GED 101 Understanding the Self - Week 11: Material Self PDF

1 GED 101 Understanding the Self iconfinder.com  Bersoto, M.A., Arcega, A.M., & Cullar, D. S. ED 101 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF...

1 GED 101 Understanding the Self iconfinder.com  Bersoto, M.A., Arcega, A.M., & Cullar, D. S. ED 101 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF G WEEK 11: MATERIAL SELF The Material Self This section focuses on how people maintain extensions of themselves through material possessions and maintenance of particular lifestyles. In the context of what the society values as needs and wants, this section discusses how an individual acquires goods, the factors that shape his/her economic decisions, and what these things say about one’s sense of self. Our possessions are a major contributor to and reflection of our identities. A variety of evidence is presented supporting this simple and compelling premise. The Material self suggest that the environment surroundings affects what we think we need versus to what we really need. This also develops on thinking alone or thinking and deciding with other people in terms of purchasing. I shop, therefore, I am. I have, therefore, I am? Identities can be reflected on the possessions that people have. Some research are identified and drawn upon in developing this concept which the concept is from consumer behavior. To be able to identify this consumer behavior, people need to gain some understanding of the meanings that consumer attach to possessions. People should first recognize that possessions, intentionally or unintentionally, regard their possessions as parts of themselves. 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: o Wants. Synonymous with luxuries. People buy them for reasons that do not warrant necessity. o Needs. These are importants 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: o Utility. Concerned with how things serve a practical purpose. o 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. GED 101 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF According to John Heskett, a British writer and lecturer on the economic, political, cultural and human value of industrial design, design combines “need” and “desire” in the form of a practical object that can also reflect the user’s identity and aspirations through its form and decoration. For him, there is a significance and function behind everyday things. He explains the effect of design in everyday life. This reflects the personal identity wherever the person is: home, work, and restaurant or at a leisure place. This design really matters from the smallest things like toothpick, spoon and fork, the kind and presentation of food that people eat up to the bigger gadgets, equipment and cars. Roland Barthes (1915 – 1980) the French theorist, was one of the first to observe the relationship that people have with objects, and in particular looked at the objects as signs or things which could be decoded to convey messages beyond their practical value. In the 1950s, he popularized the field of Semiology (the study of objects as signs). A sign is anything that conveys meaning. It was Barthes who revealed that everyday objects are not just things  but a complex system of signs which allows one to read meaning into people and places. What people increasingly produce are not material objects, but signs. In Semiotic analysis, objects function as signifiers in the production of meaning. For example, clothes may have a simple functional meaning, to cover and protect the body but also double up as a sign. They construct a meaning and carry a message, which as member of a culture one can understand. According to him, a sign has two elements: signifier which refers to its physical form and signified, the mental concepts it refers to. Hence, objects are not just things but are reflections of the wider lives of communication and individuals. Not surprisingly, the clothes one wears, the car one drives and the furnishing of one’s home, are all expressions of one self, even when they act as disguises rather than reflections. As Tuan (1998) argues, “Our Fragile sense of self needs support, and this we get by having and possessing things because, to a large degree, we are what we have and possess”. This premise regarded possessions is a part of self of a person that is not a new concept. This is concluded by William James who laid the foundations for modern conceptions of help, he said that “a man’s self is the sum total of all the he can call his, not only his body and his psychic powers, but this clothes and his house, his wife and children, his ancestors and friends, his reputation and works, his lands, and yacht and bank-account. All these things give him the same emotions. If they wax and prosper, he feels triumphant; if they dwindle and die away, he feels cast down,-not necessarily in the same degree for each GED 101 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF thing, but in much the same way for all.” If people define possessions as things they call theirs, James was saying that people are the sum of their possessions. Some of the evidence is found in the nature of self-perceptions, particularly found in the diminished sense of self when possessions are unintentionally lost or stolen. Anthropologically, the role of possessions are treated ritually and after death. In addition, the self-have areas that are not reviewed more on the relationship between possessions and sense of self. Essentially, the having, doing, and being can be a focus on understanding material self that is relevant to the question of how people define who they are.  In addition, material self can be explained in understanding self-extension. That is, both good and bad aspects of objects are seen to attach to people through their physical contact or proximity. This can result in multiple levels of self. On the other hand, to give importance on the number of categories of possessions that are commonly incorporated into the sense of self. Categories may be collections, money, pets, other people, and body parts. The Theory of the meaning of material possession suggest that material goods can fulfil a range of instrumental, social, symbolic and affective functions: 1. Instrumental functions relate to the functional properties of a product. For example, a person bought a pick-up style car for family and business functions. 2. Social symbolic function signifies personal qualities, social standing, group affiliation and gender role. For instance buying Iphone instead of other mobile phones. 3. Categorical functions refers to the extent to which material possessions may be used to communicate group membership or status. 