Ge 1 Uts LP 3

3| Understanding the Self 42
UNIT 3: UNPACKING THE SELF II

3.0 Intended Learning Outcomes
a) Explore the different aspects of self and identity;
b) Demonstrate critical, reflective thought in integrating the various aspects of self and identity;
c) Identify the different forces and institutions that impact the development of various aspects of self
and identity; and
d) Examine one’s self against the different aspects of self as discussed in this unit.
3.1 Introduction
We are now on the third unit of our learning packet. This is the second part for our discussion on
Unpacking the Self. This time, we will be taking about the remaining aspects of our self specifically, the
religious self, the material self, the political self, and the digital self. More than ever, now is the time to
understand and gain a wider and better perspective about these aspects of ourselves.
This unit is designed to for you to develop a more critical and reflective attitude in exploring the various
concerns and issues about the self and your identity so you can arrive at a better understanding of yourself.
Activities and assessment exercises are still included to jog your prior learning about these topics
as well as to measure how much you were able to absorb in this unit. With that, let us start.
3.2 UNPACKING THE SELF

3.2.1 The Religious Self
3.2.1.1 Verum Est…
For your warm- up activity, I want you to write down ten (10) superstitious beliefs that abound in
your locality especially those that surround or are related to a special occasion (i.e. wedding, burial, All
Souls’ Day, Holy Week, etc.). You may request your elders, grandparents, parents, or your neighbors as
your sources. Include a simple explanation or justification as to why or how those superstitious beliefs
exist.
3.2.1.2 Let’s Probe Further
Answer the following questions based on the results of your previous exercise.
1. How did you find the exercise? Was it difficult to accomplish? Why or why not?
2. Look at the list of the superstitious beliefs you came up with. Are they still in existence or being
practiced? Why or why not?
3. Are these superstitious beliefs connected to your religion? Why or why not?
4. Do you personally believed in superstitious beliefs? Why or why not?
3.2.1.3 Abstraction
Religion
How do you define religion? Is it simply the way you patronize God? Or is it just going to church and
worship?
According to Emile Durkheim, religion is a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred
things, that is to say, things set apart and forbidden – beliefs and practices, which unite into one single
moral community called a Church, all those who adhere to them. However, Sigmund Freud argued that
religion is an illusion and it derives its strength from the fact that it falls in which our instinctual desires
(Villafuerte, et al., 2018).
Moreover, according to the Bible, religion needs to be based upon Christ, not men’s philosophies,
traditions, or worldly thoughts and ideas. Hence, if we are going to define religion it simply means that
it is the belief that there is only one Supreme Being, which is God (Villafuerte, et al., 2018).
Rebecca Stein (Alata, et al., 2018) works on the definition of religion as “a set of cultural beliefs and
practices that usually includes some or all of basic characteristics such as:
1. Belief in anthropomorphic supernatural being, such as spirits and gods;
2. Focused on the sacred supernatural, where sacred refers to a feeling of reverence and awe;
3. Presence of supernatural power or energy that is found on supernatural beings as well as
physical beings and objects;
4. Performance of ritual activities that involves the manipulation of sacred object to
communicate to supernatural beings and/ or to influence or control events;
5. Articulation of worldview and moral codes through narratives and other means; and
6. Provision of the creation and maintenance of social bonds and mechanisms of social control
within a community; provide explanation for unknown and a sense of control for individuals.
You, as an individual lives in a society where there are many practices of religion. The choice of
religious beliefs lies within your spiritual self. Although the choices maybe influenced by the society and
its culture (Alata, et al., 2018).
Rituals and Ceremonies

