For instructional purposes only • 1st Semester SY 2021-2022

Lesson 2.3: The Material Self

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Lesson Summary
Nowadays, various products are available in the market. We can
purchase it. A consumer can also buy digital space. However, what influences
someone is the advertisements he sees over television, or he hears over the
radio. For advertisements make us feel better. The question, on the one hand,
is, do we need that thing for ourselves?

This lesson will provide the students with a discussion on the material
self. Whom are we based on the things we own? They often said that a person
is known for the kind of things he possesses. There is a direct link between
self- identity with what we have and what we possess.

According to Belk, we regard our possessions as parts of our selves.

Learning Outcomes
1. Explain the relationship of self to the material possessions
of someone;
2. Determine the role of consumer culture to self and identity;
3. Evaluate one’s “self” based on the description of the
material self.

Motivation Question

Is someone who has everything in this world happy?

Discussion

Maslow’s theory of motivation can shed light on why people come to

desire certain things. One particularly used categorization breaks down human
perceived needs into five categories:

1. Physiological Needs. For instance, hunger and thirst.

2. Safety Needs. For security and protection.
3. Social Needs. For a sense of belonging and love.
4. Esteem Needs- for Self- esteem, recognition, and status.
5. Self- actualization Needs. For self- development and realization.

Page 1 of 2
Vision: A globally competitive university for science, technology, and environmental conservation.
TP-IMD-02
Mission: Development of a highly competitive human resource, cutting-edge scientific knowledge V0 07-15-2020
and innovative technologies for sustainable communities and environment. No. CTEAS-DAS-
ScSc11n-20-001
 For instructional purposes only • 1st Semester SY 2021-2022

Goodwin posited that consumption is the process by which goods and

services are at last put to final use by the people. Consumption is at the end of
the line of economic activities that starts with evaluating available resources
and proceeds through the production or manufacture of goods and services
and distribution among people and groups. (Goodwin et al., 2008).

William James wrote in his book entitled the Principles of Psychology

that to understand the self-better, it can be examined through its different
components. These components are as follows:

1. Its constituents
2. The feelings and emotions
3. The actions to which they prompt, self-seeking and self-
preservation

Furthermore, James posited that the material self is about our:

1. Bodies
2. Clothes
3. Immediate family and
4. Home

Russel Belk (1998) opined that our possessions are part of ourselves.
We are what we have and what we possess. Identifying the self to things
started in our infancy stage when we make a distinction from self and
environment and others who may desire our possessions. As we grow old,
putting importance on material possession decreases. However, material
possession gains higher value in our lifetime if we use material possession to
find happiness, associate these things to significant events, accomplishments,
and people in our lives.

Page 2 of 2
Vision: A globally competitive university for science, technology, and environmental conservation.
TP-IMD-02
Mission: Development of a highly competitive human resource, cutting-edge scientific knowledge V0 07-15-2020
and innovative technologies for sustainable communities and environment. No. CTEAS-DAS-
ScSc11n-20-001