4. Self-expression functions reflect a person’s unique qualities, values or attitudes. There are people who may represent themselves by collecting objects with a Hello Kitty brand and the like. Also Objects or Materials as Process of Self-Extension, which includes the following: 1. Ways of incorporating Possessions into the Extended Self Sartre suggests that there are three primary ways through which a person learns to regard an object as part of self. One way is through appropriating or controlling an object for personal use. GED 101 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF This can be done through appropriate intangible or non ownable objects by overcoming, conquering, or mastering them.. Similarly, it is only through learning to ride a first bicycle, manipulating a new computer system, driving a first car, or successfully negotiating rapids in a new kayak that these objects really become parts of the extended self. Sartre also sees giving possessions to others as a means of extending self-a special form of control. A second way of having an object and incorporating it into self is by creating it; this view echoes anthropological findings and Locke's (1690) political philosophy. Whether the thing created is a material object or an abstract thought, the creator retains an identity in the object for as long as it retains a mark or some other association with the person who brought it into existence. This identity is codified through copyrights, patents, and scientific citations that preserve associations between people and their mental creations. Sartre feels that buying an object is merely another form of creating the object, and that even the latent buying power of money contributes to a sense of self. The third way in which objects become a part of self is by knowing them. Whether the object known is a person, place, or thing, Sartre maintains that the relationship in knowing the object is inspired by a carnal and sexual desire to have the object. 2. Contamination  Goffman (1971, pp. 44-47) suggests six modes of interpersonal contamination. An important omission in this list of modes of interpersonal contamination is the acquisition of possessions of another person that have been intimately associated with that person. The following are some of the contamination a person may experience: Violation of one's personalspace Touching and bodily contact; Glancing, looking, and staring; Noise pollution; Talking to/addressing one Bodily excreta. Corporeal excreta (spittle, snot, perspiration, food particles, blood, semen, vomit, urine, and fecal matter-and stains of these); b. Odor (e.g., flatus, tainted breath, body smells); c. Body heat (e.g., on toilet seats); d. Markings left by the body (e.g., plate leavings-leftover food). 3. Maintaining Multiple Levels of Self As previously noted, some possessions are more central to self than are others. The possessions central to self may be visualized in concentric layers around the core self, and will differ over individuals, over time, and over cultures that create shared symbolic meanings for different goods. However, there is anothersense in which the individual has a hierarchical arrangement of levels of self, because people exist not only as individuals, but also as collectivities. They often define family, group, subculture, nation, and human selves through various consumption objects. GED 101 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF Boorstin (1973) suggests, one of the key ways of expressing and defining group membership is through shared consumption symbols. Such symbols help identify group membership and define the group self. Just as an individual may use personal possessions such as jewelry, automobile, make-up, and clothing to help define an individual sense of self, a family is most apt to use distinct family possessions to define a family self for its members. The first is that the house is a symbolic body for the family. Just as clothing alters the individual's body, furnishings and decorations alter the family's body. The second important point is that the expressive imagery of the house that is definitional of the family is only fully acquired during consumption. At the point of acquisition, only a portion of the ultimate meaning of these objects is present In considering the functions of extended self, discussion was directed toward the relative roles that having, doing, and being play in people’s lives and identities. Developmental evidence suggests that this identification with things begins quite early in life as the infant learns to distinguish self from the environment and then from others who may envy a person’s possessions. Emphasis on material possessions tends to decrease with age, but remains high throughout life as people seek to express themselves through possessions and use material possessions to seek happiness, remind themselves of  experiences, accomplishments, and other people in their lives, and even create a sense of immortality after death. The accumulation of possessions provides a sense of past and tells people who they are, where they came from and where they are going. Self-extension occurs through control and mastery of an object, through creation of an object, through knowledge of an object, and through contamination via proximity and habituation to an object. The extended self operates not only on an individual level, but also on a collective level involving family, group, subcultural, and national identities. These additional levels of self were posited to account for certain behaviors that might be seen as selfless in the narrower individual sense of self. GED 101 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF The role of Consumer Culture on the Sense of Self and Identity Consumers unconsciously (and sometimes consciously) know that their possessions are intimately tied to their sense of the self. Product ownership and use help consumers define and live out their identity. By implication, then, the current view construes a dichotomy between what one is sans possessions and what one becomes due to or with possessions. Consumer Identity is the pattern of consumption that describes the consumer. People may no longer consume goods and services primarily because of its functional satisfaction. This develops the consumer culture. Consumption has become increasingly more meaning-based: brands are often used as symbolic resources for the construction and maintenance of identity. Brands and products are now being used by many consumers to express their identities. People may construct their social identities through the consumption of commercial brands or luxury commodities. This is one of the basic features of people in the modern era, a behavior that leads to consumerism.  