According to Morissey, Mudge, Tayler, Bailey and Rule on their book, Living Religion, rituals are
enactments or systems of actions and beliefs that have a beginning, middle, and end (Villafuerte, et al.,
2018). Thus, in every country, rituals may vary because rituals reflect how people put their faith in
actions.
Britannica (2017) gave another definition, which says, “ritual is the performance of ceremonial acts
prescribed by a tradition or sacred law”. Thus, ritual is a specific, observable mode of behavior exhibited by
all known societies and that it is possible to view ritual as a way of defining or describing humans (Alata,
et al., 2018).
There are three (3) fundamental characteristics of rituals according to Penner (Britannica, 2017).
1. A feeling or emotion of respect, awe, fascination, or dread in relation to the sacred;
2. Dependence upon a belief system that is usually expressed in the language of myth; and
3. Symbolic in relation to its reference.
The self can be described as a ritual being who exhibits a striking parallel between their ritual and
verbal behavior. Just as language is a system of symbols that is based upon arbitrary rules, ritual may be
viewed as a system of symbolic acts that is based upon arbitrary rules. Participation to rituals is
expressions of your religious beliefs (Alata, et al., 2018).
Among the rituals in the Philippines, the most known by people are wedding and death/ burial. In
most country, marriage is a sacred union of man and woman after a period of courtship and engagement.
It is the sacrament between two people loving each other. For many Filipinos, the eternal quality of
dedication to God pervades a truly sacred marriage. A sacred marriage is a covenant between two people
who love each other in God and with God, whose joining becomes an expression of desire to love and
serve God together (Villafuerte, et al., 2018).
However, the death and burial of a loved one in the Philippines is one of the most important occasions
in family life. For many Filipinos, the death of a loved one is an opportunity to strengthen ties in the
family. To pay respect and honor the relationship to the deceased, long lost relatives, friends and even
relatives working abroad are reunited (Villafuerte, et al., 2018).
The Philippines is home to some unique death/ burial rituals that are partly religious and mostly
superstitious. The mourning and weeping are still present, but a happy and welcoming atmosphere
would usually envelop the place (during the wake/ lamay) to help the deceased on his/ her journey to
afterlife (Villafuerte, et al., 2018).
After the death of a person, a nine- day period of prayer or novena of prayers and Masses offered up
for the deceased is held, although the beginning of the Pasiyam varies, but usually ends the week after
the death. Another period follows after death, the forty- day mourning. Family members indicate their
state of bereavement by wearing a small, black rectangular plastic pin on their left breast or breast pocket
area. A ceremonial mass is held at the end of this 40- day period. Common belief states that the soul goes
to heaven after forty days, following the belief that Jesus ascended to heaven after the said period of days
In every ritual, there is a ceremony, or the ritual observances and procedures at a grand and formal
occasion. For example, during weddings in the Catholic Church. There are ceremonies such as the candle
ceremony, the veil ceremony, the cord ceremony, and the actual time when the groom and the bride
exchange their vows in front of the priest among others (Villafuerte, et al., 2018).
These rituals and ceremonies can be considered as staple and essential part of being a member in the
society where we are in. We have to remember however, that this is on the perspective of the Roman
Catholic faith, the religion of the majority of Filipinos, making the Philippines one of the remaining
countries whose major religion is Catholicism (Villafuerte, et al., 2018).
Some World Religious Beliefs and Practices

There are different religions with different beliefs and practices. Some of the world religions are
Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism (Alata, et al., 2018). For this section, we will only
be talking about Christianity, Islam, and Judaism.
 Christianity
Christians believe in Trinitarian God. One God in three personas: God, the Father
(Creator), God, the Son (Savior), and God, the Holy Spirit (Sustainer). Eternal life after
death will be achieved through faith in Jesus Christ (Christian). He is God, the Son, who
came into flesh to spread the Good News of Salvation. He died on the cross for the sin
of the humanity but was resurrected from death, so that anyone who believes in Him
will be saved and have eternal life. The Holy Bible is a selection of books, which is
divided into the Old Testament and the New Testament (Alata, et al., 2018).
The Sacraments of Baptism and Communion are practiced by Christian churches.

The Sacrament of Baptism symbolizes the birth in the Christian world, while the
Sacrament of Communion is an act of remembrance of Jesus Christ’s sacrificial love.
Jesus Christ teaching us unconditional love that is expressed in loving the poor,
oppressed and outcast of the society (Alata, et al., 2018).
Christmas and Easter (Resurrection) are two major celebrations in the Roman
Catholic Church. Christmas, December 25, commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ
while Easter Sunday (depends of the lunar calendar, sometime in March or April)
celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from death (Alata, et al., 2018).
 Islam
Muslims believe in Allah, who is their “One God”. They believe in the
unity and universality of God. Muslims also have a strong sense of community
or “ummah” and an awareness of their solidarity with all Muslims worldwide.
Islam means willing submission to God” (Alata, et al., 2018).
Muslims believe that Mohammed is the last and final prophet sent by God.
Mohammed was born in Mecca in 570 CE and that he received revelations
from God through the Angel Gabriel over a period of 23 years. The Holy Book
of Muslims is the Quran, which was taught to be recited in Arabic because any translation is seen as
inadequate (Alata, et al., 2018).
Muslims practice their belief in the Five Pillars of Islam, which are
the foundations of Muslim life. These are:
1. Shahadah – the sta.tement of their faith: “There is no God but
one true God (Allah) and Mohammed is His messenger.
2. Salat – the prayer that is practiced five times a day.
3. Zakat – the monetary offering for the benefit of the poor. It
comprises of 2.5% of a Muslim’s assets/ income.
4. Hajj – the yearly pilgrimage to Mecca. Muslims who can
afford are asked to do the pilgrimage at least once in their
lifetime.
5. Sawm – the fasting that Muslims do. This include fasting from food, drink, and sexual acts
from dawn to sunset during the celebration of Ramadan or the ninth moth of the Islamic lunar
calendar.
Two major festivals in Islam are Eidul- Fitr and the Eidul- Adha. Eidul- Fitr is the celebration at the
end of Ramadan while Eidul- Adha is celebrated within the completion of the pilgrimage, the Hajj
(Alata, et al., 2018).
 Judaism
The Jews (followers of Judaism) believe in the God of Abraham, the same God that liberated the
Hebrew slaves from Egypt to Canaan, the Promised Land through the leadership of Moses and later,
Joshua (Alata, et al., 2018).
The Jews believe in the coming of Messiah, the Savior. The sacred Scripture of the Jews is called the
Torah or the Law. This is their guide of the Jewish living. The study and interpretation of Torah is part of
the Jewish culture (Alata, et al., 2018).
The Jews also celebrate Sabbath day. The Jewish Sabbath day begins on Friday evening at sunset and
is an important time when families gather together for the Shabbat meal (Alata, et al., 2018).
There are five (5) major festivals observed by the Jews. These are:
1. Rosh Hashanah – the New Year (not the same with the Christians’ New Year)
2. Yom Kippur – the Day of Atonement
3. Pesach – the Passover
4. Shavuot – Pentecost
5. Sukkot – Tabernacles
Religious beliefs, rituals, practices and customs are all part of the expression of our spiritual self.
What to believe and how to manifest the belief is entirely dependent on the individual – the self. A person
might believe that there is a higher being, a supernatural deity, usually termed God, but not necessarily
wants to be affiliated or identified with a certain religious group. Others may have religious practices,
which are perceived to be contrary to the practices of other religious groups. Religious beliefs and
practices, therefore, are formed relative to its context and culture (Alata, et al., 2018). That is why, it is
very important for us to learn to respect and tolerate the faith and belief of others.
3.2.2 The Political Self

