MODULE 3:

UNPACKING THE
SELF
 LESSONS:
LESSON 1. The Spiritual Self

LESSON 2. The Political Self

LESSON 3. The Virtual Self

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1 LESSON 1
THE SPIRITUAL SELF
What do you pray for the
most?
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 “
Let’s listen to this!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m
Bcqria2wmg

”5
 The Spiritual Self
● For lack of explanation to various phenomena, primitive
men attributed the phenomena to some external and non-
personal forces with magical or supernatural power he
considered sacred.
● This practice gave birth to Animism.
● Animism is the belief that everything in the surrounding
is inhabited by unseen being or spirit.
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Big concept
What is spirituality,
religion, and identity?

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 RELIGION
● According to Santrock (2014) - an organized set of beliefs,
practices, rituals, and symbols that increases an individual’s
connection to a sacred or transcendent other (God, higher power,
ultimate truth).
● Belief in a god or other gods
● Organized system of beliefs, ceremonies, and rules used to
worship a god.
● An interest, a belief or an activity deemed to be of utmost
importance to a person or a group
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Spirituality
● involves experiencing something beyond oneself in the
transcendent manner and living in a way that benefits
others and society
● search for the sacred – may signify a person, an object, a
principle, or a concept that transcends the self.
Can include a divine being or a divine object that is ‘set apart’
and considered holy or beyond the ordinary.

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Common Questions about Supernatural Being:

● Does God Exist?

- A common question which atheists hear a lot is ‘why
don’t you believe in God?’ Theists, religious or not, have
trouble imagining why anyone would not believe in at
least some sort of god, preferably their own.

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The Functions of Religion

● Stability and Cohesion- shared religion binds

people closely together.
a. It is means of protecting individuals from
alienation
b. It provide social cement for group unity and
consensus.
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The Functions of Religion

● Social identity- shared religion gives people

an identity and social membership.
a. This is achieved through special naming
ceremonies like christening and baptism in the
Christian Church.
b. Religion serves to integrate the person into the
society.
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The Functions of Religion

● Collective Conscience
a. The group affirms its belief in the central values
through its commitment to the religious system.
b. Value consensus- all members agree to the same
values of morality.
c. An orderly social life is only possible when people
share moral values.
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The Functions of Religion

● Socialization and social control- religion

represents the value system of the society.
a. It is a conservative force which contributes to moral and wider
social order and stability.
b. Many cultural norms are given sacred legitimacy by religious
beliefs like the “The Ten Commandments”.
c. Appropriate modes of thinking and behaving are controlled on
ways which will promote the good, orderly society.

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The Functions of Religion

● Meaning and Purpose- religion gives

meaning and purpose to people’s lives.
a. In the face of death, disease and the hazards of everyday living,
people are vulnerable to all kinds of disasters beyond their control.
Religious beliefs offer people comfort in times of crisis.
b. It is the institution which gives people the strength to continue and
promotes the long-term maintenance of society as a result.

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Techniques of Religion

● Prayer- this is the communication to the Supernatural

Being.
● Divination- elevation of a person’s weak state to
God. It is a process of which a man strive to perfect his
imperfections.

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Techniques of Religion

● Ceremony- this refers to interconnected rituals done

at specific time and place like marriage or Holy Mass.
● Sacrifice- this is expressing reverence to God. For
example, abstinence or fasting

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Techniques of Religion

● Reverence- this pertains to the feeling of awe

coupled with love and admiration a person offers to the
Almighty.
● Duty- this tries to please the Almighty by reverent act.
For example, Ten Commandments.

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Techniques of Religion

● Rituals- this is a means of sanctification or performing

religious acts. Example, praying, sign of the cross, processions,
etc.
● Sacred Objects- these are objects attributed to the
Supernatural Power such as Bible, rosaries, prayer books, etc.
● Taboo- this pertains to negative presentation of action
wherein a person should refrain from certain act not in
conformity with the desire of the Almighty.

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 “
The Concept of “Dungan”
Spirit or Soul

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What is a Soul?
Here are some uses of the word soul in the Scriptures.
 A soul is a person.
Sometimes the word soul signifies merely an individual person. The prophet
Ezekiel declared that the soul (i.e., the person) who sins will surely die
(Ezek. 18:20). Peter would write centuries later that eight souls were saved
by water in the days of Noah (1 Pet. 3:20). See also Exodus 1:5.

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What is a Soul?

 A soul is life itself.

In some contexts, a soul simply has reference to biological life. It is
the animating force that is common to both humans and animals. All
creatures have “life” (see Gen. 1:30; cf. ASV footnote). The wicked
king, Herod the Great, sought to take the “life” of baby Jesus (Mt.
2:20; cf. Rev. 12:11). In one of the visions of the Apocalypse, certain
creatures of the sea were said to possess psuche or life (Rev. 8:9).

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What is a Soul?

 A soul can refer to the mind.

