lozadalennethann

[lozadalennethann]

Aim high and be determined. Just don’t forget that in everything you do put God first in your heart. That would be all, thank you! 

[lozadalennethann]

Digital Self

Hello! And this will be the last one. Also an interesting topic specially in today's generation. Hope you’ll learn something. Thank you and Godspeed!

The digital self is the persona you use when you’re online. Is it that important? The simple reason why digital is important is that once you go online as your real self, using your own name or appearance, you have an online presence that can be traced back to you in the real world. It includes the role of mobile phones, internet, and social networking. For me, in this generation we really need those things but for valid purposes only such as doing research and contacting a family member who’s working abroad. As I observed, students nowadays rely only in the internet instead of doing it by their own or read some books, for example they have homework they only do copy and then paste from the internet. Other student has more time spending Facebook, twitter, Instagram etc. than doing their school works, even the little kids already have their own social media account and gets busy on it instead of spending their time to play outside which they really need. Teenagers can use social media to find community, but their mental health is often negatively affected by this culture of comparison. And even with privacy settings in place, teens can collect thousands of friends through friends of friends on social media. The more people on the friend list, the more people have access to screenshot photos, snaps, and updates and use them for other purposes. 

There is no privacy on social media. The key to helping teens learn to balance social media with real life friendships is to keep the lines of communication open and keep talking. Honest communication shows your teen that you are there to support, not to judge or lecture. It’s also important to walk the walk. Disconnect on weekends and show your teen that there is a whole world out there that doesn’t require a handheld screen.  She may miss her phone a lot less than she thinks she will and this is a very good lesson to learn.

[lozadalennethann]

Political Self

According to Aristotle and Plato, humans are not self-sufficing so they find the need to come together as a community. I was not a fan of politics myself and had tried avoiding the topic. But when I went to senior high school, I was in the 12th grade when we had our subject Philippine politics and governance which molded me into informed, empowered, and responsible citizen of the country.

 And I can still remember what our teacher told us that there are three reasons why people engage or enter politics, first is because service they want to serve the people, second is honor and the last is legacy. And now when I entered college as we discussed the Chapter 10 of understanding the self, entitled Political self, it enlightened me that as a citizen of this country and as a human and social being, politics and governance have relevance in our life. However, politics exist even outside the government institutions such as the exercise of power in the family, imposition of rules in school, our right of way as a driver and/or pedestrian, and our responsibilities toward our neighbor. Having a full or even just basic knowledge about politics can be empowering for every citizen, especially in a democratic country like the Philippines. It Is imperative that everyone must learn at least the basics of politics. The knowledge of politic therefore is a critical attribute of a citizen belonging to a certain state. Today, the knowledge of politics not only helps in the participation of an individual in the state but it also helps in safeguarding an individual against bad government practices and abuse. So, as I am informed with the essential things about politics I expect myself to be a responsible citizen in the practice of rights and application of what I have learned.  

[lozadalennethann]

Spiritual Self

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

                                                                                                           - Mark 10:45

I am always thankful to God. I believe and I trust in Him through ups and downs because I know and I believe that He will not give up on me and will always be there for me. Back when I was a child, my mother always brings me to church specially during Sundays but I don’t have any idea about it and I don’t even care. Sometimes I also get mad to my mother when she forces me to go to church. And whenever I go to church I always go outside and play with other children even though the Holy mass is still going on. But as I grew up, my mother made me understand about it and became more active in many church activities. Six years ago when I was blessed as an altar server in our parish, I felt so blessed and grateful because it is a great privilege to serve at the Altar of our God. 

At first, it wasn’t easy but in that six years in serving I learned a lot and become closer to God. It made me prayerful and alert and help others in prayer. I also met many people and became friends. But I have this one friend who actually don’t believe in God, he always disagrees every time we share our thoughts and experiences in life with God and what I did is I made an assessment, I asked him if he does go to church? And he answered no. I told him to try to attend a Holy mass, Bible sharing or praise and worship and recollections even just once a week and try to reflect on it, and I even let him join an organization in our previous school namely Students Catholic Action of the Philippines (SCAP) and as a result he’s now actively participating in different church activities and do believe in God because he himself now understands.