3.2.2.1 You are a Filipino if…
Copy the following in your paper. Put a check mark under “Yes” if you believe the statement reflects
your Filipino self. (Class Participation)
I am a Filipino because I…
_____ 1. Practice bayanihan.

_____ 2. Have sympathy for others.
_____ 3. Have close family ties/ relations.
_____ 4. Have fun- loving traits.
_____ 5. Am hospitable.
_____ 6. Am compassionate.
_____ 7. Am religious.
_____ 8. Am friendly.
_____ 9. Am flexible (magaling makibagay).
_____ 10. Respect elders.
_____ 11. Am creative and resourceful.
_____ 12. Have strong tenacity and determination.
_____ 13. Always bear in mind the concept of utang na loob.
_____ 14. Have “bahala na” attitude.
_____ 15. Have “colonial mentality”.
_____ 16. Have “crab mentality”.
_____ 17. Practice euphemism.
_____ 18. Am always late in every appointment.
_____ 19. Have “gaya – gaya” attitude.
_____ 20. Practice “ningas- kogon” attitude.
3.2.2.2 Let’s Probe Further
1) Now, count the number of checks you got in the previous activity. Interpret the results using the
scale below (Villafuerte, et al., 2018).
Total No. of Checks Interpretation
20 – 16 points 100 % Filipino
15 – 11 points 75% Filipino
2) Do you agree with the results? Why or why not?
3) Are you proud of being a Filipino then? Justify.
4) Would you change your nationality if given the opportunity? Why or why not?
3.2.2.3 Abstraction:
Who is the Filipino?

Filipinos are often referenced to globally renowned personalities like Manny Pacquiao, Lea Salonga,
Pia Wurtzbach, Catriona Gray, and Michael Cinco who have made Filipinos recognized around the world
through their expertise and achievements. However, being a Filipino is far more than just being related
to these notable figures. Independence day celebration and the Buwan ng Wika prompt us to go back to
our roots and reflect on the question: Who is the Filipino? (Alata, et al., 2018).
Technically, according to the 1987 Philippine Constitution, Filipino citizens are “…those whose
fathers and mothers are citizens of the Philippines, those born before January 17, 1973, of Filipino
mothers, who elect Philippine citizenship upon reaching the age of majority, and those who are
naturalized in accordance with the law.” However, citizenship is not the only marker of being a Filipino.
Culture and history have greatly influenced the manner Filipinos learn, live, and behave to date. People
who are born and grew up in the same culture develop and share common personality traits and values.
Generations after generations, common traits and values have been passed on that the Filipinos of today
still embody (Alata, et al., 2018).
Filipino Values and Traits

What are values? According to H. M. Johnson, values are general standards and may be regarded as
higher order norms. Meaning to say, when we say values, it is the basis of good living.
On the other hand, Worslay argued that values refer to the general conception of “the good” ideas
about the kind of ends that people should pursue throughout their lives and throughout the many
different activities in which they engage.
If we are going to analyze these two definitions above, the simple suggestion is that values are bases
of pleasant and peaceful living whereas you need to act in accordance with what is right and what is
accepted in the community where you belong.
Hence, values are cultural products as standards , which individuals living in society prized as very
important. Thus, it is a goal or objective. To attain that objective, the corresponding institutionalized
procedure is adopted. Laws cannot change social values.
Furthermore, we should always bear in mind that not all values are universal. For example, the
values of being polite is strictly practiced here in the Philippines but not in other countries like America
Here are some of the Filipino values and traits that a true Filipino must emulate and possess (Alata,
et al., 2018).
 The Filipino Hospitality

