LESSON 4 Becoming a Member of Society

Topics under this module

● Enculturation/Socialization: Identity Formation (Identities, Disciplines, and

Aspirations)
● Enculturation/Socialization: Norms and Values
● Enculturation/Socialization: Statuses and Roles
● Conformity and Deviance: Social Control
● Conformity and Deviance: Forms of Deviance
● Human Dignity and Rights
● The Common Good

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LESSON 1:
ENCULTURATION/SOCIALIZATION: IDENTITY FORMATION
(IDENTITIES, DISCIPLINES, AND ASPIRATIONS)
Objectives
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

● define and explain the different concepts regarding enculturation and socialization,
● discuss the development of one’s self and others as a product of enculturation and
socialization, and
● prove that identity, disciplines, and aspirations are necessary for the development of
personal and cultural identity.

● What does it mean to be a person?

● In a society where there are many cultures, how do you form your personal identity?

Enculturation and Socialization

What is the difference between socialization and enculturation? How is enculturation related to
socialization?

 Society is different from culture.

 There are many cultures within a society.
 While members of society share many of the same expectations and experiences,
 the cultural groups create ones that differentiate them from others in society.

ENCULTURATION- the process by which an individual adopts the behavior patterns of the
culture in which a person is immersed

SOCIALIZATION- It is the process through which people learn to understand the societal
norms, expectations and values as members of society.

Study the chart that further explains the differences and relationships of socialization and
enculturation

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IDENTITY FORMATION
 starts when one learns to socialize and be aware of the culture, behaviors, language,
morals, and norms of where he or she belongs in.
 However, as a person grows, he or she learns to make his or her own set of beliefs,
values, and morals. This is how a person develops an identity. This is what makes a
person different from others.

IDENTITY -is what makes a person distinct from others. It is the total knowledge and
understanding of an individual about who he or she is.

Types of Identity

1. Personal

● the concept an individual develops about himself or herself

● the sense of oneself as a distinct or unique individual
● may depend on the age and circumstances of a person

Example: Rolen is an African girl. She is the most quiet student in her class. She believes that
time is gold, so spends her free time studying her lessons.

2. Cultural

● the identity of the culture to which a person belongs in

● the feeling or sense of belongingness to a group
● a collective sense of companionship that involves the same beliefs, interests, and
fundamental principles of living

Example: In the Philippines, the Agta tribe has been practicing a unique culture for centuries.
Old men wear the bahag, a unique style of clothing. They prefer to stay in the forest than to stay
in lowlands. They mainly look for natural food sources.

Study the chart that further explains the two types of identity.

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DISCIPLINE
 is a way of behaving that expresses a willingness to obey rules or laws
● behavior that is judged by how well a person follows a set of rules or orders

Kinds / Types of Discipline

1. Discipline of Nature or Reality

A person meets this kind of control every time he or she tries to do something. A person learns to
do things on his or her own without the supervision of others.

Example: Ryan rented a bicycle near his town. He does not know yet how to ride the bike. He
fell many times, but he did not stop trying. He was so motivated to learn how to ride the bike that
he tried to learn on his own, and eventually, he was able to ride it.

2. Discipline of Culture or Society

What this discipline instills in every culture is distinct, different, and unique. A person learns
according to what he sees in his society or his culture.

Example: Mika wears the trendiest dresses these days. She wears them so she can be “in” with
the latest social trends.

3. Discipline of Superior Force

This discipline is the opposite of the discipline of nature or reality. In this training, a person learns
through supervision and guidance.

Example: A single mother raised Patricia. Her mother always reminded her not to fall in love
because of her personal idea that men are cheaters. Even if Patricia does not know how it feels
to be brokenhearted, she does not entertain any suitor.

Development of Personal Identity and Aspirations

Personal identity develops in many ways, depending on preferred directions.

● It may be through enculturation and socialization.

● It may also come through observation of a role model.
● You tend to imitate a successful person that leads to changes in personality.
● Your personal identity may change and eventually, you may develop a clear sense of
yourself.

Aspiration is a strong desire and ambition with which someone is motivated to work hard.

Example: Rico at 20 years old identified himself as a happy-go-lucky guy. He might discover

that, at 35 years old, he is a different person. Perhaps he is living a good life with his family. He
would like his children to have a comfortable life in the future.