A soul can have to do with that aspect of man that is
characterized by the intellectual and emotional (Gen.
27:25; Job 30:16). It is the eternal component of man that
is fashioned in the very image of God (Gen. 1:26). It can
exist apart from the physical body (Mt. 10:28; Rev. 6:9)

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Animism

● The term Animism is one of the oldest beliefs which is taken

from the Latin word anima meaning breath or soul.
● Animism is the belief that everything in nature-living things like
trees, plants and even non-living rocks or streams have their own
spirit or divinity. Animistic beliefs are still present, accepted and
never entirely disappeared.

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The Soul or Spirit in Different Regions in the Phil.

1. Kaluluwa by the Tagalog

2. Gimokud by the Bagobos
3. Makatu by the Bukidnon
4. Dungan by the Ilonggos when the is alive, "Kalag" or
"detached", "free" when he is dead
5. Ikararawa by the Ibanags
6. Kadkadduwa by the Ilokanos when the soul is in the physical
body and it is seen as a constant companion;karuruwa when it
departs
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Dungan or Soul Concepts
1. According to Bisayans, the Dungan may leave the
body voluntarily while the person is asleep.
2. Among the ancient Filipinos, when the person is asleep
he/she should not be awakened quickly in order to give
ample time for the Dungan to return to the body.
3. When the Dungan is travelling outside of the body, it
should be free from accidents because there is
possibility that it might be trapped in a jar or be poured
out with the liquid from a vessel.
4. When the soul has safely returned home to the body of
its owner, he/she could then be awakened.

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Dungan or Soul Concepts

1. It is believed that whatever happens to the Dungan

happens to the physical body as well. It is also believed
that another reason for the voluntary withdrawal of the
soul is maltreated.
2. The Bisayans believed that the Soul or Dungan is not
located in any specific part of the body. Rather, it is
believed to grow proportionately with the person's
body. It is normally weak at birth, that is why babies
are said to be susceptible to ‘usug’, that is the
unintentional transfer of disturbing vapors of a strong
body to a weak by holding, talking or just looking at
the weaker one.

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 “
Logotherapy: Finding the
Meaning of Life

”28
 THE THREE BASIC PRINCIPLES ON DISCOVERING
MEANING IN LIFE

1. Life has meaning in all circumstances, even

despondent ones.
2. The main motivational force is the desire to find
meaning in life.
3. Humanity has the freedom of attitudinal choice, even
in situations of unchangeable affliction.

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 Here are Assumptions of Logotherapy

1. The human being is an entity made of body, mind, and spirit.

2. Life has meaning under all situations even the miserable ones.
3. People have the freedom to find meaning in what they do and
what the experience or what they stand for.
4. People have freedom under all circumstances to achieve the will
to find meaning.
5. Life has a demand quality to which people must respond if
decision is to be meaningful.
6. The individual is unique.
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2 LESSON 2
THE POLITICAL SELF
 “
Reflect
on this!

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 “
Reflect on this!

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 “
Reflect on this!

”
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 The Political Self
 The political self is formed from the:
1. Constructed Filipino identity
2. Political history and landscape
 It is ingrained in different generations of Filipinos to be
manipulated in order to sway politics in their favor.
 Filipino politics is a surplus in political parties, rich and
powerful families claiming territories and life-changing
political situations.

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 The Political Self
 Political life is a necessary consequence of man’s social
existence.
 In order for people to secure a place in the society he must
experience peace and order, and this can only be through in a
political atmosphere.
 St. Thomas Aquinas adhered to the idea that “the ruler and
the ruled”. It is understood that in political life, the ruler is the
government and the ruled are the people or the citizenship.

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 Origin of Political System
 From a functional perspective, political system serve the need
for internal order and defense external enemies.
 Loyalty to the society must supersede local and family
allegiance. Thus, some members of the society are granted
power to define and enforce the norms.
 Loyalty to a larger entity and its leader is created and
reinforced through ritual and other unifying symbols.

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 Origin of Political System
 In the ancient times, societies were small so there is no need
for a governing body. Later on, societies grew large so city-
states (small governing body) were formed.
 The political organization of a complex society is called the
nation-state.
 States are organized sets of institutions that govern and
defend a given territory.

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Who are the Citizens of the Philippines?
 A citizen is one who is a member of a state
who was accorded with full civil and political
rights.
 Citizenship is a term signifying membership
of a citizen in a political community.

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Who are the Citizens of the Philippines?
1. Those who are citizens of the Philippines at
the time of the adaption of the 1987
Constitution.
2. Those who fathers and mothers are citizens
of the Philippines.
3. Those naturalized in accordance to the law.

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 Who are the Citizens of the Philippines?
 To determine the kind of citizenship, the law follows the jus
sanguinis principle.
 Jus Sanguinis Principle
- Blood relationship is the basis for acquisition of citizenship.
- A natural born Filipino citizen
 Jus Soli or Jus Loci
- A newly born child follows the citizenship of the state where he
was born irrespective of the citizenship of his parents.