A Filipino trait that is known everywhere is the Filipino’s brand of hospitality. Filipinos welcome
their guests and tourists as if they are their own siblings and relatives. They always make their guests
feel at home, offering them something to eat and even some place to stay. They will bring out their best
sets of plates and chinaware for their honored guests and would even go as far as spending a lot of money
and going into debt just so they can satisfy them.
In most local shops, Filipino salespersons will greet their customers with warm welcome and say
“thank you” when they leave even without buying anything. Filipinos also anticipate giving tours to
friends who will visit their hometown and treating them to the best restaurants and delicacies for free.
During festivals or fiestas, Filipinos serve heaps of festive food and invite the whole barangay over. They
are also fond of giving pasalubong or tokens from their travels and pabaon or farewell gifts to their visitors.
 Respect for Elders

Filipinos greet their elders by kissing their hand while saying “Mano po” and constantly using “po”
and “opo” in conversations. Forgetting to address older people properly is regarded as rude and impolite.
There is also a wide variety of references to elders such as ate for older sister, kuya for older brother, Tito/
Tita for uncle and aunt, respectively, so on and so forth. For older people outside the family, the use of
Manong/ Mang for men and Aling for women.
 Close Family Ties
Filipinos maintain a tight relationship with their families regardless if the children are old enough
and already have families of their own. They are also fond of family reunions during birthdays, holidays,
or fiestas year- round. Some Filipino families even opt to live in a big house where everyone can stay
together. Nursing homes are almost always not an option for family members and choose instead to take
care of their elders themselves at home.
 Cheerful Personality
Filipinos have a habit of smiling and laughing a lot. They smile when they are happy, or sometimes
even when they are sad or angry. Smiling has been a coping strategy for many Filipinos especially during
trying times and calamities. For instance, Filipinos smile and wave at cameras while being interviewed
even after a fire or flooding incident. They always try to maintain a positive outlook in life, which makes
them resilient and able to manage almost everything with a simple smile.
 Self- Sacrifice
The self- sacrificing attitude of Filipinos can be seen as an extension of the Filipino hospitality.
Filipinos go out of their way to extend help to their friends, families, and loved ones. They wish comfort
and better lives for their loved ones sometimes even going to the extent of working abroad or far away
from home for a better compensation. OFWs sacrifice a lot; that is why they are regarded as modern- day
heroes. There are times also when the eldest among the children in the family would give up school to
work instead and provide for the rest of the family so that younger siblings can study instead.
 “Bayanihan”
Bayanihan is the spirit of communal unity and cooperation of Filipinos. It is also about giving without
expecting something in return. Filipinos are always ready to share and help their friends and loved ones
who are in need. It may not always be in monetary form, but the time and effort they give also count as
a form of helping for them. This trait in particular manifested how Filipinos rally themselves to send aid
to those who are severely affected by natural calamities.
 “Bahala Na” Attitude
“Bahala na” is the Filipino version of the famous line, Hakuna Matata meaning “no worries”. The
phrase is said to have originated from “Bathala na”, where Bathala means God, and so the phrase now
meant as leaving everything to God’s hands. It can also be viewed as something similar to the cheerful
and positive attitude of Filipinos and allowing situations to take care of themselves instead of worrying
about them.
 Colonial Mentality
This is regarded as the lack of patriotism and the attitude where Filipinos favor foreign products more
than their own. This does not only concern goods, but also the desire to look more foreign than local and
keep up with foreign beauty trends. This mentality is attributed to the centuries of colonization that
Filipino people have experienced under Spanish, American, and Japanese rule.
 “Mañana” Habit
This is the Filipino term for procrastination. It was derived from a longer Filipino phrase, “Mamaya
na” translating to dawdling with works, which could have been done at an earlier time. This is a poor
habit of laziness resulting in heavier workloads.
 “Ningas Kugon” Attitude
Ningas is a Filipino term for “flame” while “kugon” is the Filipino term for cogon grass, which burns
out easily after being lit.
The term ningas kugon then refers to the attitude of eagerly starting things with a lot of enthusiasm
and passion but quickly losing that eagerness soon after experiencing difficulty or hardship. This is also
attributed to the indolence of Filipino people, leading to how Filipinos are often viewed as the
eponymous Juan Tamad.
 Pride
Most Filipinos hold on to their pride as if they are more precious than keeping a good relationship
with family and loved ones. When two parties are not in good terms, they find it so hard to apologize