Explore! Observe the different political parties in our country. Can you describe the
differences between the Liberal Party (LP), the United Oppositions (UNO), and the People’s
Reform Party (PRP) in the context of different cultures?

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LESSON 2
ENCULTURATION/SOCIALIZATION: NORMS AND VALUES

Objectives At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

● define and explain different concepts of norms and values,
● discuss the relations and functions of norms and values, and
● prove that norms and values are essential factors in the development of one’s self,
others, and the community as a product of enculturation and socialization.

QUESTION :what characteristics should a person demonstrate to be considered as a

useful member of society?

For society to function well,

 it must be guided by cultural principles of behavior to maintain stability, peace, and

harmony.
 Every society has its set of accepted norms and values of its culture that is socially
accepted.

NORMS are standards or sets of accepted behaviors that a person is expected to follow or

exemplify in the society where he or she belongs in. It pertains to specific guidelines of conduct
in society that guides its members on how to act in particular situations.

Classification of Norms

Norms are also categorized by their relative importance to society. This classification is
distinguished from the intensity of feelings they initiate and the consequences that flow from
violations of them.

Folkways They are the customs of people that came from repetition and routines-
Examples: the practice of waiting in line/ courtesy to older people

Mores
● stricter than folkways
● determines what is the moral and ethical behavior
● dictates what is right and wrong

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Examples: religious doctrines such as the prohibition of pre-marital sex

● the belief that forms of discrimination and suppression are unethical (e.g.racism and
sexism)

Taboos
● very strong negative norms
● strict prohibition of certain behaviors that society holds firmly
● violating it results in extreme disgust or expulsion from the group or society

Examples: cannibalism
incest

Laws
● formally instituted by the government
● exist because its violation can result in injury or harm to other members of society
● impose sanction on people who disobey the authority

Examples:

● curfews for minors

● laws against domestic violence

VALUES
 refer to the abstract idea of people about what is necessary or worthwhile.
 Values are general guidelines that are fundamental parts of our lives.
 They stand for the things we believe in.
 Most of the values we have are learned from family, friends, school, media, and other
sources in society.

Classification of Values
1. Individual Values

These values are those that are connected with the development of human personality.

Examples: honesty, loyalty, honor

2. Collective Values

These values are those that are connected with the development of unity in the community or
society.

Examples: equality, justice, solidarity

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Relationship Between Norms and Values
Here are some significant relationships between norms and values.

FUNCTION of Social Norms and Values

Values

 are general guidelines which govern our daily behavior.

 They are the guidelines for our judgments, thereby playing a vital role in the maintenance
of stability and harmony in society.

Norms 

 are specific guidelines which allow us to function or act appropriately in society.

 They are a set of behaviors that is perceived to be acceptable to its members.
 Following norms results in social order and gives a feeling of security, safety, and
harmony.

Explore! What are the norms that should be observed during class discussions and
examinations?

Try it! Form a group composed of five persons. Discuss and decide on the top five critical
values that society must uphold based on the issues and challenges that the nation is currently
facing.

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What do you think? If a person leaves his present society and transfers to a new
one, it is possible that his personal values will also change?

Keypoints
● Norms are the standard or accepted behaviors that a person is expected to follow in
society. They are either formal or informal.
● Norms are also classified by their relative importance to society. They
are folkways, mores, taboos, and laws.
● Values may be explained as measures of goodness or desirability. They are classified as
either individual values or collective values.
● Values provide the justifications for accepting or rejecting specific norms.
● Norms and values are critical factors in the development of one’s self, others, and the
community as a product of enculturation and socialization.

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LESSON 3:
ENCULTURATION/SOCIALIZATION: STATUSES AND ROLES

Objectives
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

● define and explain the different concepts regarding statuses and roles as part of the
social structure,
● identify statuses and roles played by oneself and others in the community, and
● evaluate the impact of the various statuses and roles of people for the attainment of
society's goals.

