LESSON 4

The Self in Western and Eastern Thoughts

Eastern culture is what the Asian called as collectivistic culture. On the other hand the

western culture is what refers as individualistic culture. The two different thoughts differ from

each other and there are different philosophers who explain them in the ancient time.

The eastern culture is what we, the Filipinos have. The way of collectivistic culture is

being concerned for the wellness of others than our self. It is fun to know that there is a very

huge difference when it comes to Westerns how we treat our visitors and how our culture is.

Just like in Eastern, we are so connected and give importance to social relations. Westerns are

very much opposite of that they tend to be individual who is separate from the other.

During discussing this, I remember the tv shows and movies I have watched made by the

Westerns. They really show so much difference on Eastern dramas where eastern are very

concern and caring for others. At the end of this lesson, it made me realize that self also varies

depending on tbe culture they were born in. Respect is the very important in diversity of

culture. All we have to do is to understand what they have and respect it, so that ours will be

respected too.
 LESSON 5

Unpacking the Self: The Physical Self and the Sexual Self

Our self improves and grow as our age increases year by year. The presence of

testosterone in the body is responsible for these changes. Any intervention to the normal

pattern of sex hormone production in the embryo results strange abnormalities. That is why we

should take care of ourselves especially the self organs.

The puberty is the concept that struck to me the most. It is when the reproductive organ

grow on their adult size. Since we are in the stage of that we understood well we discussed all

about. From the stage where ladies got menarche we develop the physical parts of the body.

The breast, pubic hair, widening of the pelvic region and the feminine behavior differs through

the presence of estrogen. Through that I now ponder that maybe some ladies are being bipolar,

specially when they are on period. On the other hand, man develop their adam's apple, cracky

voice, pubic hair as well, widening of the chest and they sometimes do have nocturial emission

which they are having a wet dreams. Due to this discussion, it changes my idea that nocturial

emission is just a pervert thing, now I see it as a natural part in puberty stage rather. In addition

to that, I knew that there are some sex abnormalities that occur in other person. It now open

my mind on what others suffering from and understand that those circumstances should be

address and not to live behind. At the end of the lesson, I reflected that topics like this is not

being pervert or what, it is reality so we should tackle about it. Saying the name sexual organ is

not being pervert, it is being real and open minded.

 LESSON 6

To buy or not to buy? That Is The Question!

The material self is the focus of this lesson. The constituents of the self compose of

material self, spiritual self, social self, and pure ego. According to William James material self is

primarily about our bodies, clothes, immediate family and home.

We all have our wants in ourselves, family and for others. We tend to want the things

which is physically seen to satisfy our needs. And I think that is what they refer as material self.

I find it interesting to talk about how the self being satisfy materially. Through this specific

constituent of the self we can know what we really are through what we posses and what we

have. My interpretation for this is that, when we want specific pair of jeans because we know

we can pull it of and our confidence boosts up when we wear that, that is our true self. We

want that, so we posses that and we discover what we are. We are very into our material self

because it provides us satisfactory feeling and happiness. But as we grow older it is truly fading

of. As our age rises, our possession for material things lessen. I think that is because as we

become old we discover more valuable thing than material things. And that is life. As we get old

we value life and then we value self. In this life full of material things, it is not enough to

discover self through those only. We should learn how to value ourselves without those

material things.