Consumerism is the preoccupation with an inclination towards the buying of consumer goods. This is because of the availability of the pen market or technology based market. High class consumption is attached to the identities of people in the society and it legitimizes consumer culture in the daily lives of people. To fully explicate that view and tease out the underlying theory, it is first necessary to dissect this sans possessions' self. Decomposing the sans possessions' self would help us place possessions in a better context—how possessions fit into the consumer's self. The sans possession' view of self is populated in the consumer behavior literature by two visibly different discourses. The first is a 'personal identity' view, wherein self is seen as a multi-faceted, multi-layered, social and psychological being, reflecting, deeply and continually, on itself. This conception has blossomed richly in the post-modem, interpretivist consumer research literature where it is referred to as the core self. A consumer's identity is deemed to reside in a personal narrative —the story consumers constantly construct and play out in their minds about who they are and/or are striving to become. Self is viewed as a sum of personal qualities, more or less enduring, that an individual sees himself in possession of. These include personality traits in their subjective version (i.e., GED 101 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF personality traits as perceived by the person himself/herself) as well as any superficial behavioral and body appearance traits. The self-narrative conception of identity offers a rich literary view against which products and brands may be appraised for potential fit. But it calls for intensive high-skilled ethnographic research. The self-image view lends itself to easy, quantitative measurement. But as already argued, this view is anchored and embedded entirely in personality-like dispositions and surface characteristics and ignores other content' —described below. This view serves, if at all, to appraise consumers' superficial images of self, and to deploy this brand of research in self-image brand-image congruence models (e.g., Malhotra, 1981; Todd, 2001). However, brand choices, particularly those made to primarily enact and advance one's self concept, often go beyond such superficial image' congruence. Purchase can be the consumer's self-concept or self-identity. This includes both sans  possessions' self and the extended self, and is often the object of introspection among most consumers at one time or the other. Although the concept of 'I' can include virtually everything a person ever come to own and live with, a systematic list would include six components: (a) their bodies; (b) their values and character; (c) their success and competence, (d) their social roles, (e) their traits, and, finally (f) their possessions. Not all products a person consumes become possessions. Some are clearly consumables, not possessions. And not all products that qualify to be called possessions become part of the extended self. Even so, products (consumables and durables alike) can relate to one's self concept without becoming part of the self-concept. This would be the case when products are instrumental in furthering some component of the self-concept. If a person had to invest a lot of resources(money, time, energy) finding and selecting a product then to psychologically justify that kind of investment, people tend to view that product as part of their extended self. For this reason, more expensive purchases and hard to find purchases, and purchases for which they saved for a long time are more likely to become part of the extended self. Products thus can relate to one's self in two ways: (a) by being instrumental to enhancing their self sans possessions,' and (b) by becoming a valued possession. As to the second role, product possessions become part of self (actually extended self by six mechanisms described above: by self-based choice, by investment in acquisition, by investment in use, by bonding during use, as collections, and as memory markers. GED 101 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF Not all product categories have a place in a person's sense of self. Such products are best sold based on functional benefits; of course, these functional benefits can be displayed as connected to higher level outcomes in relevant means-end-chains. References: Arcega, A M., Cullar, D. S., Evangelista, L. D. & Falculan, L. M. (2018). Understanding the Self. Malabon City: Mutya Publishing House Inc. Boorstin, D. J. (1973).The Americans: The democratic experience. New York: Random House. Gazzingan, L. B. et al. (2019). Understanding the Self. Muntinlupa City: Panday-Lahi Publishing House, Inc. Goffman, E. The presentation of Self in everyday life. Accessed July 29, 2020. https://monoskop.org/images/1/19/Goffman_Erving_The_Presentation_of_Self_in_Everyday_Life.pdf The Material/Economic Self. Steven C. Valerio's Blog. Accessed July 20, 2020. https://utsged101portfolio.wordpress.com/section-3-the-material-economic-self / Tuan, J. Extending Theory of self. Accessed July 30, 2020. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1559-1816.1998.tb01685.x GED 101 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF WEEK12: SPIRITUAL SELF THE SPIRITUAL SELF This chapter discuss the different world religions, the beliefs of early Filipinos on different gods and goddesses, superstitious beliefs, beliefs in faith healer, soul and spirit and how those beliefs was changed since the Spanish and American colonization. It also discuss the different rituals, ceremonies, the practice of religion, magic and witchcraft and also finding and creating the meaning of life. The practice of religion: belief in supernatural being and power According to Giddens (2006), religion is a cultural system of commonly shared beliefs and rituals that provide a sense of ultimate meaning by creating an idea of reality that is sacred, all  encompassing and supernatural. He identified the key elements of religion such as (a) religion is a form of culture-shares all characteristics of culture such as shared beliefs, values that create an identity, (b) religion involves beliefs that take the form of ritualized practices - all members engage in behaviors that identify them as members of the community, and (c) religion provides a sense of purpose feeling that life is ultimately meaningful. In addition, Durkheim (1912) defined religion as a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things, things set-apart and forbidden beliefs and practices which unite into one single moral community called a Church, all those who adhere to them. https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2016/08/22/understand-todays-world-more students-should-study-religion-essay Statistics indicate Christianity as the world’s largest religion with a 33% population. It is followed by Islam with a 21% population, Hinduism with a 14% population, Buddhism with 6% population, Chinese Traditionalism at around 6% and Judaism at only about 0.22%. GED 101 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF  Philippines is the only Christian country in the South East Asia. Filipinos show their religiosity through participating on different religious practices such as baptism, fiestas, “sinakulo,” prayer, fellowship, communion, and other activities related