You have a friend named Paulene, a 30-year-old Filipino-Indian female from New Delhi. She
grew up in slum areas. Paulene knew at an early age that she wanted to be a lawyer. She
graduated from college with flying colors and was eventually accepted as a scholar at a
prestigious law school. Now, at the age of 30, she works as a lawyer in a private company in the
United Kingdom. It was there that she met her better half with whom she has four children.

● Can you name Paulene’s roles and statuses?

● What typical roles and statuses do people play in society?

Review!
Socialization and Enculturation
Society is different from culture. There are many cultures within a society. While members of
society share many of the same expectations and experiences, cultural groups create ones that
differentiate us from others in society.

Socialization
It is the process through which people learn to understand the societal norms, expectations, and
values as members of society.

Enculturation
It is the process by which an individual adopts the behavior patterns of the culture in which a
person is immersed in.

STATUSES
OUR society is guided by a network of similar statuses and roles that govern human interactions
that we call social structure. It also refers to the manner in which society is arranged into
predictable interactions.

STATUS
● describes the position an individual occupies in a particular setting, in a group, or in
society
● defines and clarifies the rights and obligations expected from a person

Example: a farm boy, a teacher, a human rights defender

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Classifications of Statuses
There are three kinds of statuses.

1. Ascribed Status

● a position a person holds in a social system that one attains involuntarily or by birth
● inherited and not based on the person’s abilities, accomplishments, or efforts
● can be rigid and unchanging since it is given to a person when he is born and is often
involuntary

Example: a Filipino national, a male or a female, a king or a queen, a son of a vendor, a firstborn

2. Achieved Status

● a position one holds in a social system that one attains based on merit or effort
● acquired due to unique skills, knowledge, or abilities, and are based on standards that
can be controlled
● a position that has been earned or chosen and is mostly dictated by abilities, skills, and
life choices

Example: a student, an employee, a doctor, an artist

3. Master Status

● the greatest role in a person’s life that determines social identity and general position in
society
● can be based on any status, such as gender, ethnicity, economic status, religious or
spiritual tradition, employment status, or family responsibility such as a parent or
grandparent
● may come with a sense of prestige for some−the consensus from the community around them that
a status is to be desired

Example: a CEO, an activist, a Pope

The chart shows the differences among the three statuses.

Roles
● expectations that are set for a person given the status he or she occupies
● pertains to the norms, behaviors, values, and personal characteristics that are attached
to the status of the person

Examples:

● Status: student

Roles: attending classes, studying lessons, communicating with the teacher

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 ● Status: teacher

Roles: teaching, giving feedback, assessing or evaluating the performance of the students

● Status: call center agent

Roles: answering questions, solving problems, researching information

The chart below shows the different statuses and their corresponding roles.

Role Exit and Role Conflict

What are some issues concerning roles?

Role exit pertains to the course of disengaging a person from his or her role that is essential to
his or her self-identity.

Example: when a person retires from a long career and must shift from the role of an employee
with responsibilities to someone just living a comfortable life, or when an individual becomes a
parent and has to change their lifestyle.

Role conflict arises when incompatible expectations occur from two or more statuses that a
person is occupying. Performing the assigned role of one status makes it challenging for the
person to play the assigned role of another status.

Example: It is very challenging for a woman to be the best mother to her children and the best
employee to her company all at the same time.

The Impact of Statuses and Roles in Attaining Society’s Goals

As members of society, people acquire statuses and roles which are necessary for socializing
within their society. These statuses and roles are important elements in the process of
socialization because they serve as agents for the fulfillment of society’s goals.

We are all encouraged to fulfill the roles of the statuses we are occupying at present and in the
future stages of our lives for us to be better members of the community.

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Explore!
Think of your parents or your guardians. What are the multiple statuses they are occupying at
present and the roles attached to those statuses?

Try it!
List at least three (3) roles for each status.

● male or female
● police officer
● business tycoon

What do you think?

What do you think will happen to society if its members fail to fulfill the roles of their respective
statuses?

Keypoints
● Status refers to the particular position that a person occupies in a particular scenario or
setup.
● Roles refer to the norms, customs, values, and personal characteristics that are attached
to the status of the individual.
● Ascribed status is a position a person holds in a social system that one attains
involuntarily or by birth.
● Achieved status is an acquired position due to unique skills, knowledge, or ability and
are based on standards that can be controlled.
● Master status pertains to the status of the person which determines his or her general
position in society.
● Role conflict takes place when two or more statuses are incompatible.
● Role exit pertains to the course of disengagement of a person from his or her role that is
essential to his or her self-identity.

