to the frontal lobe of the brain as the specific area in the brain associated with
the processes concerning the self.

Sigmund Freud, Father of Psychology, saw the self, its mental process, and one’s behavior as the
results of the interaction between the Id, the Ego, and the Superego.

NATURE AND NURTURE:

NATURE: GENES AND HEREDITARY FACTORS
NURTURE: ENVIRONMENTAL VARIABLES

Under the theory of symbolic interactionism, G.H. Mead (1934) argued that the self is created and
developed through human interaction. Basically, there are three reasons why self and identity are social
products.

1. We do not create ourselves out of nothing. Society helped in creating the foundations of who we are
and even if we make our choices, we will still operate in our social and historical contexts in one way or
the other
2. Whether we like to admit it or not, we actually need others to affirm and reinforce who we think we are.
W e also need them as a reference points about our identity
3. What we think is important to us may also have been influenced by what is important in our social or
historical context.

Social interaction and group affiliation, therefore, are vital factors in creating our self concept
especially in the aspect of providing us with our social identity or our perception of who we are
based on our membership to a certain groups

There are times, however, when we are aware of our self-concepts; this is also called self-awareness.

Carver and Scheier (1981) identified two types of self that we can be aware of: (1) the private thoughts
and feelings, and (2) the public self or your public image commonly geared toward having a good
presentation of yourself to others

Self-awareness also presents us with at least three other self schema: the actual, ideal, and ought
self. The “actual” self is who you are at the moment, the “ideal” self is who you like to be, and the
“ought” self is who you think you should bE.

Self-awareness may be positive or negative depending on the circumstances and our next course of
action. Self-awareness can keep you from doing something dangerous

Our group identity and self awareness also has a great impact on our self-esteem, one of the
common concepts associated with the “self”. It is defined as our own positive or negative perception or
evaluation of ourselves

One of the ways in which our social relationship affects our self-esteem is through social comparison.
According to the social comparison theory, we learn about ourselves, the appropriateness of our
behavior, as well as our social status by comparing aspects of ourselves with our people.

The downward social comparison is the more common type of comparing ourselves with others. As the
name implies, we create a positive self-concept by comparing ourselves with those who are worse
off than us (Jhangiani and Tarry 2014). By having the advantage, we can raise our self-esteem

Upward social comparison is comparing ourselves with those who are better off than us (Jhangiani
and Tarry 2014). While it can be a form of motivation for some, a lot of those who do this actually felt
lower self-esteem as they highlight more of their weakness or inequities)

Social comparison also entails what is called self evaluation maintenance theory, which states that
we can feel threatened when someone outperforms us, especially when that person is close to us
(ie., a friend or family)

In this case, we usually react in three ways:

First, we distance ourselves from that person or redefine our relationship with them. Some will resort to
the silent treatment, change of friends, while some may also redefine by being closer to that person,
hoping that some association may give him a certain kind of acknowledgement also.
Second, we may also reconsider the importance of the aspect or skill which you were outperformed. If
you got beaten in a drawing competition, you might think that drawing is not really for you and you will
find a hobby where you could excel, thus preserving your self-esteem.
Lastly, we may also strengthen our resolve to improve that certain aspect of ourselves. Instead of
quitting drawing, you might join seminars, practice more often, read books about it, and add some
elements in your drawing that makes it unique, among others. Achieving your goal through hard work
may increase your self-esteem, too.

However, in the attempt to increase or maintain self esteem, some people become narcissistic.
Narcissist is a “trait characterized by overly high self esteem, self-admiration, and self-centeredness

Sometimes, there is a thin line between high self-esteem and narcissism and there are a lot of tests
and measurements for self-esteem like the Rosenberg scale but the issue is that the result can be
affected by the desire of the person to portray herself in a positive or advantageous way

People with high self-esteem are commonly described as outgoing, adventurous, and adaptable in a lot of
situations. They also initiate activities and building relationship with people. However, they may also
dismiss other activities that do not conform to their selfconcept or boost their selfesteem. They may also
be bullies and experiment on abusive behaviors with drugs, alcohol, and sex.