to church. Before the Spanish colonization, Filipinos believed in animism, a belief that all objects have spirits. They also believed in supernatural being. According to McClenon (1991), the concept of supernatural has been shaped by the Western notion of nature and causality and it is culturally specific. Filipinos praised the trees, plants, sun, moon, stars and other living and non-living things. They also praised the spirit of their ancestors, which is called “cult of the dead.” They believed on the immortality of the soul. An evidence of this is the Manunungul Jar where the remains of the dead were kept. This image shows the belief of life after death by early Filipinos. GED 101 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF  https://pt.slideshare.net/topengpogi/sculpture-72009328 The memories of the dead are remained through carving their image using gold and stone. This is called “larawan” or “likha” in Tagalog, “diwata” in Bisaya and “bul-ol” in Ifugao. They also offered sacrifices and prayers for guidance, sympathy and beseech. Not all “anitos” are good, there are few who are evil. The priestess which is also called as “baylan,” “babaylan,” or “katalona” does the ritual or offering. Early Filipinos practiced polytheism, a belief in many gods, which was brought by the early Chinese and Indian merchants. Some of their gods are Bathala, the Almighty God, Agni, God of Fire, Mandarangan, God o War, Sidapa, God of Death, Lalahon, God of Harvest, and Siginarugan, God of Hell. These beliefs are passed orally to the next generation. https://www.silent-gardens.com/culture.php However, there were some changes on the beliefs of the early Filipinos when the Spaniards brought Christianity in the archipelago. The changes were not immediate because early beliefs are GED 101 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF already practiced in the country. What the Spaniards did was, they adopted the Christianity in the  belief of Filipinos on animism. Monotheism was introduced by Spaniards, a belief in only God, which has three personas, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. According to the Holy Bible, they already existed before the creation of the world. God the Father sent his son, Jesus Christ to save humanity, which whoever believes in Him should not perish but have an eternal life. When Jesus Christ died and rose after three days, the holy spirit was left in humanity which serves as the conscience that guides the human beings in doing right things and avoiding committing sins. Not all tribes are converted into Christianity, some of them remained in their animism beliefs. At present, where modern technology is part of the lives of Filipinos, there are some who are still following and practicing the superstitious beliefs. According to Daskeo (2012), many Filipinos still spice their life with superstitious beliefs that they strongly believe could help them cope with day to day activities especially most important events in life such as marriage, finding a job, and moving to a new house. Common Superstitions: o If a person bites their tongue, it means somebody is thinking of them; o A girl with shite spots on her fingernails is inconstant in love; o It is bad to sweep the floor at six o’clock in the evening for it means driving away good fortune and graces o One should not open an umbrella while inside a house; a centipede is likely to fall from the ceiling; o If a pregnant woman sews her dress while wearing it, her baby will born without hole in the rectum; o Appearance of a comet foretells war https://www.shopback.ph/blog/tabi-tabi-po-top-10-pinoy-superstitions  GED 101 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF These superstition beliefs are passed by the early ancestors orally and still practiced by some of the Filipinos in recent times. With the influence of Americans and science, the numbers of Filipinos following superstitious beliefs were diminished. One of the influences of American colonization is the introduction of science in the day to day lives of Filipinos especially on health and sanitation. Their influence taught the Filipinos that believing in superstitious beliefs may be detrimental to health. Like do not throw the dusts outside the house after sweeping the floor, because you may experience difficulty in money matters. The Concept of “Dungan” (Spirit or Soul) The term animism is one of the oldest beliefs which is taken from the Latin word Anima meaning breath or soul. Animism is the belief that everything in nature – living things like trees, plants, and even non-living rocks or streams – have their own spirit or divinity. Animism beliefs are still present, accepted and never entirely disappeared. The soul according to the indigenous Filipinos is known as Kaluluwa, Ikararuwa or kararuwa. It is taken from the root word duwa which means two. The soul has two parts – one is the physical part, where it is connected to the body and its life, and other spiritual, where it exists on its own. For Ibanags, the soul is the principle of life in man. Body is the matter; soul is the form. As long as the body and soul are one unit, man is alive. Death is the separation of the soul from the body. The body cannot stay alive without the soul. But the soul can live without the body. Freed from the body, it ceases to experience thirst and hunger, cold and heat. As spirit, the soul is the opposite of the body which is matter. The Dungan may leave the body voluntarily while the person is asleep according to BIsayans. Among the ancient Filipinos, when the person is asleep they should not be awakened quickly in order to give ample time for the Dungan to return to the body. While the Dungan is travelling outside of the body it should be free from accidents because there is a possibility that it might be trapped in a jar or be poured out with liquid from a vessel. When the soul has safety returned home to the body of its owner, they could then be awakened.  