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LESSON 4
CONFORMITY AND DEVIANCE: SOCIAL CONTROL

Objectives
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

● explain the inevitable existence of conformity, deviance, and social control in the social
processes of our everyday lives,
● discuss the significant part or role of gossip, social ostracism, laws, and punishments to
social control,
● analyze the societal goals and socially acceptable means to survive,
● and discuss the consequences of defying and conforming to social order.

Suppose that in one exclusive school, it is the norm for students to be at their best behavior at all
times while inside the school premises. All students therefore continuously make an effort to
maintain their grace, poise, and good appearance in order to avoid any sanctions.

Liz, a difficult and problematic student, transferred to the same school last year. In just one year
of stay, she was able to set up at least 5 pranks on her classmates and teachers. Despite being
punished for several times, she still cuts classes and comes to school not wearing the prescribed
uniform. There was also a time when she punched two of the school's guards because they did
not let her vandalize the principal's office. Liz's classmates do not want to be friends with her
because of her behavior. They call her "Crazy Liz" behind her back.

Analyze the scenario.

● What qualities characterize conformity and deviance?

● How does deviance affect a person's social status?
● Will actions have an effect on social status if they were unintentional?

Find out the answers in this lesson!

Learn about it!

Conformity and Deviance
In our everyday lives, we notice that there are specific standards for our actions, simple or
complex, set by society. People tend to have different responses with these imagined pressures
depending on their upbringing, values, or ideals. These reactions are
called conformity and deviance.

Conformity
● is linked to the obedience of a person to the norms in order to be acceptable in a
particular society, group, or social setting

Example: The majority of the class members, through a group consensus, agreed to accept the
proposal.

Deviance

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 ● is the non-conformity or violation of the standards of conduct, expectations, or norms of a
particular group or society

Example: There are power struggles among netizens who disagree on the re-imposition of the
death penalty.

Social Control
 It is believed that society must have a social order to function smoothly.
 The social order includes social standards, laws, rules, and norms which are set by
society, whether they are by the majority or by a hierarchy.
 Ideally, people must exhibit social order, but in reality, no society succeeds in getting all
its members to behave as expected all the time. If social order is seen as the only way for
communities to survive, they must have ways of making people conform to social norms.

Social Control Theory

● This is based on the idea that a person's fundamental belief system, values, morals,
commitments, and relationships promote a protected environment.
● Oftentimes, individuals who have these beliefs and commitments have a level of self-
control over their actions.
● It examines or evaluates how society affects criminal behavior.
● It emphasizes the idea that when people are involved and in contact with their
community, they are less likely to perpetrate criminal acts.

Gossip, Social Ostracism, and Laws and Punishments

Failure to embrace the accepted norms and values of society or inability to perform the roles of a
person’s status may lead to consequences in the form of gossip, social ostracism, and laws and
punishments.

Gossip
● refers to the idle talk or rumors about the personal or private matters of others
● may lead to the discrediting of the reputation of the subject

Social Ostracism
● refers to the exclusion of an individual from being socially accepted
● includes the removal of social privileges and friendship with the general members of the
society
● a result of one's actions that give him or her an impression of not being a worthy member
of that society

Laws and Punishments

Laws refer to the set of rules by the government to regulate the way in which society behaves.

Punishments pertain to the pain, penalty, or suffering that is imposed on a person who violates
a law.

People learn the mechanisms of social control through interactions with other people. Couples
who are expected to have a respectable family choose not to quarrel out loud to avoid being
talked about around their neighborhood.

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An individual will conform with his peers to avoid social rejection or ostracism. To avoid
punishment, people must follow the law.

Social Processes and Relationships

The illustration below shows the social processes and relationships of deviance, conformity, and
social control.

In the given scenario earlier, the school was the representation of society−the students were the
conformists and Liz was the defiant one. The school had particular rules and standard of behaving, and
Liz's actions caused disturbance within the school. They did not only cause chaos, but they also led Liz to
be stigmatized.