and wait until the other party asks for an apology first.
 Crab Mentality
This is a toxic trait among Filipinos where one resents the achievement of another, instead of feeling
happy for that person. Just like crabs in a container, they pull each other down and ruin each other’s
reputation rather than bringing them up, resulting in no progress. Filipinos should change this
troublesome attitude and focus more on their own inadequacies to improve themselves.
 Filipino Time
Filipinos are known of having this common attitude of arriving late at commitments, dinner parties,
and appointments among others especially if they are meeting someone close to them. They tend to
disregard punctuality altogether. If someone says that 7:00 PM is the appointed time, Filipinos seem to
interpret this as arriving at 7:30 PM. It will not be surprising that during a group meeting, someone telling
everyone that he/ she is “on the way” means that person is still at home and preparing themselves for
going away.
Filipino Markers
What then are the hallmarks of our being a Filipino? What makes us truly relish our being a Filipino?
The following are constant reminders of our nationality (Alata, et al., 2018).
 Proverbs or Salawikain
Filipino proverbs, just like any other proverbs, are sayings that convey lessons and reflections on
Filipino practices, beliefs, and traditions. Damiana Eugenio, regarded as the Mother of Philippine
Folklore, classified proverbs into six (6) categories (Alata, et al., 2018).
Eugenio (2000) enumerated these categories as:
1. Proverbs expressing a general attitude toward life and the laws governing life;
2. Ethical proverbs recommending certain virtues and condemning certain vices;
3. Proverbs expressing a system of values;
4. Proverbs expressing general truths and observations about life and human nature;
5. Humorous proverbs; and
6. Miscellaneous proverbs.
An example of a proverb is the Filipino saying, “Kung may tiyaga, may nilaga” meaning hard work will
be rewarded if one is persistent.
 Superstitious Beliefs
Filipinos also subscribe to their own set of superstitions passed down from one generation to another.
Some of these may be influenced by beliefs from other cultures, but Filipinos have retold these
superstitions according to their own experiences and they sometimes end up even more interesting.
According to Filipino superstition, a woman singing while cooking will end up an unmarried woman,
so parents remind their daughters to avoid singing while preparing their meals. Filipinos also avoid
taking pictures in threes as the belief is that the one in the middle/ center will die.
There are many superstitions that abound in the Filipino culture especially considering how colorful
and diverse the regions of the country. In our region, Samar definitely is a rich source of superstitious
beliefs and colorful myths and legends.
 Myths and Legends
As mentioned in the previous Filipino marker, the Philippines’ rich culture and history also
contributes to the numerous myths and legends that are still being considered and passed down from
one generation to another. These stories are aimed to explain the origin of things, and at the same time,
to teach a valuable lesson, even though it seems to be beyond our imagination. Some of these stories
stemmed from the pre- Christianity period, and have evolved to the stories we know now.
A famous legend in the Samar province is that of Carolina, a very pretty woman from Biringan City,
another notoriously famous source of numerous urban legends and mythical stories.
 Filipino Icons and Heroes
Heroes served as reminders of true patriotism and nationalism as they have sacrificed their lives for
the sake of their country’s freedom and progress. Every year, we lend a whole day of celebration for our
heroes, usually that last Monday of August, to remember their greatness, bravery, and resilience that has
led to the freedom we know and have today.
Famous Filipino icons such as Lea Salonga, Manny Pacquiao, Pia Wurtzbach, Catriona Gray, San
Lorenzo Ruiz and other Filipinos who have made a mark in their industry and expertise also serve as
important Filipino markers as they have made the Filipino name more pronounced worldwide. They
have brought honor and prestige to the country and thereby presenting to the world the greatness that
Filipinos are capable of and can achieve.
Application and Assessment:
I. In a relationship… with God (30 points)

In this activity, you will be writing down your possible plans
that will help you get closer to God for one week or seven (7) days.
Below is just a sample of how you may accomplish this activity. You
also have the freedom to create your own template/ design of your
plans for your spiritual or religious self. You may download this
template from
https://www.compassionuk.org/blogs/prayer-journal/
II. How to be a Good Filipino (20 points)

Make a list (10 – 15) ways that can help you and other Filipinos become a better citizen of our
country. Include a short description/ explanation why or how it can help us become better Filipinos.
III. Reflection: (20 points)

Reflect and discuss on how being a Filipino affects your religious and your political self. How
can becoming a better Filipino influence your duty to becoming a better version of yourself?
3.2.3 The Material Self
3.2.3.1 Debit Card Challenge