[lozadalennethann]

Material Self

Almost done! Please do read and reflect. :) 

A person speaks of my arms and legs. These entities are clearly an intimate part of who we are. But our sense of self is not limited to our bodies. It includes people, pets, possessions, places and the products of our labor. It is not the physical entities themselves, however, that compromise the material self. We are all materialists, to one extent or another.  We all use and enjoy material goods in our daily lives, and most of us simply couldn't get by without them. And there's nothing wrong with that, as long as the desire for material goods doesn't control us and our actions. Materialism is a distraction.  It gives us a direction in which we can focus our attention and our energies that seems to be attainable.  After all, if I want a new stereo system or a closet full of new clothes, all I have to do is pay money or use credit to get them.  I know which ones I want, and I know where to find them.  The people who sell things have made it so easy for us to buy that fulfilling our materialistic cravings never has been easier, which is a very unfortunate fact for the millions of people who are now trapped under a mountain of debt with no realistic way out. 

There are people who said that those who support materialism do not accept that there is a separate part to the human body called the “soul.”  Comparing ourselves with others like wanted to be live them or to be in their position will lead us to constantly feeling dissatisfied and will never be happy of what we have. This is also what consumerism wants because it makes people active consumers on a regular basis. Thus, consumerism do not only affect our behavior but also our thinking process. After all, for me, it is more important to fill my life with adventures, not things. Have stories to tell rather than stuffs to show.

[lozadalennethann]

Sexual Self

Oh, hi! This chapter is very interesting and you will learn important things about your sexual self. Happy reading!

A vital aspect of one’s identity is the sexual self, encompassing the biological, physical, emotional and social domains. All of us started as a child and as we grow up we observe the changes within us physical, emotional, social. These are the changes that will lead to adulthood, and the ability to have children. And as we reach this what they called puberty stage we start to feel or experience first interest in sexual attraction, romantic and sexual relationships and behaviors. Starting around this stage, puberty, means young people like me begins to experience new feeling of attraction for other people and this feeling can be confusing and even a bit scaring. Those are normal but also inconvenient.

 I have a friend who spent most of her adolescence trying to fit in. In order to assimilate, she would always try to hide her differences, including aspects of her race and sexual orientation. For most of her life, she didn’t feel comfortable to dress how she want, love whom she wants, or be whom she wants because she felt like she had to choose safety and security over being herself. She would comply when cashiers told him that she should smile more, she would keep silent when restaurant owners made racist comments, and she refused to hold her girlfriend’s hand in public, all because she was scared for her safety. She was scared something could happen to her. Regarding with the STDs which stands for sexually transmitted diseases that we had also discussed in this chapter, in my perspective, it is important that schools should do implement sex education knowing that premarital sex is now more accepted. Many teenagers are now engaging to sexual activities with different people without knowing what they might get from it and because of it cases of HIV are rising and early pregnancy among Filipinos. Thus, I support the Reproductive Health Law because it also aims to promote awareness among adolescent and youth on sexuality and reproductive health through proper sex education.

[lozadalennethann]

Physical Self

Rise and shine! Today I will be posting my blog about physical self. For me, this is the most interesting part of the discussion because many teenagers are dealing with depression because of they look physically. So, keep reading! :) 

There are many aspects of yourself that can make up wo you are and who you believe yourself to be. Who you are physically is important to many people. The physical self is the concrete dimension, the tangible aspect of the person that can be directly observed and examined. All of us have our own unique physical appearances and characteristics. Different hair colors, skin tones, body figures, height, etc. When our body starts to mature all of us experience physical changes happening, some teens or even me feels like it’s out of control and this can affect our body-image and self-esteem. A person’s view of their physical selves can be affected by how they view their self-worth. What the society says about them and the way that the culture they grew up in shaped them to be. 

Here in the Philippines, the people’s concept of beauty also affects a person’s view of their physical selves. One’s needs to have tall nose, perfect body figure, fair skin etc. to be called beautiful. The business world also relies upon appearance. Many companies have dress codes and appearance codes so that customers will want to use their business. Employers will often look down upon anyone who comes to an interview with poor physical appearance. But for me, no matter what standard of beauty or what the people say, we should be proud of what you are or what you look like, because everyone has their own unique beauty. We should always have a positive body image and a healthy self-esteem. It is also important to do proper hygiene because it is one of the first things that people will look at. And the way a person is groomed and the way they take care of their body. Above all things physical, it is more important to be beautiful on the inside.