Negative sanctions will be given to people who exhibit deviant acts, while effective sanctions will
be given to those who observe or conform.

Explore!
Bert is invited to an event that requires a particular costume. Not well-informed and not so
serious about it, he arrives with no costume at all.

Will Bert be criticized for not conforming to the required attire? Will he feel shy throughout the
event? How will Bert behave at the start of the event? Do you think this deviant behavior will
have a psychological effect on him?

Try it!
During recess or class break, try wearing your shirt differently−with its front displayed at your back−and
walk backwards as if it is your normal way of walking. Expect students to stare at you, look confused, and
talk about you.

What do you think?

Given the reality in this modern time, do you think that complete conformity to the rules, laws,
standards, and norms will result in social order and deviance will lead to chaos? Why? Why not?

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Tip
Note that deviant behavior is relative. A particular society may consider a certain behavior
deviant, but the same behavior may be acceptable in another society.

Keypoints
● Conformity is linked to the obedience of a person to the norms that are acceptable in a
particular society, group, or social setting.
● Deviance is the non-conformity or violation of the standards of conduct, expectations, or
norms of a particular group or society.
● Social control theory is based upon the idea that an individual's underlying belief
system, values, morals, commitments, and relationships foster a proper environment.
● Social order is considered to be the only solution to achieve societal survival and social
control. Conformity is the only way to achieve this.
● Gossip, social rejection or ostracism, and laws and punishments are forms of social
pressures that contribute to the exhibition of social control.
● Deviance, conformity, and social control are always present in a given society or
group. These are not limited to a high number of people but to a group that is capable of
setting standards, rules and norms.

LESSON 5

CONFORMITY AND DEVIANCE: FORMS OF DEVIANCE

Objectives
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:

● describe deviance as explained by the Structural Strain Theory, and

● identify the forms of deviance.

● What causes deviant responses or behaviors as explained by the Structural Strain

Theory?
● What are the different forms of deviance?

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Find out the answers in this lesson!

Review
Conformity and Deviance
The concept of conformity is linked to the obedience of a person to the norms to be acceptable
in a particular society, group, or social setting.

Deviance, on the other hand, is the non-conformity or violation of the standards of conduct,
expectations, or norms of a particular group or society.

Note that deviant behavior is relative. A particular society may consider a certain behavior
deviant, but the same behavior may be acceptable in another society.

Learn about it!

Deviance as Explained by the Structural Strain Theory
The forms of deviance are the responses or adaptations by people in a society caused by the
imbalance or “strain” between the valued goals in the society and the legitimate or acceptable
means to achieve such goals. This idea is taken from the Structural Strain
Theory conceptualized by sociologist Robert K. Merton. Two variables taken into account in this
theory are valued goals and legitimate means to achieve goals.

Valued Goals
These are goals that are defined by society as valuable, or simply, the goals that are typically
pursued in a society.

Example: financial success

Legitimate Means to Achieve Goals

These are the acceptable ways people can do to achieve such valued goals in a society.

Example: get a good education

Types of Adaptation
In our everyday lives, we would notice that there are actions considered to be legitimate or
acceptable for a particular society toward achieving valued goals.

While people usually conform to legitimate or acceptable means to achieve goals, there are
people who will not. One reason for this is because the legitimate means are just not available for
them, and so unequal opportunities exist to achieve these goals. Merton identified five typologies
of how people adapt to their value system or the goals-means dynamics of their respective
society.

These typologies are:

● conformity–accepts goals and the institutionalized, acceptable or legitimate means of

obtaining them,

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 ● ritualism–rejects goals and accepts or adheres to institutionalized means of obtaining
them,
● retreatism–rejects both goals and means of obtaining them,
● rebellion–creates new goals and new means of obtaining them, and
● innovation–accepts goals and rejects institutionalized means of obtaining them.

Ritualism, retreatism, rebellion, and innovation are forms of deviance.

Forms of Deviance
Merton conceptualized four responses that are considered deviant and caused by a strain or
imbalance between valued goals and legitimate means in a particular society.

Ritualism
Ritualism is exhibited when someone rejects traditional cultural goals but still adheres to the
culturally approved methods or rules for making progress towards the same goals.