A very wealthy person gave you a debit card and told you to use it as much as you want to
make yourself happy. What are you going to do with it? Make a list of what you want to have. Write
as many as you want.
3.2.3.2 Analysis
Directions: Answer the following questions. Write them in another sheet of paper.
1. Which among the items in your list you like the most? Why?
2. If ever you were given the chance in real life to have one among the list, which would you
choose? Why?
3. Is your choice different from what you answer in question number 2? Why or why not?
3.2.3.3 Abstraction
Upon reaching an item in the display shelf of chocolates at a convenience store, a woman
intends of buying a bar with a statement, “It’s cheat day. I’m just not myself now.” If she is not just
herself now, maybe she’ll have another self later, or tomorrow perhaps. Many scholars conclude that
people have a core set of behaviors, attitudes, beliefs, and values that constitute selves. It is the sum
total of who they are. However, their concepts of self can and does change, depending on
circumstances and influences (Villafuerte, et al., 2018).
We are living in a world of sale and shopping spree. We are given a wide array of products
to purchase from a simple set of spoon and fork to owning a restaurant. Almost everywhere,
including the digital space, we can find promotions of product purchase. Product advertisements are
suggestive of making us feel better or look good. Part of us wants to have that product. What makes
us want to have those products are connected with who we are. What we want to have and already
possess is related to our self.
Belk (1988) stated that we regard our possessions as parts of our selves. We are what we have
and what we possess." There is a direct link between self identity with what we have and possess.
Our wanting to have and possess has a connection with another aspect of the self, the material self.
Let us try to examine ourselves further in the lens of material self.
A Harvard psychologist in the late nineteenth century, William James, wrote in his book. The
Principles of Psychology in 1890 that understanding the self can be examined through its different
components. He described these components as:
(1) its constituents;

(2) the feelings and emotions they arouse-self-feelings;
(3) the actions to which they prompt-self-seeking and self-preservation.
The constituents of self are composed of the material self, the social self, the spiritual self and
the pure ego. The material self, according to James primarily is about our bodies, clothes, immediate
family, and home. We are deeply affected by these things because we have put much Investment of
our self to them
SELF
Body
Clothes
Immediate Family
Home
Material Self Investment Diagram
The innermost part of our material self is our body. Intentionally, we are investing in our
body. We are directly attached to this commodity that we cannot live without. We strive hard to
make sure that this body functions well and good. Any ailment or disorder directly affects us. We
do have certain preferential attachment or intimate closeness to certain body parts because of its
value to us (Alata, et al., 2018).
There were people who get their certain body parts insured. Celebrities, like Mariah Carey
who was reported to have placed a huge amount for the insurance of her vocal cords and legs
Next to our body are the clothes we use. Influenced by the "Philosophy of Dress" by Herman
Lotze, James believed that clothing is an essential part of the material self. Lotze in his book,
Microcosmus, stipulates that any time we bring an object into the surface of our body, we invest
that object into the consciousness of our personal existence taking in its contours to be our own
and making it part of the self." The fabric and style of the clothes we wear bring sensations to the
body to which directly affect our attitudes and behavior. Thus, clothes are placed in the second
hierarchy of material self. Clothing is a form of self-expression. We choose and wear clothes that
reflect our self.
Third in the hierarchy is our immediate family. Our parents and siblings hold another great
important part of our self. What they do or become affects us. When an immediate family member
dies, part of our self dies, too. When their lives are in success, we feel their victories as if we are
the one holding the trophy. In their failures, we are put to shame or guilt. When they are in
disadvantage situation, there is an urgent urge to help like a voluntary instinct of saving one's self
from danger. We place huge investment in our immediate family when we see them as the nearest
replica of our self.
The fourth component of material self is our home. Home is where our heart is. It is the earliest
nest of our selfhood. Our experiences inside the home were recorded and marked on particular
parts and things in our home. There was an old cliché about rooms: "if only walls can speak. The
home thus is an extension of self, because in it, we can directly connect our self.
Having investment of self to things, made us attached to those things. The more investment
of self-given to the particular thing, the more we identify ourselves to it. We also tended to collect
and possess properties. The collections in different degree of investment of self, becomes part of
the self. As James (1890) described self: "a man's self is the sum total of all what he CAN call his."
Possessions then become a part or an extension of the self.
From the discussions, we can say: the

