UCSP Personal Study Guide

Q1W1
MELC - To discuss the nature, goal and perspective of anthropology, sociology and political science
PS – acknowledge human cultural variation, social differences, social change and political identities

Activity -

Things we need to define

What is a human being: a soul housed flesh, a creative being capable of becoming both the hero and
villain in a story of his making, the most intelligent animal, the only existence that is not sure of what it is
supposed to do. Man is both a mystery and a wonder, a miracle and a disaster, both the bringer of hope
and the specter of despair.

Nowadays what does it mean to be a man? Most young men would think that in order to be a man you
should have supercars, pretty girls chasing after and having so much money. But the real man is
someone who has an unshakable belief that he could make the world a better place for his family, his
friends and others by being willing to sacrifice himself for a greater good, something greater than
himself. A man must not seek power for himself, rather he must gain power to for others.

A man, when faced by temptation must face it with honesty and respect, when faced by power he
responds with humility and grace, when confronted with death, he responds with courage and hope. A
man must be willing to both live and die for an idea, a person and a tribe, for a man without a purpose is
a man who only lives for himself or who lives to burn the world along with him.

What is an ideal woman nowadays? Is she the one with the most likes and hearts, the biggest breasts
and the prettiest face, is she the one whom the boys run after, whom rich men are willing to spend on, is
the ideal woman nowadays one who can get whatever they want because they can?

A woman’s beauty must move the world towards a better place. Her beauty is her power. Therefore, she
must grow in beauty, in character, in grace, in kindness and in strength. For a true woman is one who
helps men to be better. A woman who drowns in her own beauty is one who will eventually be the
downfall of the people around her. But a woman who uses her beauty to inspire others, is one who
leads men towards greater heights. A real woman is not easily moved by flattery, or wealth or fame, a
real woman is one who seeks to lift others up, who helps others to have more wealth, and one who
gives attention to whom attention is not given.

human
Culture Culture refers to the cumulative deposit of knowledge, experience, beliefs, values, attitudes,
meanings, hierarchies, religion, notions of time, roles, spatial relations, concepts of the universe, and
material objects and possessions acquired by a group of people in the course of generations through
individual and group striving.
Culture is the systems of knowledge shared by a relatively large group of people.
Social Differences
Social Change
Political Identities
Anthropology: : the science of human beings

especially : the study of human beings and their ancestors through time and space and in relation to
physical character, environmental and social relations, and culture

: theology dealing with the origin, nature, and destiny of human beings
Sociology: is the study of social life, social change, and the social causes and consequences of human
behavior. Sociologists investigate the structure of groups, organizations, and societies, and how people
interact within these contexts.
Political Science: Political science is the study of politics and power from domestic, international, and
comparative perspectives. It entails understanding political ideas, ideologies, institutions, policies,
processes, and behavior, as well as groups, classes, government, diplomacy, law, strategy, and war.
Politics the activities associated with the governance of a country or other area, especially the debate or
conflict among individuals or parties having or hoping to achieve power.

What does it mean to be a man or woman, a student, a lover, and child, a brother or a sister, a cousin or
a worker, what does it mean to be husband or a wife, a mother or a father, an uncle or an aunt.

Activity

Rate yourself in these roles 1/10

man
woman
student
son/daughter
brother/sister
cousin/relative
friend
boyfriend or girlfriend

What is the basis of your standard?

What are your expectations for yourself?
Where did these standards and expectations come from?

Activity

Boys and girls will write their thoughts about each other or gays
What are your expectations about men, women gays?
Activity
Impressions

Reflections on First Meetings

Start with the approach on identity. Culture, Society and Politics is based on the individual. Without the
individual knowing who he is(identity), what he can do(capacity), how he can work with
others(sociability), how to deal with problems(resiliency), and who he can be(maturity) he becomes a
wandering person.

He is unable to understand who he is(confusion), unable to work(suspension) nor work with

others(rejection), unable to deal with his problems(malfunction) and unable to grow into someone who
people can rely on(stagnation), ultimately, he becomes a burden because he has no burden to bear, he
becomes a liability, because he has no sense of responsibility and finally he may devolve into the sort of
individual that decides to destroy society itself. He becomes the villain or the victim.

If, however, he has built a strong identity, he tested his capacity, he optimizes his sociability, he
maximizes his resiliency and he cultivates his maturity…he will become someone so strong he can also
bear the burden of others, he becomes an asset, he becomes so skilled with responsibility that he
evolves into an individual that can save society with the help of the community. He becomes the hero
or the one who saves the victims.

UCSP is here to answer the 5 questions that would hopefully lead you towards the path of a hero and
avoid the tragic path of a victim or villain.