Example: An employee still stays in his job even though he is aware that it is a dead-end job. In
ritualism, people experience feelings of despair and anomie (social instability) that result to
modification or abandonment of the idealized cultural goals, but still persist at a ritualized,
unfulfilling line of work.

Retreatism
Retreatism is the response that rejects or abandons both cultural goals and the institutionalized
or legitimate means for attaining them.

Example: Examples of people who exhibit retreatism are drug addicts and alcoholics. The
ultimate form of retreatism is suicide.

Innovation
Innovation entails the acceptance of the valued goal but the rejection of legitimate or
institutionalized means to achieve them (resorting to criminal or delinquent acts).

Example: An example of this is when a person wants a nice car but does not have enough
money, so he steals money from the bank. Some people may resort to stealing or dealing drugs
to achieve cultural goals.

Rebellion
Rebellion not only rejects the valued goals and the legitimate means of the established society
but also actively attempts to substitute new goals and means. This can be applied to political
deviants who attempt to modify the existing structure of society.

Example: Examples for this are neo-Nazis and other hate groups. The rebels will publicly
acknowledge their intention to change the norms and the social structure.

The table below summarizes Merton’s typology of individual adaptations.

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Legend:

● "+" signifies acceptance

● "–" signifies rejection
● "+ and -" signifies rejection of prevailing goal or means and substitution of new goal or
means

Explore!
In the particular society that you live in, you can observe different people and groups that exhibit
any of the five types of adaptations or responses. Notice their way of expressing their beliefs
toward specific ideals, values, norms, or cultural goals and categorize them according to their
action or statement.

What do you think?

In today’s time, different ideologies, religions, cultures, and traditions have already emerged and
are recognized, resulting in a diverse society. Different needs and expectations are expressed by
groups and individuals according to their social status. Given this situation, do you think that the
presence of these five adaptations is inevitable in a given society? Why or why not?

Tip
A person can exhibit different types of adaptations depending on the situation. He or she might
be a conformist in school, following all the rules, while also being an innovator when it comes to
his or her interests. A person’s response and adaptation is not always linear. It clearly depends
on how the person weighs the situation according to his or her needs.

Keypoints
● Conformity is the obedience to the norms that make a person acceptable to a particular
society, group, or social setting.
● Deviance is the non-conformity or violation of the standards of conduct, expectations, or
norms of a group or society.
● Robert K. Merton developed the Structural Strain Theory to explore how people
respond to cultural values and how they are supposed to achieve them.
● There are five typologies of how people adapt to the value system of their respective
society and these are conformity, ritualism, retreatism, rebellion, and innovation.
● The four forms of deviance are ritualism, retreatism, rebellion, and innovation.
● A person’s response or adaptation is not always linear. It clearly depends on how the
person weighs the situation according to his or her needs.
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LESSON 6
HUMAN DIGNITY AND RIGHTS
Objectives
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

● define and explain human dignity and rights as part of everyone's freedom,
● discuss inclusive citizenship as it advocates policies promoting human rights, and
● help improve the protection of human dignity and rights.

It was on the 10th of December 1948 in Paris when the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
(UDHR) was proclaimed to have a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all
nations.

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According to its Article 1:

“All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason
and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.”

Given these, why do you think some people are still repressed from these privileges based on
their race, citizenship, or color?

Find out the answer in this lesson!

Human Dignity and Rights

As stated, “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.” No color of skin,
physical disability, sexual orientation, or religious belief can stop anybody from protecting his or
her dignity and enjoying his or her rights as a person. Human dignity and rights go together
and are essential to the attainment of common interest.

Human Dignity
There are two ways to understand human dignity.

The religious aspect believes that humans have a unique place in the world and that human life
is sacred.

In moral, ethical, legal, and political discussions, human dignity is used to express the idea
that a being has an innate right to be valued, respected, and to receive ethical treatment.