It is for this reason that the Dungan needs protection and nurture. Soul-nature, the folks believe, means the performance of age-old spirit rituals many of which are still followed in the local provinces today. Examples of these are birth, illness and death rituals consisting of trances, GED 101 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF prayers, and animal sacrifices. An adult person with a healthy Dungan properly lodged in his physical body will have bodily health and well-being, intelligence and good sense. Religion, Spirituality, Magic, Witchcraft and Identity The Function of Rituals Ritual traditions of Filipinos are best understood in terms of their intentions. At the core of any ritual, balance between man and nature, and the spirit world is very important. Rituals is an attempt to enhance and maintain this balance. This is evident in some villages which perform rituals to restore the state of affairs when the balance is lost. Human nature are innumerable reasons for causing a shift in this balance. There are equally innumerable rituals that can be done to correct the imbalance. This is the reason for having a broad range of ritual practices in the Philippines (Obusan, 2015). Rituals have several functions. There are rituals to have a good harvest, ask for the guidance and protection from their ancestors and unseen forces, to heal the sick, to bring good luck and to conceive. Like in the case of Ifugao. They have rituals for marriage. If the two couples are planning to tie the knot, they will ask guidance from their ancestors. The butcher opens the body of a sacrificial pig and they examine if the internal organs of the pig are healthy or not. If it is healthy, they have the approval to tie the knot this year, if not, they may try again in the following year. The purpose of this ritual is to study the carcass for omens that guides them in their decision like marriage. Dance and chants are a very essential part of their ritual. Rituals are usually accompanied by dances. It is the higher symbolic form for the Filipino. It represents the distillation of collective memory, affect, religious piety, humility, and purity of intention. Even a complex message can be articulated or maybe understood through dance (Obusan 2015).  GED 101 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF Rituals and Ceremonies Magos (1997), discussed the mara-it or dangerous zone of Panay Island. According to her, Panaynon believes in spirit beings in the sea like siokoy (half-man, half fish sea monster) and the mangingilaw (half man, half monkey man eating monster) forest which are very harmful. They also believe that the earth and the universe has a layered structure with spirit beings live in each layer. Lupan-on are spirits beings who live on land, the idalmunon are spirit beings who live underneath the surface of the earth and the tubignon are spirit beings who live in water. These folks remind them that the earth is sacred, inhabited by the spirit and thus dangerous. If Panaynon uses the earth's resources with discourtesy or greed, they will make the spirits angry. There are necessary fishing and farming rites to be performed regularly to gain the favor from spirits such as daga (bloodletting) and the samba (communal fishing rite). People of Zambales also conduct a ritual in building their house. According to the official website of the Provincial Government of Zambales, residents of this province perform rituals before building a house. The ritual starts with choosing which day is specified in the Pilaton as a good day to start the project. According to Ms. Cristeta Acebes, principal of Uyugan Elementary School (2012), “pilaton,” refers to a list of dates, including the phases of the moon, that would ensure the success of any major undertaking or activity of residents in the province. The second step is burying coins in the first hole during laying of foundation. Fresh animal blood is allowed to be dropped in the same place. On the day set to roof the house, relatives, neighbours and friends usually come to help. Those who cannot perform actual construction work normally offer akhad (anything that can be served or cooked as food) or tudung (drinks, usually wine) (Provincial Government of Zambales). http://www.batanes.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/rituals2.jpg  GED 101 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF Religion, Magic, and Witchcraft Religion Religion came from the Latin word religio means to respect or care for. It is generally defined as; “belief in, worship of, or obedience to a supernatural power or powers considered to be divine or to have control of human destiny." According to Santrock (2014), religion is an organized set of beliefs, practices, rituals and symbols that increases an individual’s connection to a sacred or transcendent other (God, higher power, ultimate truth). It may also be referred to as an organized system of beliefs, ceremonies, rules used to worship god. Another description for religion is, an interest, a belief, or an activity deemed to be of utmost importance to a person or group. However, there is no exact definition of religion. Religion is functional especially in the unification of a certain place or country. It binds the people through its teachings, practices and the end goal that everyone wants to attain. If there is no religion, what would be the content and priority of the law making body in creating and proposing a bill in the congress? Probably, that would be the earthly things in the world. Religiousness is the degree by which one is affiliated with an organized religion in terms of the person’s participation in the prescribed rituals and practices, connection with its beliefs and  involvement with its community of believers. Spirituality, on the other hand, involves experiencing something beyond oneself in a transcendent manner and living in a way that benefits others and society. It could be related to a search for the sacred. The term “sacred” may signify a person, an object, a principle, or a concept that transcends the self. The sacred can include a divine being or a divine object that is “set apart” and considered as holy or beyond ordinary. The reference to what religion is, also refers to the dynamics of the meaning attached to spirituality. It emerges as people relate to the developmental and existential challenges of the search for the meaning of existence amidst the ambiguity of life. Spiritual identity is the persistent sense of self that addresses ultimate questions about the nature, purpose and meaning of life. It results in behavior that are consonant with the individual’s core GED 101 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF values. The definition of a sense of spiritual identity focuses on the individual construction of a relationship to the sacred and ultimate meaning. Magic Magic is the power apparently influencing the course of events by using mysterious or supernatural forces. It is the ability to use supernatural forces to make impossible things happen, such as making people disappear or controlling events in nature. A magician is usually a worker in the kind of magic that is on the whole public and good, whereas a sorcerer is generally considered an evil figure, one who deals in matters that his or her clients would rather keep secret and one whose work may be downright antisocial (Frankle and Stein, 2005). A sorcerer is translated from the Greek word pharmakos, and carries with it the idea of medicine, magic potion, drugs, and poison. A wizard is one who is thought to be acquired with the secrets of the nonmaterial or unseen world while a necromancer is one who is “seeking unto the dead”. It is a term that includes all forms of attempt to make contact with departed spirits. Balang is the Filipino term for a sorcerer. It is used to describe malignant sorcery or familiar spirits (usually a swarm of destructive insects, specially carnivorous beetles). In