1. Who am I? Identity (Gender Identity, Given and Acquired Roles)

2. What can I do? Capacity
3. Who can I be? Maturity
4. How can I work with others? Sociability
5. How do I deal with my problems? Resiliency
Activity on Gender Identity

There are roles you are born with and there are roles you decide for yourself. You need to know who
you are, and you need to decide on it, or else, you will be a nobody – and a nobody has no role to play.

boy (gender identity) girl

son (identified with parents) daughter
man (learns identity and work) woman (learns who she is and how she could help)
gentleman (learns self-control) lady (learns to let go of control)
knight (learns higher purpose) dame (learns higher allegiance)
hero (learns to sacrifice) heroine (learns to sacrifice)

He becomes someone who knows She becomes someone who knows how to
how to control himself, who deal with others, someone who has built herself to help,
trains himself and makes himself someone who makes herself a person who can nurture
a person who can protect and and inspire others to be the best version of themselves.
provide for his people, willing to Until ultimately, she becomes a person who is willing
sacrifice himself for a higher to sacrifice herself for a higher purpose if necessary.
purpose if necessary.

His role to is to be strong enough Her roles is to grow in beauty and grace so that
to suffer for the sake of saving others, the suffering of others might be bearable, so that she
so that he can encourage others to be can inspire them to be better, to give them a higher
be better. purpose, and hope.

Man and woman were designed to help each other in this world. Each has a role to play, some unique
to their own, some meant to be shared. Man and woman may have conflicts but ultimately they must
reach an agreement, for if the identity of man or woman were to be destroyed, the foundation of our
society will be destroyed. If we make a society where men and women can’t be who they are, then we
live in a society that has no identity or has too many false identities. If we live in a society that is based
on a lie – we are on the path of destruction. An attack on identity is an attack to every male and female
individual, it is an indirect attack at the heart of God’s design and at the heart of society itself.

Game:

Class will have one representative each round and they will battle to answer the fastest
Identify which role is assigned(by birth or family) or acquired (by choice or career)
or it could be time to beat

male mother carpenter

engineer father cousin
woman sister foreman
brother physician architect
waiter surgeon lawyer
UCSP List of Activities

Identity – Who you are and who you were

Action: Acceptance, Appreciation and Honesty
Parts: Name, Gender and Affiliations (Relationships – Family, Friends, Classmates)
Activities: Name Etymology – to know your basic identity
Gender Differences – to know what are the gender stereotypes
Impressions – to know what other people think of you
Strength and Weaknesses – to know what you think of yourself
Family History – to know your roots
Weakness: If you don’t know who you are you will confused, insecure and without direction
you will depend on others to tell you who you are and you will be changed by
others to who they want you to be and you will be someone you can’t accept.
Strength: If you know who you are you will confident, you will believe in yourself, you will
accept who you are and you will have purpose. You will not wait for others to
tell you who you are, but you will reveal to them who you are, you will bless
them with your presence and your past will be a story you can tell for others to
learn and laugh from.

Capacity – What you can do and what you are good at, your ability to work
Action: You need to know your limits, what you can do and what you can’t do or else
people will abuse you
Parts: Choice, Physical Skills, Academic Skills and Talents
Activities: Bato-bato pick (Society Structure, Dealing with victory and loss, leadership, wealth
power – the first reward in society’s choices)
Holding your breath (Society’s demand for sacrifice, what are you willing to lose
in order to gain something, exchange of time and skills – reward plus points
Special game: Choosing the best partner in work
Weakness: If you don’t know what you can do and what you are good at you will be suspended
in life, unable to be fulfilled and useful, you will feel useless, worthless
Strength: If you know your strengths and weakness you will be fulfilled, you will move forward in
life, you will be useful and will be secured in your worth

Sociability – Your ability to work with others

Action: You need to learn how to adjust to other personalities, to learn how to act and to
control your reactions
Parts: Response, Acting and Reflection - Relationships
Activities: Acting – given a situation, you must learn how to react appropriately
Weakness: You will be rejected from society if you will not behave accordingly and properly
Strength: You will accepted and celebrated, your presence will be a source of energy and
joy, and people would like you and give you favors
Resiliency – Your ability to face problems and to adapt to changes
Action: You need to know how you react to problems, challenges and changes
Parts: Endurance- Physical stress, Fortitude – mental stress, Discipline – emotional stress
Faith – spiritual stress
Activities: Life-changing experience
Weakness: If you can’t bear with the stress of life you will malfunction, you will not
be able to adapt or change, instead you will stray and be lost
Strength: If you can carry and manage the burdens of life you will be stronger, you
will be a person who can be calm in problems and can think clearly when
problems arise

Maturity – Your ability to reach your full potential, to be who you want to be and meant to be
Action: You need to know who you want to be and how to get there through consistency
Parts: Your dream for others, ambition for yourself and the courage to accept the things
you could not change
Activities: Your ideal self – write a description of you will be and what you can do
Weakness: If you will not be clear with your vision, hope and dreams you will stagnate,
you will not have the joy of growing and seeing the better version of yourself
Strength: You will celebrate the changes that you have brought about and appreciate
new version of you