[lozadalennethann]

The Western and Eastern Concepts of the Self

Hello, hello, hello! I’m back! I just finished washing my clothes, so tiring, I always wanted to take nap but I shouldn’t because I still have many things to do specially school works, still have to fight and go back to work because I have to and I want to finish this course.  Aja!

So what to discuss today?

Oh!

To be honest, this part is the hardest one for me to understand. But I’ll try my best anyway.

The term ‘self’ refers to an individual human being, along with their body, mind, and in some cases, the concept of a ‘soul’. The western view of the ‘enduring self’ refers to the notion that “you are the same person you were earlier in your life. In other words, it assumes that we humans are selves that endure through time. So, despite the many mental and physical changes that may occur during our life, we are essentially the same ‘self’ throughout our many developments. Personally, I find the Eastern tradition (along with Hume’s views) to be more compelling. Like Buddha and David Hume, I too believe that everything is impermanent, including ourselves. For example, right now I’m typing this blog, but the thoughts in my mind at this very moment are different from the thoughts in my mind a few seconds ago. Thus, how could I be an ‘enduring self’ when every few seconds the thoughts in my head are changing? In order to be an ‘enduring self’, wouldn’t that imply that I am unchanging, permanent and stagnant? Even the cells and carbon atoms that make up our bodies change repeatedly. Mentally and physically we are constantly changing, so I think that the idea of an ‘enduring self’ is nothing more than a mystical, idealistic concept. In the end, I feel that David Hume and the Buddha’s views on illusionary nature of ‘the self’ are more rational and realistic

[lozadalennethann]

Psychological Perspective of the Self

The self has many facets that help make up integral parts of it, such as self-awareness, self-esteem, self-knowledge, and self-perception. All parts of the self enables people to alter, change, add, and modify aspects of themselves in order to gain social acceptance in society. People not grow only in age, size, knowledge or skill but also in their awareness of themselves as persons. This consciousness is called self or self-concept. By self means the conscious reflection of one’s own identity, as an individual separate from other or environment. There are a variety of ways to think about the self. Two of the most widely used terms are self-concept and self-esteem. Self-concept is the thinking aspect of self-whereas self-esteem is the emotional aspect of self and generally refers to how we feel about or how we value ourselves. Self-concept can also refer to the general idea we have of ourselves and self-esteem can refer to particular measures about components of self-concept. Healthy self-esteem plays a significant role in shaping a person.

 It is that much important where our roots take hold and from there we grow as it promotes mental health. As I observed, people do develop and maintain their self-concepts through the process of taking action and then reflection, what they have done and what others tell them about what they have done. This reflection is based on one’s own expectations and the expectations of others and to the characteristics and accomplishments of others. This chapter outlines different psychological theories which influence the way people understand the self. As I look back to what we have discussed, I can still remember the concept of self of William James’ the Me-Self and I-Self and as he believes that people have different social selves depending on the context of a social situation because I, myself admit that I also have different social selves but it doesn’t only depend in the social situation but also to the people or group of people whom I am socializing.

[lozadalennethann]

The Self as Embedded in Culture

“Culture is the arts elevated to a set of beliefs.”

                       -Thomas Wolfe

Understanding identity is a journey that begins at a personal level. Before exploring cultural dynamics and group differences, it is important to examine your unique worldview, which includes assumptions and perceptions. To recognize your own individual differences, consider, for example, the diversity within your family. How different are you from your siblings? How different are you from your parents? How different is your family in comparison to relatives? Exploring these kinds of questions is an initial step in the ongoing effort to develop cultural awareness. The self as embedded in culture. According to Afnan Amad Mia, our identity has already been chosen for us; but it is up to us to accept it. Culture serves as a major force shaping the way people conceptualize the self, think about happiness, and cope with difficulties and upheavals in life. 

I, as a Filipino citizen I am always proud of being one because of our wonderful culture, colorful heritage and our optimistic attitude towards life that despite of the struggles we face every day we still manage to do smile. And aside from that, we also have many captivating tourist spots. For me, to understand a culture to understand it so what I did is that I do have relatives’ wo grew up outside the country, every time they visit here in the Philippines I always bring them to such places where they can really both see and feel the essence of being a Filipino. We even do play different “larong lahi” and have a carabao riding which they never tried ever and they really enjoyed a lot. They always end up saying “I don’t want to go home anymore.” I will not get tired of showing them our culture, for this is also one of the reason that what makes Philippines a beautiful country. Sometimes I ask few foreign people who visits our country about their stay and I always get positive feedback. They say that Filipinos are very optimistic and hospitable, and that is why I am very proud of being a Filipino.

[lozadalennethann]

The Self as a Product of Society

Hi! This time let’s proceed to the second chapter, so take your time to read. J

The self is relatively stable set of perceptions of who we are in relation to ourselves, others and to social systems. The self is socially constructed in the sense that is shaped through interaction with other people. According to sociologist, George Herbert Mead, a person develops a sense of self through social interaction. Other sociologist and psychologist of Mead’s time felt that the self was based on a biological factors and inherited traits but as I can remember I had this one teacher told me that the self is not there from birth but is developed over time, experience and activities. According to mead there are three activities we go from being newborns to being humans with “selves.” First is the preparatory stage children being only capable of imitation, they have no ability to imagine how others see things. They copy the actions of people with whom they regularly interact, such as their mothers and fathers. This is followed by the play stage, during which children begin to take on the role that one other person might have. Thus, children might try on a parent’s point of view by acting out “grownup” behavior, like playing “dress up” and acting out the “mom” role, or talking on a toy telephone the way they see their father do. During the game stage, children learn to consider several roles at the same time and how those roles interact with each other. They learn to understand interactions involving different people with a variety of purposes. For example, a child at this stage is likely to be aware of the different responsibilities of people in a restaurant who together make for a smooth dining experience (someone seats you, another takes your order, someone else cooks the food, while yet another clears away dirty dishes). In his theory of the social self, is based on the perspective that the self emerges from social interactions such as observing and interacting with others, responding to others opinion about oneself and internalizing external opinions and internal feelings about oneself.

 These interactions form the basis for social structure and therefore are a key object of basic social inquiry and analysis. Social interaction can be studied between groups of two, three or larger social groups. Through socialization we learn to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes and look at the world through their perspective. This assists us in becoming self-aware, as we look at ourselves from the perspective of the “other.” For example, the case of Grace illustrates what happens when social interaction is absent from early experience, the result would be Grace will have no ability to see herself as others would see her. From Mead’s point of view, she had no “self.” Social interaction also affects the individual in strengthening of their self-perception and sense of belonging.

[lozadalennethann]

Philosophical Perspective of the Self

Do you have your own philosophy of the self? Uhm. How ‘bout differentiating the various concepts of the self and identify its similarities?

Good morning, everyone! Today I will be posting my blog. And I hope you will read and learn some lessons.  

Philosophy is set in everything. We all have philosophies that forms basis for our motivations. Everyone has their own philosophy of life, me, you but for most of us, those are only unexamined and more or less automatic and instinctual. According to Ubutu philosophy which has its origins in ancient Africa, a new born baby is not a person. People are born without self-hood, and instead acquire it through interactions and experiences over time. Philosophy helps to keep us wondering and to remind what we don’t know. In this chapter, we have discussed the philosophical perspective of the self.  The self is sometimes understood as a unified being essentially connected to consciousness, awareness, and agency (or, at least, with the faculty of rational choice). The different perspectives and views on the self can be best seen and understood then by revisiting its prime movers and identify the most important conjectures made by philosophers from the ancient times to the contemporary period. 

Among the 12 different views of prominent philosophers regarding the nature of self, I only agreed on Socrates view or perspective. Because, he was more concerned with the problem of the self. And according to him the true task of the philosopher is to know oneself. Socrates said that an unexamined life is not worth living. Meaning, life that has not been examined has no author, for the individual did not live his life but more followed the force of nature or others. For me, it is very important for an individual to be examined for it helps them to find their place. By having an examination on the life we live we will better understand the pattern behavior. Therefore, if we don’t make time to understand our subconscious we will unconsciously be living in a repetitive life with no meaning.

[lozadalennethann]

How do I get started? 

[lozadalennethann]

Good morning, Pipol! First timer! 

[lozadalennethann]

Understanding the Self

Ever thought that this subject will be the easiest, but now I realized “mas lisud pa kaysa majors” hahaha however, this is intended to facilitate the exploration of the issues and concerns regarding self and identity to arrive at a better understanding of one's self. To grow and develop in which the adolescent must pursue and to move forward to adulthood.

[lozadalennethann]

hi?