Human dignity

● an individual or group's sense of self-respect and worth, physical and psychological

integrity, and empowerment
● affirms that every person is worthy of respect; that our value as people should never be
debated
● means having a quality life and not experiencing oppression or manipulation
● is uplifted when people are granted with their rights

It is, therefore, true to say that any right safeguarded by the International Human Rights Law is
substantiated by the dignity of the human person.

uman Rights
● are rights inherent to all people, regardless of nationality, place of residence, sex,
national or ethnic origin, color, religion, language, or any other status
● are the freedom and privileges that belong to every person in the world
● guarantees that all people shall be ensured to enjoy life, liberty, and security

Characteristics of Human Rights

Human rights are universal and inalienable, indivisible, interdependent, and interrelated.

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Universality and Inalienability
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.

Indivisibility
Whether they relate to cultural, civil, economic, political, or social issues, human rights are
inherent to the dignity of every human person.

Interdependence and Interrelatedness

The fulfillment of one right often depends on, wholly or in part, the fulfillment of others.

Both human dignity and rights should not be taken away, but sadly, they are denied to some
people as manifested by poverty, illiteracy, crime, and discrimination in society.

Inclusive Citizenship
Inclusive citizenship is a governing policy that promotes human dignity and human rights.

● It focuses on legal equality for each citizen directed at giving all citizens a strong feeling
that they are part of the overall society.
● Its policies include laws that provide non-segregated access to all citizens, regardless of
their race, gender, religious affiliation, and socioeconomic status.
● While a government cannot guarantee equality in all private organizations, inclusive
citizenship focuses on the legal rights of all individuals in cases where the government
determines their rights of inclusion.
● It establishes a governing foundation where it gives its citizens a sense of security so that
they will feel that their government hears and respects their ideas.
● In return, people will be more inclined to voice out their grievances through proper
channels, such as petitioning a representative to investigate their situation.
● Moreover, this right can motivate the citizens to participate in government activities,
raising voter turnout, civic participation, and serving in the military.

Under inclusive citizenship, there are rights that the government provides for its citizens.
Examples of these are the equal right to vote, equal right to serve in the military, same right to
marry, similar tax responsibilities, and equal right to represent others in the government.

Citizens also have access to public funds, public organizations, and equal rights and acceptance
by national figures.

Protection of Human Dignity and Rights

Laws and declaration support the protection of human rights and the dignity of people.
The International Human Rights Law constitutes the basis of fundamental rights. With this law,
dignity is also protected. It must be respected, even where a right is restricted. Conventions such
as the 1997 European Union Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Dignity of the
Human Being are also held to promote rights and dignity through different fields.

xplore!
In our everyday lives, we can observe different people pursuing their rights as humans and as
citizens of the country. Not only government agencies, but also institutions and organizations
promote human rights through billboards, posters, television ads, and even in outreach
programs. Notice these channels in your everyday journey and you can observe how people
practice and advocate their rights.
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 ● Since people have different race, citizenship, beliefs, and values, do you think an
individual or group practicing human rights and dignity would deprive another person or
group of their rights and dignity?
● If yes, how can we ensure complete observation of human rights and dignity?

Try it!
In today's society, human rights are more emphasized and practiced than before. Some groups
promote human rights in different ways. Examples of these are people who initiate and
participate in fun runs for a cause. Protesters are usually seen in open areas or roads, calling the
attention of our countrymen, or in front of government agencies. If you encounter events like
these, try to observe their effects on the audience. If they are hazard free, try joining one.

What do you think?

Since the concept of dignity is said to be difficult to define, there are claims that it is a
meaningless slogan and a useless concept in bioethics. Moreover, there is considerable overlap
in the idea of personhood as to whether it is an innate quality of human beings or something that
is granted or attributed to a person.

Thus, according to some philosophers, this cues a few questions, like:

● Is dignity a property of a person or of the way others react to him?

● Can one's dignity be affected by the way one is treated?
● Can dignity be inviolable but at the same time something that can be lost or destroyed?

Keypoints
● Human dignity in a religious sense believes that humans have a special place in the
world and that human life is sacred. In a moral, ethical, legal, and political sense, it is
used to express the idea that a being has an innate right to be valued, respected, and to
receive ethical treatment.
●

LESSON 7
THE COMMON GOOD
Objectives
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

● define and explain human rights, dignity, and the common good,
● discuss the role played by human rights to the attainment of the common good, and
● help encourage the protection of human dignity, rights, and the common good.

In making a personal decision or a choice, do you think about how such decision would benefit
others? Why or why not?