the Philippines, it swarms small invisible insects residing in bamboos that enter the body through open space causing the intestine, stomach, lungs, and liver to swell during high tides and shrink during low  tides. Mambabarang is a person who practices this specific type of sorcery or witchcraft. Binarang is the target (usually a person) of sorcery or witchcraft. Kulam is the Tagalog word for “voodoo” or “witchcraft”. It is one of the most well-known aspects of Philippine folklore. The fear of kulam usually has an effect on how a person conducts himself in the community and on how people treat each other in a community. A mangkukulam is a person who uses black magic or spells on a victim. After the spell is cast, the victim will experience a form of illness which cannot be cured by modern medicine, misfortunes to himself and loved ones, inability to concentrate, lack of sleep, loss of appetite, freak accidents, and other unexplained events. Albulario/mananambal is a Filipino practitioner of traditional medicine; he is also a medicine man who is also capable of performing sorcery. Albulario is a Filipino witch doctor, folk healer or medicine man. When the person feels that his ailments and misfortunes are caused by kulam, he consults an albulario who performs rituals in order to defeat the spells of the mangkukulan and bring the person back to normalcy. Most Filipinos aside from being a superstitious people believe in the mythical creatures of local folklore which includes the aswang, manananggal, kapre, dwende, sirena, syokoy, engkanto, sigbin, tikbalang, tianak and many others. According to local folklore such creatures inhabit dark GED 101 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF forest and unexplored regions of barrios in the provinces. Each region has their own mythical creature which usually comes out in the night looking for food in the form: fresh blood, pregnant mothers (they target the fetus), and human organs like the liver or for victims to take them into the other world. Finding and Creating Meaning Everybody is experiencing different challenges and problems in life. Some have common problems, but some do not. Some have different strategies in solving the same problems. There are some who are good at hiding their problems or sufferings. Some people may think their problems are bigger than the problems of others. However, when they ask some people or have an open forum, they will realize that they are wrong. There are other people who have bigger and more difficult problems than them. Viktor Frankl an Austrian neurologist and psychologist founded Logotherapy. Logotherapy is based on the premise that the human person is motivated by a “will to meaning,” an inner pull to find a meaning in life (Frankl 1988). Finding and creating meaning in life is what Viktor Frankl would like to teach to everybody. The following list of tenets represents basic principles of logotherapy: http://pagehanify.com/7criteria/coaching/mans-search-for-meaning-dr-viktor-frankl/ 1. Life has meaning under all circumstances, even the most miserable ones. Every occurrence in one’s life has meaning. People tend to find the meaning of that occurrence especially if it is a good  incident or circumstances. However, they tend to ask themselves or God for the occurrence of bad happenings in their lives. Sometimes, they ask themselves and God, “why did it happen to them?” “why did it happen to their love ones, despite that they are good people, they do not deserve to experience that such sufferings, but why them?” There are things beyond the control of humanity, cannot explain by their minds and intelligence, but Almighty God can. Individuals must realize that whatever circumstances they have, even if it is good or not, they must find that life has meaning. Those circumstances have purpose and meaning in their lives. 2. Our main motivation for living is our will to find meaning in life. People experience different sufferings in life in terms of relationship, love, studies, money, job,etc. Finding meaning in life despite the sufferings should be the main motivation for living. An example of this is, an individual who developed an inner hatred towards her family when she knew that her mother tried many times to abort her due to poverty and her siblings bullied her that she was an adopted child. She developed a thought that she is not part of the family and even at the start, she is an unwanted child. This pushes her to be the black sheep of the family and be involved in different vices. Time is a good healer. During her rebellious stage, she realized that she was only destroying herself, it will not change the attitude and personality of her family. She also realized that she only needs to accept her family as they are and forgive the family members who caused her pain. Being a rebellious person will not make her family to change. The change will start on one’s initiative and not by other people. Finally, she found the meaning of her life. The feeling of rejection disappeared astimes went by. She was alive when she was still an unborn child because someday, she will serve as the light of other people living in a dark life and will be an GED 101 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF inspiration to the youth. Those are her motivations for living. She is thankful to the Almighty God for discovering the meaning of her life. 3. We have freedom to find meaning in what we do, and what we experience, or at least in the stand we take when faced with a situation of unchangeable suffering. Problems and challenges are inevitable. These make individuals strong and hold their faith to their God. These also make them to be flexible in a changing and dynamic society, to win in the battle or to accept the defeat but with satisfactory adjustment. Everybody is entitled to have and practice freedom in finding meaning in whatever they do or experience. They are not slaves to anyone and are not manipulated by other people. Their actions should not be dictated by anyone, rather, it is their will that will be done. It is the right of everybody to look for the meaning in their lives when faced with a situation of unchangeable suffering. Situations with unchangeable suffering may cause pain, but at the end of the day, individuals will find its purpose in their lives. According to Frankl, everybody can discover the meaning in their life in three different ways:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCpa0AFepoM 1. By creating a work or doing a deed o Individuals will find the meaning in their lives through the works, accomplishments, and achievements they have. This will give insights and realization to individuals that creating or doing something specially to fulfill not only their needs but also the needs of other people, that they will find the meaning of their life. 2. By experiencing something or encountering someone o Individuals will discover the meaning in their lives by opening