material self refers to all of the physical
elements that reflect who a person is which
includes his/her body. possessions and
home, The body is the innermost part of the
material self. The family, home and clothes
also form a person's material self.
Furthermore, practical interests of a person
part of his/her material self which includes
the instinctive impulse of collecting
property. Luxury and materialism are by-
products of the material self. Materialism
https://www.betterlivingthroughdesign.com/read/books/david-report-
bulletin-i-shop-therefore-i-am/ refers to the theory or belief that nothing
exists except matter, its movements and its
modifications, the theory or belief that consciousness and will are wholly due to material agency,
a tendency to consider material possessions and physical comfort as more important than spiritual
values (Villafuerte, et al., 2018).
Finally, as we shape the way we see ourselves and develop our sense of self and identity,
reflecting on this familiar statement might help, “People were created to be loved, and things were
created to be used; the reason why the world is in so much chaos right now is because people are
being used, and things are being loved.”
3.2.4 The Digital Self
3.2.4.1 Facebook Post Challenge
Question: Social media is building its own world in the present times through sharing of ideas,
thoughts, and information through creating virtual networks and communities. . If you are going
to post something on Facebook about being a responsible netizen in the 21st Century, what will it
be?
3.2.4.2 Analysis
Applying the same activity in the virtual world or cyberworld, how do people portray
themselves online? What are the things you would want to post/share online? What are the things
you want others to share online?
3.2.4.3 Abstraction
The number of people who are becoming more active online continues to increase worldwide
(Alata, et al., 2018). More than half of the population worldwide now uses the Internet. It has only
been 25 years since Tim Berners-Lee made the World Wide Web available to the public, but in that
time, the Internet has already become an integral part of everyday life for most of the world's
population. The Philippines is among one of the countries with the most active Internet users (We
are Social and Hootsuite n.d.).
 Almost two-thirds of the world's population now has a mobile phone More than half of the
world's web traffic now comes from mobile phones
 More than half of all mobile connections around the world are now "broadband."
 More than one in five of the world's population shopped online in the past 30 days.
Media users in the Philippines grew by 12 million or 25% while the number of mobile social
users increased by 13 million or 32%. Those growth figures are still higher compared to the
previous year. More than half the world now uses a smartphone (Alata, et al., 2018).
Online Identity and ‘Self in Cyberspace’
The term "online identity" implies that there is a distinction between how people present
themselves online and how they do offline. But any split between "online" and "offline" identity is
narrowing, for two reasons. In contrast to the internet of the 1990s, people today use social media
primarily to communicate with people they know in real life" contexts like home, work, and
school. Second, wireless networking and portable devices like smartphones and tablets make it
easy to access social media as part of day-to day life, rather than having to formally log on to the
internet (Villafuerte, et al., 2018).
We are living in a digital age and other than face to face interaction, we have interactions
involving technology cellular phones, computers and other gadgets. Thus, we build our DIGITAL
SELF. What is your Digital Self? How do you represent yourself online? This chapter module will
help you understand how online identity is established based on what information you offer in
technology-interactions. It will present the risks and dangers for posting too much of your personal
life or pretending you are somebody else in the social media world. This chapter module will also
present what you can do to protect your online personality that can affect your offline personality.
Selective Self-Presentation and Impression Management
These are characteristics showing behaviors designed to convey an image about ourselves to
other people and to influence the perception of other people of this image. This explains why our
behaviors can change if we notice that we are being watched or observed. This self-presentation
can also change depending on who we are interacting with or what personal information we need
to be providing to present ourselves in a way that will be acceptable to others. Thus, we can select
only what we want to present and impress to others, what we view beneficial to our personality,
especially when we create a digital self. We carefully choose representation or expression of one's
real world to the online world (Villafuerte, et al., 2018).
Impact of Online Interactions on the Self
When interacting with other people, we automatically make inferences about them without
even being consciously aware of it. We cannot help but ponder what they are thinking about what
their facial expressions mean, what their intentions and so on. This predisposition is what makes
social interactions demanding. This suggests that interaction with human partners requires more
emotional involvement, and thus more cognitive effort, than interacting through a computer. The
conclusion is clear online interaction does not require cognitive or emotional involvement, making
our interaction with it much easier ((Villafuerte, et al., 2018).)
Is it true that Facebook provides opportunities for increased identity development? YES!
Research suggests that young users report increased self-esteem and general wellbeing following
instances of positive feedback on social networking sites. Relatedly, results from a 2009 survey of
college students indicated that the heaviest Facebook users were also most satisfied with their lives
and exhibited greater social and political engagement.
However, online interactions cannot reveal our true feelings and can decrease people's
happiness levels. The extra effort involved in face-to-face interactions can be spared in online
interactions that are founded on minimal or constrained social cues; most of these signals can be
summed up in emoticons or punctuation. Hence, it is easier to hide our emotions behind an email,
a Facebook post or a tweet. Studies were conducted to show that within the first two years after
people first accessed the internet, their happiness level decreased (Kraut, 1998) and that social
media has a small, yet significant detriment on overall well-being. This is because browsing social
media sites alone can lead to feelings of jealousy when we compare self to the online personal of
others.
We can control our self-presentations on online interactions and this may be both beneficial
and harmful to the individual. Compared with face-to-face presentations, online interactions
enable us to self-censor to a greater extent and manage our online identities more strategically
which provides greater opportunity to misrepresent ourselves.
Below is a table which shows the positive and negative impact of social media and online
interaction on the self.
POSITIVE IMPACT NEGATIVE IMPACT
Social media sites inform and empower Extensive online engagement is correlated with
individuals to change themselves and their personality and brain disorders like poor social
communities. skills, ADHD, narcissistic tendencies, a need for
instant gratification, and addictive behaviors and
other emotional distress like depression, anxiety, and
loneliness.
Increased self-esteem when receiving many Low self-esteem due to the risk of being exposed to
likes and shares. cyberbullying and cyberpornography.
Boost one’s more and feelings of self-worth. More occupied in giving attention to social media
than in keeping their customs and practices.
Setting Boundaries to Your Online Self: Smart Sharing
The following guidelines will help you share information online in a smart way that will protect
yourself and not harm others. Before posting or sharing anything online, consider the following
(Alata, et al. 2018):
 Is this post story necessary?