Review!
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Human Dignity

In a religious point of view, it is believed that humans have a unique place in the world, and that
human life is sacred. In the secular point of view, a human is seen as having an innate right to
be valued, respected, and to receive ethical treatment.

● Human dignity is an individual or group's sense of self-respect and worth, physical and
psychological integrity, and empowerment.
● It affirms that every person is worthy of respect. Our value as persons should never be
debated.
● It means having a quality life and not experiencing oppression or manipulation.

Human Rights
Human rights are rights inherent to all people, regardless of nationality, place of residence, sex,
national or ethnic origin, color, religion, language, or any other status. They are the freedoms and
privileges that belong to every person in the world. All people shall be ensured to enjoy life,
liberty, and security.

Human rights are universal and inalienable, indivisible, interdependent, and interrelated.

Universality and Inalienability: All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.

Indivisibility: Whether they relate to cultural, civil, economic, political or social issues, human
rights are inherent to the dignity of every human person.

Review!
Inclusive Citizenship
Inclusive citizenship is a governing policy that promotes human dignity and human rights.

● It focuses on legal equality for each citizen and directed at giving all citizens a strong
feeling that they are a part of the overall society.
● Its policies include laws that provide non-segregated access to all citizens regardless of
their race, gender, religious affiliation, or socioeconomic status.
● It establishes a governing foundation where it gives its citizens a sense of security so that
the community feels like the government hears and respects its ideas.
● Citizens are more inclined to voice their grievances through proper channels, such as
petitioning a representative to investigate their situations.
● Moreover, this right can motivate citizens to participate in the government by raising voter
turnout, civic participation, and greater willingness to serve in the military.

Under inclusive citizenship, there are rights that the government provides for its citizens.
Examples of these are equal right to vote, equal right to serve in the military, same right to marry,
similar tax responsibilities, and equal right to represent others in the government.

Citizens also have access to public funds, public organizations, equal rights, and acceptance by
national figures.

Learn about it!

The Common Good
The common good refers to:
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 ● what is shared and advantageous for all or most members of a given society, and
● what is achieved by citizenship, be it collective action or active participation.

When dignity and rights are granted to people, the common good is achieved. It happens when
society benefits as a whole. The common good is reached when the majority, a high number of
individuals, or society as a whole benefits from a situation or event.

The recognition of people's dignity and rights is the foundation of "freedom, peace, and justice in
the world," as stated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. The common
good sustains order and happiness in the community. It is not hard to achieve.

Protection of Human Dignity, Rights, and the Common Good

Human dignity, rights, and the common good are not new concepts; neither are the issues about
their existence in society.

● Can they be granted?

● Can they be achieved?

Since ancient times, literature figures have given criticisms on issues of the existence and
absence of human rights, dignity, and the common good. Among the list are the works of
Aristotle, Rousseau, and Machiavelli. In modern times, not much has changed. The same old
questions and problems are asked, but the modern world continues to work towards addressing
such concerns.

International organizations and different countries pledged to the United Nations to uphold
human rights and dignity. If proven to disobey laws and rules, one has to be punished in
accordance with the law.

Ideally, the common good is protected when all people enjoy their rights and preserve their
dignity. For an individual, this means having freedom as a consumer, owner, and citizen that also
includes right to rest and leisure, equal access to public works and services, freedom of
association, religion, or speech and employment.

Explore!
Do you believe that laws and public works were built to function for the common good? Why or
why not?

Try it!
Enumerate three (3) situations or events you witnessed where the common good was upheld.

What do you think?

Are the efforts of local and national government agencies on upholding the common good
sufficient to ensure its existence in society?

Key Points
● Human rights are rights inherent to all people, regardless of nationality, place of
residence, sex, national or ethnic origin, color, religion, language, or any other status.
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● Human dignity is a person's or group's sense of self-respect and worth, physical and
psychological integrity, and empowerment.
● The common good refers to what is shared and favorable for all or most members of a
given community. The common good is protected when each person enjoys his or her
rights and preserves his or her dignity.
● Inclusive citizenship is a governing policy that promotes human dignity and human
rights. This focuses on legal equality for each citizen, and is directed at giving all citizens
a strong feeling that they are part of the overall society.

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