Understanding the Self Reviewer

MODULE 2: Unpacking the Self Lesson 2: The Material/Economic Self

 In the symbolic communication model, possessions are seen to be a symbolic expression
of one’s identity. There is an observation that one’s possessions are considered a part of
oneself. They are symbols and extensions of the personal and social aspects of one’s
identity or personhood.
There are three dimensions or orienting values for the materialistic person
 Acquisition centrality, where the materialist tends to place possessions and the process
of acquiring possessions at the center of their lives. They tend to buy things even if it's
not necessary. They also tend to acquire things not because of necessity, instead because
of the difficult process of acquiring them. Self is valued through the number and
difficulty of acquiring one's possession
 Acquisition is a pursuit of happiness, where the materialist tends to view their
possessions and acquisitions as a means of providing the materialist with some level of
personal well-being or satisfaction with their lives. A shopaholic [a compulsive buyer] is
a classic example of this. Self is valued by acquiring things that make them happy.
 Possession defined success. Here materialists tend to base their own and other's success
on the number and quality of possessions. Self is valued when one is living with all the
things that validate their esteem.

Utility is where one is concerned with how things serve a practical purpose. Significance when
one is concerned with the (a) meaning assigned to the object, (b) how objects become powerful
symbols or icons of habit and ritual which can be entirely separate from their primary function,
and (c) how objects become powerful symbols or icons of habit and ritual which can be entirely
separate from their primary function.
Roland Barthes studied the concept of semiology or the study of signs. He was one of the first
philosophers to analyze the relationships between people and objects. According to Barthes, it is
through objects that people assert their identities.

Lesson 3: The Political Self

 The English word "politics" derives from the Greek word and the title of Aristotle's
classic work politiká (Πολιτικά; affairs of the cities). It is defined as (1) the science of
government; and (2) the activities of a political party. The word politics is a noun, while
political is an adjective about governmental affairs or politics.
Who is a Filipino?
The 1987 Constitution of the Philippines tells us who the citizens of the Philippines are.
According to the Constitution:
 A Filipino is a citizen of the Philippines at the time of the adoption of the Constitution.
 A Filipino is someone whose father or mother is a citizen of the Philippines.
 A Filipino is someone born before January 17, 1973, of Filipino mothers who elect
Philippine citizenship upon reaching the age of majority.
 A Filipino is someone naturalized by law.
 A natural-born Filipino is someone born in the Philippines and with Filipino blood.
 A naturalized Filipino is a foreigner who has undergone a judicial act that gave them the
privileges of a Philippine citizen.
There are two (2) generally recognized forms of acquiring Philippine citizenship
(1) Filipino by birth
  Jus soli (right of soil) which is the legal principle that the place of birth determines a
person's nationality at birth (e.g., the territory of a given state)
 Jus sanguinis (right of blood) is the legal principle that, at birth, an individual acquires
the nationality of his/her natural parent/s. The Philippines adheres to this principle.
(2) Filipino by naturalization, which is the judicial act of adopting a foreigner and clothing him
with the privileges of a native-born citizen. It implies the renunciation of a former nationality and
entrance into a similar relation towards a new body politics.

Factors that Shape Political Self

There are three levels of analysis of these factors that shape the political self: individual,
institutional, and community levels.
 Individual Factors: The First Level
 political attitudes change due to (1) events that sweep the nation and (2)
involvement in service-oriented activities.
 Institutional Factors: The Second Leve
 Family
 School
 Church
 Media
 Government
 Non-Government and People's Organizations
These organizations engage in value-formation in their leadership training seminars on gender
sensitivity and others. Involvement in NGOs and people's organizations develops one's civic
consciousness.
 Community Factors: The third level
 Religion
 Language

The Political Self and Developing Active Citizenship

Politics operate based on a particular social, economic, and cultural context. The nature of
politics and political systems is dependent on the culture of the state.
 Their geographical location and ideology influence political claims made by any person.
 Politics is concerned with power. Power inequalities can be observed within societies

❖ Politics go hand in hand with society.

 Politics pervades the structure of society and thus influences inhabitants in their beliefs,
ethics, and behavior.

❖Political Identity

 Identity is the story that we tell ourselves and others about who we are, who we were, and
who we foresee ourselves to be. Identity shapes many aspects of life, from how we see
the world to how we behave. • The concept of a political identity can best be understood
as an inner narrative of one's political self.
Aristotle stated, "Man is, by nature, a political animal." A social being naturally drawn to various
political involvements to satisfy their social needs. The political self is not only shaped by one's
political affiliation or beliefs.
 Active citizenship refers to the structured forms of engagement with political processes
and everyday forms of participation in society.
  Active citizenship is anchored on one's cognitive and behavioral engagement to
participate in formal and informal political activities.
 Active citizenship is a practice of democracy.
 Active citizenship is a social construct.
 Active citizenship is also associated with the "sense of community."

How to be a Good Filipino

 Be an active and responsible Filipino citizen
 Study the Philippine history
 Support local products.
 Speak the Filipino language.
 Do not spread fake news and be democratic in engaging with dissent.
 Do not litter.

Lesson 5: The Spiritual Self

 The spiritual self is considered the most intimate lesson among all the lessons in
understanding the self. It is intimate because it discusses who we are at the core, our inner
being. It answers the question which almost all human beings asks that is "Why am I
here?" We contemplate our life, our existence, and our connection to the Supreme Being,
the source of life and the constant quest for the meaning of life.
 Religion is an organized system of beliefs, ceremonies, and rules used to worship a
supernatural being or a superhuman controlling power.
 Religiosity, however, in this context of religion, is a strong religious feeling or belief. It
is also the quality of devotedness in a particular religion, such as religious practices (or
rituals), doctrines, moral rules, etc
 Spirituality is defined as the quality of being concerned with the human spirit or soul
instead of material or physical things.
 Religion comprises rules, rituals, and beliefs about the transcendent shared by a
community (the church) and involves a relationship with God.
 Spirituality is about a person's connection with God.
 Animist spirituality among the Filipinos. They believe that all things have a soul, and
thus we need to respect and give reverence to all forms of life (seen or unseen, animate,
or inanimate).
 Pastor Ed Lapiz, a pastor and a cultural anthropologist: "We, Filipinos, are very
spiritual.
 Christian beliefs, kaluluwa and espiritu are two different entities. When the person dies,
the espiritu is the one that returns to God, while the kaluluwa is the one that will
receive the judgment.

LOOB, KAPWA, AND GINHAWA: THE EXPRESSION OF SPIRITUALITY

(1) Filipino self, (2) the connection of katawan and kaluluwa, (3) loob and labas, and ginhawa.
 The kabutihan ng kaluluwa (goodness of the soul) manifests in mabuting kalooban,
constituting the pagkataong Pilipino (Filipino selfhood).
 Loob as the innermost part of the self.
 According to the father of Filipino Psychology, Virgilio Enriquez (1994, cited by Yacat,
2013) kapwa in Filipino culture is an experience of shared identity where our inner self is
shared with others.
 The word "ginahawa" signifies well-being.
According to Victor Frankl, "meaning is something to discover rather than to invent". For him,
we are not the ones who make meaning of our lives. Instead, we only have to discover it. There
are three different ways to discover the meaning of one's life, Frankl added. Here are those:
 Experiential Values – we find meaning in life by experiencing something or someone we
value.
 Creative Values – the meaning of life is achieved through the involvement in a project of
one's own life.
 Attitudinal Values – we find it meaningful when we manifest virtues in life such as
compassion, bravery, good sense of humor, loving, and alike.

According to Victor Frankl, the individual's primary motivational force is to find meaning in life.
Finding meaning amid hardships and difficulties in life strengthens resiliency. Thus, the process
of creating meaning in life shapes the "loob." It is why we often refer to those who have been
through difficulties in life as "matatag ang loob" or "matibay ang loob." Those who are not
certain in facing life challenges are referred to as "mahina ang loob."

e, to find ones' purpose and meaning of existence in the context of spirituality leads us to this
direction:
 we have to assess our process of spiritual self-development;
 we have to acknowledge the existence of a Supreme Being as the Creator;
 we have to deepen our connection (re-connect if needed) to the Creator;
 we have to believe that the Creator has a premeditated purpose for His creations,
 we have to align ourselves to the Divine Will, and lastly;
 our spiritual well–being should reflect in our interpersonal relationships

MODULE 3: Managing and Caring for the Self Lesson 1: Managing Stress in Times of
Crises
There are four basic truths about stress, namely: (1), not all stress is bad, (2) too much stress is
bad, (3) your perceptions determine what you label as stressful or not stressful, and (4) you
can choose to control much of the stress level in your life.
EUSTRESS
 Only lasts in the short term
 Energizes and motivates
 Perceived as something within our coping ability
 Increases focus and performance

DISTRESS
 Lasts in the short term as well as in the long term
 Triggers anxiety and concern; generates unpleasant feelings
 Surpassing our coping abilities
 Decreases focus and performance; contributes to mental and physical problems

TYPES OF STRESS
 Acute stress – is the most common form of stress. It is usually short-term and caused by
demands and pressures of the past—likewise, anticipated demands and pressures of the
near future.
  Episodic Acute stress - refers to acute stress experienced over an extended period. You
may feel like you are always under pressure or that things are always going wrong. This
type of stress usually happens during examinations or when there are peer and parental
pressure
 Chronic stress - usually long-term and grinding stress that wears people away day after
day, year after year. It is generally caused by unrelenting demands and pressures for 5 | P
a g e seemingly never-ending periods.
Diathesis Stress Model - This model describes how the interaction of predisposition and
environmental stress can result in a disorder.
Two strategies major strategies in dealing with stress;
 Problem-Focused strategy - addresses the problem causing the distress and is useful in
situations where you have the opportunity to take action and change the circumstances. It
uses time management, talking to someone with whom you had a conflict, and others.
 Emotion-Focused strategy - it aims to reduce the negative emotions associated with the
problem. It is useful in situations where you have little or no control. This strategy
exemplifies when you are using humor, cultivating optimism, and alike in dealing with
stress.

SOME effective strategies in dealing with stress and stressful situations:

1. Identify the symptoms and sources of stress
2. Consider the temperament/personality of a person
3. Challenge your negative thoughts
4. Evaluate your expectations
5. Release the painful past experiences
6. Limit contact with stress-producing people
7. Sleep
8. Exercise
9. Cultivate happiness and joy
10. Learn to relax
11. Change your diet
12. Change self-sabotaging behaviors
13. Pray