“THE

MATERIAL SELF
OR ECONOMIC
SELF”
GROUP 7
(Team Strong)
Molejon, Clifford
Namuag, Kimverly
Pielago, Kaycel Ann
Paul, Rica
Quiñones, Queezy
 • According to Mark Crispin
Miller, “Once a culture
becomes entirely advertising
friendly, it seizes to be a
culture at all.”
“I HAVE, THEREFORE I
AM”
THE MATERIAL SELF / ECONOMIC
SELF

• The material self, according to

William James, pertains to the
objects, places, or even people which
have the label “mine”. Such
possessions are viewed as extensions
of individuals' identities.
• For instance, your clothes reflect
certain aspects of your personality
and you designate them
• as “my wardrobe”.
 WILLIAM JAMES

James identified four components of the Material Self.

It is constituted by the body as the innermost aspect of the
material self. Also, you perceive certain body parts as more
private or intimately yours as compared to the others. The
next aspect is your clothing; the garments which protect as
well as project your body. This is followed by your family;
they are connected to you by blood and you share their
glory as well as shame. Your home comes next; it is where
many aspects of your life have been developed, it is where
you feel most comfortable, and it is greatly linked to your
identity. This is then followed by other possessions such as
gadgets, cars, collections, etc.
• • People are likely to purchase products that can relate to their personality. Material Possessions signify
some aspects of one’s sense of self and identity.
• • Possessions, tell a lot about their owners. Thus, one’s sense of self and identity is influential on how an
individual chooses to purchase his/her wants and how he/she makes economic decisions that will address
his/her personal and social needs
• • The decisions that go into the purchase of items and certain services is dependent on a number of factors,
including financial constraints, availability of items and services, and the influence of family and friends.
• • However, the most important factor is determining whether these items and services fall
• Under:
• • Wants. Synonymous with luxuries. People buy them for reasons that do not warrant necessity.
• • Needs. These are important for survival. Food, clothing, and shelter are basic needs so people purchase
them out of necessity.
• • In the process of acquiring material goods, people generally consider 2 things:
• • Utility. Concerned with how things serve a practical purpose.
• • Significance. Concerned with the meaning assigned to the object. It is also concerned with how objects
become powerful symbols or icons of habit and ritual which can be quite separate from their primary
function.
• To further understand the term
significance, Roland Barthes studied the
concept of semiology or the study of signs.
According to him, it is through objects that
people assert
their identities. This idea suggests that
objects, aside from contributing to how an
Individual identities himself/herself, also
signify relationships of people with others
based on what they possess.
• The possession of material things also
indicates one’s status in the society. These
personal choices build one’s material and
economic self which is an extension of his/her
social identity.
 I SHOP THEREFORE I AM: THEREFORE
I AM?

• In the "I Shop, therefore I Am“ :

• • trend to report we are looking into the world of CONSUMER
CULTURE.
• • shopping has turned into a lifestyle
• • stopping us from finding true and sincere happiness
• • it says that, shopping often works as a substitute for something that we
are missing in life. Is it true?
• • concerns about what we buy and what we choose to invest in
 CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION

• CONSUME
• • is defined as "use up, to spend wastefully, to destroy” (Gusdorf
1978). The definition shows that consumption has a positive and
negative connotation and meaning.
• • Behind every consumption, there is production. consumers keep
companies alive. These companies pay people whose earrings put
food on the table. Such is the pattern of consumption. Thus, it
cannot be denied that consumption is important.
 CONSCIOUS CONSUMPTION

• Consumer are often portrayed as VICTIMS exploited by

greedy companies. However, you should take note that every
person has "FREE WILL". Therefore choices are important
and so as the consumers responsibility and obligations to the
word "FREE WILL" according to their choices whether to
buy or not. Conscious consumption is about practicing
responsible buying habits.
 PSYCHOLOGICAL/SOCIOLOGICAL
CONSUMPTION

• As mentioned earlier, for many people these days (with the younger
generation as the vulnerable group) happiness seems to attached to
buying something.
• • Consumption has become an addiction many people have
forgotten the things in life that can bring true and lasting
happiness, such as spending time with family and/or friends; to
have “me” time; enjoy nature; to read etc.
 IDENTITY AND CONSUMER CULTURE

• Mach (1993, p. 7) argued that

December 24, 2015 – Pope Francis returned to one of his
favoured themes in his homily at midnight mass on Christmas
identity is a symbolic idea. It is an
Eve at the Vatican, castigating a hedonistic and consumerist
society and a culture of indifference.
image we build for ourselves
FACTORS THAT AFFECT IDENTITY:
• social relations of power and, through social interaction. Thus, a
• symbolic image of the world person’s identity is dynamic and
“Identity” as we know is now mainly derived from
the work of psychologist Erik Erikson in the
context-dependent. It is improved
1950’s. Identity may refer to: through communication with
a. a social category defined by membership rules, others and through different ways
characteristic attributes or, expected behaviors.
b. socially distinguishing features that an that a person interacts within the
individual takes pride in having. cultural atmosphere and social
relations.
• Meanwhile, studies have observed that every waking moment in a modern
style has become a cycle of “alternating time-space for work and time-space
for consumption” (Sassatelli, R, 2007 p. 3). Slater (1997) outlined some main
features and characters in consumer culture:
• 1. Consumer culture is a culture of consumption.
• 2. Consumer culture is a culture of market society.
• 3. Consumer culture is universal and impersonal.
• 4. Consumer culture identifies freedom with private choice and life.
• 5. Consumer needs are insatiable and unlimited.
• 6. Consumer culture is a privileged medium for building personal identity
and status.
 THE PROBLEM WITH CONSUMERISM

1.1. It is intrusive.
2.2. It is manipulative.
3.3. It cannot provide many of the things that are important to
us.
4.4. It restricts our choices and lives.
5.5. It affects our worldviews and characters.
6.6. It is unsustainable.
 LIST TO AVOID THE TRAP:

• 1. EXERCISE INTELLECTUAL INDEPENDENCE

• • be aware of how CONSUMERISM controls your life.
• • try to defend yourself from unwanted external pressures.
• • ignore advertising.
• • think for yourself.
• • question all information to you, and start looking for information yourself.
• 2. CONSUME LESS, LIVE MORE
• • Stop and think about the influences of consumerism in your life.
• • Think about what what really matters to you and how you want to live it.
• • Strive to live the life YOU want, not how others think you ought to live.