opportunitiesto experience something or to meet other people. Confining themselves in a four corner of their room will only limit themselves to new experiences of life. If they tend to open themselves to new experiences or to encounter other people, their world will be wider. They will realize that others’ problems and situations are more difficult than them; that they are less fortunate people; that they have to give importance to their lives and to the people that love them; and to change themselves to become good and responsible individuals. GED 101 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF 3. By the attitude we take toward unavoidable suffering and that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances Individuals will find meaning in their lives by having a positive attitude towards circumstances. Failures in life, for example, is unavoidable suffering that gives pain to individuals. Facing those failures in a positive way with a positive and right attitude will make individuals more mature, more responsible, and think more ways to solve the problems. Having a positive attitude in facing the problems will also help individuals to cope up with the problems like death of a love one. It will make them cope up easily and move on with their lives without losing their cherished memories. References: Acebes, C. Understanding the Self. Accessed July 28, 2020. https://www.actionresearch.net/living/rawalpdf/Chapter7.pdf Arcega, A M., Cullar, D. S., Evangelista, L. D. & Falculan, L. M. (2018). Understanding the Self. Malabon City: Mutya Publishing House Inc. Daskeo , K. Self-awareness and Self-knowledge. Accessed July 28, 2020. https://gupea.ub.gu.se/bitstream/2077/30157/1/gupea_2077_30157_1.pdf Frankle, V & Stein, G. Examination of Self. Accessed July 28. 2020. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1163278.pdf Frankl, V. Man’s Search for meaning. Accessed July 28, 2020. https://edisciplinas.usp.br/pluginfile.php/3403095/mod_resource/content/1/56ViktorFrankl_Mans%20 Sea rch.pdf Gazzingan, L. B. et al. (2019). Understanding the Self. Muntinlupa City: Panday-Lahi Publishing House, Inc. Giddens, A. Self-Identity in Modernity. Accessed July 30, 2020. https://skemman.is/bitstream/1946/12134/1/Self-Identity%20in%20Modernity.pdf Magos.J. Invisible Voices. Accessed July 28, 2020. https://www.diva portal.org/smash/get/diva2:788803/FULLTEXT01.pdf McClenon, J. Handbook of Self and Identity. Accessed July 29, 2020. https://dornsife.usc.edu/assets/sites/782/docs/handbook_of_self_and_identity_-_second_editio n_- _ch._4_pp._69-104_38_pages.pdf Santrock, J (2014) Adolescence. New York, USA: McGraw Hill International edition GED 101 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF WEEK 13: POLITICAL SELF: DEVELOPING ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP This section discusses the nature of politics, elements of active citizenship, and how they shape one’s political self. It details how one can become actively involved in political and communal affairs, and how they are  significant to the shaping of the self. The brief primers on Politics, Citizenship and the Self and Active Citizenship were accessed July 27, 2020 from https://utsged101portfolio.wordpress.com/section-1-the-political-self-developing-active citizenship/rio's POLITICS, CITIZENSHIP AND THE SELF ∙ As members of the society, people are naturally obligated to participate in a political system as social citizens. Politics refers to the actions or activities concerned with achieving and using power in a nation or society. It is also defined as the ways that power is shared in an organization and the ways it is affected by personal relationships between people who work together. ∙ As Aristotle stated, “man is, by nature, a political animal.” This is because man is a social being and that people naturally drawn to various political involvements in order to satisfy their social needs. ∙ Politics as imbibed by man implies several things: 1. Politics is concerned with power. Power inequalities can be observed within societies. The one who holds power holds influence. 2. Politics functions based on a particular social economic and cultural context. The nature of politics and political systems is dependent on the culture of the state. Political claims made by advocates are influenced by their geographical location and ideology. 3. The political is also personal. One’s personal choices reflect his/her personal politics; both are indistinguishable. 4. Politics goes hand in hand with the society. Politics pervades the structure of society, and thus influences inhabitants in their beliefs, ethics, and behavior. ∙ However, the political self is not only shaped by one’s political affiliation or beliefs. One’s sense of accountability should be manifested in promoting certain advocacies through healthy political engagement. This is aligned with the concept of active citizenship. GED 101 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP ∙ Active citizenship refers to the structured forms of engagement with political processes and everyday forms of participation in society. It is also defined as the process of sharing decisions which affect one’s life and the life of a community in which one lives. Participation is the fundamental right of citizenship. ∙ Active citizenship is anchored on one’s cognitive and behavioral engagement to participate in  formal and informal political activities. Different people manifest different levels of active citizenship; some they take a more active approach in making their voices heard. ∙ Active citizenship is a practice of democracy. Democracy should not only be thought of as a form of government. It is a communal system that allows volitional freedom of citizens to make informed choices that allow them to be heard. ∙ Active citizenship is a social construct. It fosters social relatedness and belongingness. ∙ The most important goal of active citizenship is to instil change and influence society at large. Active citizenship is also associated with the “sense of community.” People, including adolescents, participate in communal activities because it gives a sense of belonging in a particular group. Active citizenship may facilitate ethnic pride and provide a voice to the woes of their social group. For the younger generation, active citizenship can contribute to their social development. Engaging in such activities can also enhance efficacy and competence of the younger generation, as they are considered to be the “future leaders” of the society. The participation of the youth in nation-building activities enhances their value orientation and fosters integrity, compassion, and the sense of justice, which are crucial to the holistic development of a citizen of a nation. Active citizenship helps an individual embrace his/her individuality through the choices he/she makes and the behavior he/she manifests. The political self is a result of various personal and environmental factors that impact the individual. The participation of the youth in political discourse and social activities can result in cultural and political paradigm shifts that may be felt even by future generations. Thus, the future begins now. SOURCE: The Political Self: Developing Active Citizenshp. Steven C. Valerio's Blog. Accessed July 19, 2020. https://utsged101portfolio.wordpress.com/section-1-the-political-self-developing-active-citizenship/rio's GED 101 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF WEEK 14: DIGITAL SELF This section explores the impact of technology on the society. It focuses on how technology use enables people to become digital citizens, how it sustains relationships and forge collaborations with other people, and what kind of digital identities are being forged while outlining the responsible use of technology.  