 Is there a real benefit to this post? Is it funny, warm-hearted, teachable-or am I just making
noise online without purpose?
 Have we (as a family or parent/child) resolved this issue? An issue that is still being
worked out at home, or one that is either vulnerable or highly emotional, should not be
made public.
 Is it appropriate? Does it stay within the boundaries of our family values?
 Will this seem as funny in 5, 10, or 15 years? Or is this post better suited for sharing with a
small group of family members? Or maybe not at all?
Application and Assessment:
Debit Card Challenge List (20 points)

1. Go back to your Debit Card Challenge List. Put a mark on the left side of each item with the
following categories:
B – If the items is related with your body

C – If the item is related with clothes
F – If the item is related or intended to your family
H – If the item is related with home
2. Answer the following questions:

 Which among the categories you have the most in your list?
 What do you think these things tell you about yourself?
Collage Making (30 points)

3. Create a collage of your treasured possessions including your current clothing style. You may
use symbols or pictures of your treasured possessions. Put a short note why you treasure each
item.
Quick Survey (30 points)

4. Create a quick survey to ten (10) random students. Complete the table below.
MALES
No. of hours
Most spent on
Most frequently phones,
Course & frequently
Name Age played computer gadgets or
Year used social
game computers per
media
day
FEMALES
Answer the following questions:

1. What is the most common social media platform and computer game for students?
2. What is the average number of hours spent by the students online?
3. What insights have you gained form the quick survey?
3.3 References
Books:
Alata, E. J., Caslib, B. N. Jr., Serafica, J. P., and Pawilen, R. A. (2018). Understanding
the Self. Rex Book Store, Inc.
Cuevo, F. M., De Guzman, D. D., Larioque, R. R., and Tapadera, M. R. (2018).

Understanding the Self. St. Andrew Publishing House.
Villafuerte, S. L., Quillope, A. F., Tunac, R., and Borja, E. (2018). Understanding the
Self. Quezon City, Philippines: Nieme Publishing House, Inc.
Images/ Cliparts Sources:
https://101clipart.com/catholic-religious-symbols-clip-art/
http://clipart-library.com/church-officers-cliparts.html
https://www.cleanpng.com/png-mosque-symbols-of-islam-clip-art-black-islamic-arc-
220171/
https://www.istockphoto.com/vector/muslim-islam-prayer-and-ramadan-kareem-
gm513320230-87546555
https://www.betterlivingthroughdesign.com/read/books/david-report-bulletin-i-shop-
therefore-i-am/
https://id.pinterest.com/pin/539446861610734503/
3.4 Acknowledgment
The images, tables, figures and information contained in this module were taken from the
references cited above.

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3| Understanding the Self 42

UNIT 3: UNPACKING THE SELF II

3.2 UNPACKING THE SELF

3.2.1.2 Let’s Probe Further

Rituals and Ceremonies

Some World Religious Beliefs and Practices

The Sacraments of Baptism and Communion are practiced by Christian churches.

3.2.2 The Political Self

_____ 1. Practice bayanihan.

3.2.2.2 Let’s Probe Further

Who is the Filipino?

Filipino Values and Traits

 The Filipino Hospitality

 Respect for Elders

Application and Assessment:

I. In a relationship… with God (30 points)

II. How to be a Good Filipino (20 points)

III. Reflection: (20 points)

3.2.3 The Material Self

3.2.3.1 Debit Card Challenge

(1) its constituents;

Material Self Investment Diagram

From the discussions, we can say: the

3.2.4 The Digital Self

3.2.4.1 Facebook Post Challenge

Online Identity and ‘Self in Cyberspace’

Selective Self-Presentation and Impression Management

Impact of Online Interactions on the Self

POSITIVE IMPACT NEGATIVE IMPACT

Setting Boundaries to Your Online Self: Smart Sharing

 Is this post story necessary?

Application and Assessment:

Debit Card Challenge List (20 points)

B – If the items is related with your body

2. Answer the following questions:

Collage Making (30 points)

Quick Survey (30 points)

Answer the following questions:

Cuevo, F. M., De Guzman, D. D., Larioque, R. R., and Tapadera, M. R. (2018).

Images/ Cliparts Sources:

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