Name: Marianne Daphne B.

Villahermosa AB-PSYC II

Understanding the Self

1. What is the distinction between the eastern and western conception of the
self?
- In Western, the concept of the self is understood primarily as an autonomous
ego whose existence is distinct from that of others; it emphasizes in the
independency of a country or to an individual. The Western is more
individualistic, trying to find the meaning of life here and now with self at the
center as it is already given and part is a part of training them. In the Eastern,
it is often argued that there is no meaning of self that is independent of our
relationship to others. The self is irreducibly social and the concept of self
emphasizes on dependent to others. The Eastern is drawn much more into
groups or society or to people’s actions and thoughts as one in order to find
meaning in life as they try to get rid of the false “me” concept and find meaning
in discovering the true “me” in relation to everything around them.
2. What makes the self the authentic self?
- By being authentic, it starts with knowing who you and being in touch with
yourself at the moment. The authentic is who you truly are as a person,
regardless of your occupation and the influence of others to your life. It is an
honest representation of yourself that cannot be copied by others. To be
authentic means to disregard what others may say or think of you as a person,
as you know to yourself who you truly are. By being authentic, it starts with
knowing who you and being in touch with yourself at the moment. Also, being
authentic means coming from a real place within. It is when your actions and
words are congruent to your beliefs and values. There is no “should” in
authentic.
3. With the eastern and western traditions, which influence are you most
attuned to? Explain.
- I am more attuned to western traditions. Since I was a child, my parents have
trained me to be independent, aside from the fact that I was the eldest daughter,
they trained me to do things on my own without their help. They let me discover
things on my own which could help me sustain and nourish life in the future. It’s
actually a good thing that I’ve been taught to be independent and to never rely
on others, as there are certain circumstances in life where others are not
available to tend you or help you when you need their help, because they have
their own life to take care too, I can only rely on myself. I am in control of my
life and my own choices. I enjoy things doing alone, travelling, wandering
around the city, eating alone in fast-food or restaurant and there’s nothing
wrong with that. It’s good to know things on my own as I will be prepared to
face the real world and learn from it. Being accustomed to western traditions,
means to be open-minded in everything and to have understanding that not all
the time you can rely on people. In this way, I learned how to live the life I want,
developing into an autonomous person could be the best outcome I have
strived for myself. Having the ability to be happy regardless whether in a
relationship or not is not a hindrance. I do not want to depend my happiness to
other people cause’ I know there are fleeting moments in our life that they leave
you.