The brief primer on The Self in the Digital World was accessed July 27, 2020 from https://utsged101portfolio.wordpress.com/section-2-the-digital self-uncovering-digital-citizenship THE SELF IN THE DIGITAL WORLD ∙ The millennial generation is known to be the generation of digital natives because millennials were born in an era of rapid technological advancement. As a result, daily life is almost always dependent on the functions of technology, especially the internet which provides people with a venue of presenting their identified through social media platforms. ∙ The advent of technology comes with a corresponding challenge: to ensure that technology is used properly. This is the essence of digital citizenship, which refers to the norms of appropriate and responsible behaviour towards technology use. Digital citizenship is anchored in 3 general principles: respecting, educating, and protecting oneself and others. Digital citizenship serves the purpose or regulating human behaviour in a highly-technological and digital world. ∙ A major concern of living in the digital era is how technology shapes one’s sense of self and identity. One concept that is related to the concept of the digital self is online disinhibition. It is defined as the lack of restraint one feels when communicating online in comparison to communicating in person. ∙ Some individuals lose their inhibition in social interactions because there is an aspect of being present only in the virtual, a sort of anonymity. Anonymity may serve as an option for individuals who are naturally shy and introverted to express their thoughts, without threat to their self-esteem. ∙ Nowadays, however, people are more inclined to show their own personalities via online channels. The internet becomes a multi-media venue for showcasing personal traits, qualities, and even experiences. The values and beliefs he/she upholds are also expressed in his/her online behavior. Thus, technology, through the development of virtual spaces and communities accessible through the internet, can be a basis of evaluating the consistency of the self. ∙ The permeating nature of technology has also influenced various technological and online behaviors people manifest. Within the concept of digital citizenship, there are 9 themes that cover these behaviors: GED 101 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF  ∙ The themes listed above emphasize the proliferation of technology in the world and how they are used for specific purposes. Suffice it to say, technology is here to stay. There is a need to adapt to the dynamic changes that technology entails. ∙ Technology offers limitless opportunities; its presence is inevitable. However, technology need not control the society and people’s lives. An individual must define himself/herself based solely on his/her terms. Source: The Digital Self: Uncovering Digital Citizenship. Steven C. Valerio's Blog. Accessed July 19, 2020. https://utsged101portfolio.wordpress.com/section-2-the-digital-self-uncovering-digital-citizenship/ GED 101 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF This article was accessed July 27, 2020 from https://sensum.co/blog/the-digital-self-why-do-we-express ourselves-on-social-media-like-we-do THE DIGITAL SELF: WHY DO WE EXPRESS OURSELVES ON SOCIAL MEDIA LIKE WE DO? The Development of the Digital Self The idea of the digital self developed from the original phenomenon of the ‘extended self’, pioneered by Russell Belk in 1988. He believed our possessions are a major contributor to and reflection of our identities. Back in the day, it was external objects, such as clothes, jewellery and cars etc. that he believed we used and considered as part of ourselves. Think about it, could you live without your smartphone or laptop? (Be honest…) Nowadays however, it isn’t merely tangible belongings that researchers consider as part of our extended self. Our digital possessions such as photos, videos, statuses, texts, and emails are now seen to be significantly important to shaping our digital self. Why do we have a Digital Self? The idea of the Digital Self is an interesting and relatively new topic discussed in consumer behaviour research. Researchers, such as Stone (1996) and Hemetsburger (2005) claim that the digital web allows us to try out different personas that differ from our real life identities. But why would we want to even do this? We were especially interested in looking at why we express ourselves online the way we do and we wanted to share the most common reasons: We want to meet the expectation of others: research shows over 50% of women would edit their social media photos to look better and meet the expectations that the media and magazines have set We want to boost our self-esteem: people upload photos and statuses online that they feel will receive ‘likes’ and positive feedback in which ultimately helps their egos To feel a sense of belonging: Some of us want to fit in with the crowd and upload things that are ‘down with the trend’ - for instance, who notices the amount of people posting pictures of their food increasing? It didn’t come from nowhere. Bigger sense of freedom: Unlike real life, digital platforms allow us to express ourselves in any way we want to without anyone there to physically judge us Striving to be our ideal selves: Digital Apps, such as Facetune, that allow us to improve our appearances on photos (through teeth whitening, skin smoothing and body shape editing) helps consumers to express as their ‘ideal’ self online and inevitably feel better about themselves In conclusion, the digital world has provided us with greater opportunities to express our identity in any form we want to. But what we all need to remember is: how will we feel if we go so far to express ourselves differently online that we forget what reality is, or worse, we end up resenting it? Accessed July 27, 2020 from https://sensum.co/blog/t he-digital-self-why-do- we-express-ourselves-o n social-media-like-we-d o. GED 101 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF GED 101 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF