Understanding the Self

1. Managing the....

2. 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. Activity Analysis
• What do you feel about the
debit card challenge?
• Which among the items in
your list do you like the most?
• If ever you were given the
chance in real life, to have one
among the list, which would
you choose? Why?
• Is your answer in number 3
different from what you answer
in question number 2, why or
why not?

4. Material Self
William James
● One of the first to describe the self as
the totality of everything that one calls
his or hers, which included what he
called the “material self”
This material self focuses more on the
body, our clothes and belongings, our
immediate family, as well as the place
we call home

5. Material Self
Russel Belk
● Working from this work and ideas of
French philosopher, Jean-Paul Sartre,
Russell Belk further researched on the
material self and theorized on how
objects become extensions of
ourselves or our identities. These
objects extend ourselves in space and
time
A tool helps double our strength, a
weapon extends our reach, a
uniform helps us relate with a group,
or a t-shirt can remind us of our own
travels

6. Material Self
Jean-Paul Sartre
He noted three ways which we
connect with
objects:
1. Through controlling an object
2. Through either creating or buying
it
(Belk 1988).
3. knowing about something

7. Composition of
Material Self

8. The body
• Innermost part of our material self
• Intentionally, we invest in our body
• WE are directly attached to this
commodity that we cannot live without
• We strive to make sure that this body
functions well and good
• We do have certain preferential
attachment or intimate closeness to a
certain body part because of its certain
value- some gets it insured

9. Clothes
• The style and the brand become a
symbolic significance
• The fabric and style of clothes we
wear bring sensations to the body
and can affect our attitude and
behavior
• Clothing is a form of self-expression
• We choose and wear clothes that
reflect our self
• Do you agree?

10. Immediate Family
• These people are likely to influence
the development of self identity
• Our family hold great importance of
our lives
• What we do or they become affect us
• WHen a member of a family dies, a
part of our life dies
• When they are successful, we share
the same victory
• In the same manner, in their failures,
we are put in shame or in guilt
• ,A person’s pet could be a symbol of
status

11. Homes
• Earliest nest
• our experiences are manifested in
different parts of our homes
• :if only walls, can speak”

12. Self and Objects
Through Life Stages
03.
possessions help adolescents
and adults manage their
identities .
02. the infant distinguishes self
from others; uat.
01.
the infant distinguishes
self from
environment
The connection of self to the material
world develops and changes over time.
Studies showed that, even with cultural
differences, there seems to be a similar
experience in the development of the
material self throughout the life of a
person.
According to Belk (1988) there could be
four stages of this development:
04
possessions help the old
persons have a sense of
continuity and preparation for
death

13. Young people seem to value possessions
based on the following:
1. “emotional attachment”, like the
happiness that you get from it;
2. “social meaning” especially the
ability of the object to attract people or
make you feel that you belong; and
3. “personal association” or how an
object is related to our concept of self,
like buying an eighth note necklace
because you think you are a musician.

14. • Keep your perspective in check.
• Have money, do not just pretend.
• Have your own goal, take your own time.
• Budget, budget, budget.
• Save in order to be safe.
• Keep your spending habits in check.
• Increase income flow.
• Good debt vs. bad debt.
• Make your money grow
• Protect the future.
• Your greatest investment is still yourself
• Enjoy life no matter what.
Ideas on Managing
Resources

15. Debit Card Challenge - Application
& Assessment
• 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 item is related to your body
C - if its related to your clothes
F- if it is related to your family
H- if it is related to your home
2. Which among the categories do you have the
most in your list?
B- _______
C- _______
F - ______
H - ______
3. What do you things these things will tell about
yourself?