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 Who are the Citizens of the Philippines?
 A naturalized Filipino citizen is one who underwent the
naturalization process under the law of the Philippines.
 Naturalization is the act of formally adapting a foreigner into
the political community of a state and giving him the rights and
privileges of citizenship.
 When a person is naturalized, he already renounced his
former citizenship, so his allegiance is now on the state where
he was naturalized.

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 Dual Citizenship vs. Dual Allegiance
 Dual Citizenship pertains to the possession of two
citizenships by an individual, that is of his original
citizenship and that of the country where he
becomes a naturalized citizen.
 Dual Allegiance refers to the continued allegiance
of a naturalized citizen to his mother country even
after acquiring Filipino citizenship.

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 Dual Citizenship vs. Dual Allegiance
 The Philippines prohibits dual allegiance. (Section
5, Art. IV of 1987 Phil. Constitution) “dual allegiance
of citizen is inimical to the national interest and shall
be dealt with by the law.”
 Instances where dual allegiance is not allowed is in
the qualification for an elective or appointive
position in the Philippine government office.

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 Origin of Political Self
1. Family
The family has a hierarchical structure
through hierarchy of positions, status and
power.

Example: Father acts as a leader and

establishes rules to maintain order in the
family

This shows that authority is necessary in the

development of political self and identity
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 Origin of Political Self
2. School
The school's responsibility is to teach moral,
spiritual, and political values that will help
the students to become patriotic and morally
upright citizen.

Example: UTS subject, GMRC, ROTC

The school is similar to family, where the

teacher acts as the leader in classroom that
sets the rules and regulation to maintain order
in class.
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 Origin of Political Self
3. Church
Helps the shape ideals of
citizenship and democracy
through the religious
teachings, values and
tradition

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 Origin of Political Self
4. Peers
Interaction with the peers
encompasses and emphasizes the
equal distribution of power,
rights, and privileges among
members of the group

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 Origin of Political Self
6. Mass Media
Key to the source of information
on politics Family, School,
Church, Peers and moral
behaviors’
that influence political behavior
and political self

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 Origin of Political Self
7. Democracy
- A government in which the supreme is
vested in and exercised by the people
directly or indirectly through a system
of presentation, usually involving
periodical held free elections.
- Although democracy has several flaws
it also uniquely posses a number of
features that most people — whatever
their basic political beliefs- would
consider desirable.

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3 LESSON 3
THE VIRTUAL SELF
“

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 “
Reflect
on this!

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 “
Reflect
on this!

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 Introduction
- A change in technology can alter the way people relate to one
another.
- Online Communications- people communicating with one
another via computers, a contemporary example of an invention
that alters relationships and even the very nature of talks.
- It is likely, then, that a new form of social intimacy is emerging,
one in which people have closeness without permanence, depth
without commitment, and one in which need never meet in order
to identify on a close personal level.

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 The Digital Self
- Digital self- a mask that can be worn to relate to the
technological world.
- People have struggled with their digital selves because
technology came into their lives so fast and abrupt that they
had no time to think about their relationships with it and that
this technology can shape everyone’s digital self.
- Emphatic failure- lack of interaction leading to disconnection
and realization that something they cannot comprehend is
coming between the relationship.

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How Social Media Shape Youth’s Emotional Experiences

- Social Media is a word for numerous technology that

happens to be an instant communication, status
updates, and social networking to all individuals.
- To the youth, social media maintain constant
contact with their friend which has an impact on the
youth emotional experience. The youth, however,
experience relational issues through social media
making them reckless online.

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 The Impact of Digital Advancements to Identity

1. Disconnectedness
- The increasing use of gadgets and presence in the
social media results in being disconnected from the
people around us.
- We prefer to stay stuck on the social media creating
recent posts or stalking accounts for hours while
being mentally insensitive to the happenings around
us.

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 The Impact of Digital Advancements to Identity

2. Developing and Nurturing Virtual Relationship

- Creating virtual relationships which satisfies the need
for relationships and intimacy.
- This can cause inability to maintain face to face
relationships which demands more personal
adjustments and understanding of human
differences.
- Relationships become superficial.

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 The Impact of Digital Advancements to Identity

3. Online Recklessness
- This refers to one that cannot regulate and monitor
on their expression of emotions.
- Ways to express positive or negative feedback on a
recent post- emoticon, emoji, animated gif, meme,
or traditional words.

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 The Impact of Digital Advancements to Identity

4. Distorted Identity Formation

- An individual can change his citizenship, gender, looks,
character, and status in the online world.
- The identity that we desire to project online may either
reflect our true self or our ideal self.
- However, as we work for affirmation from our online
friends and acquaintances, we tend not to be truthful
to ourselves.
- Online world offers a variety of ways to enhance our
“new identity” to be acceptable by others.
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 The Impact of Digital Advancements to Identity

5. A Significant Portion of Our Lives is Being

Broadcasted
- The online world gives its users the chance to have
that “celebrity feel”.
- We post everything from food to travel to
relationship status and minor or major events in our
life.
- It shows that every detail of what we post online is
for public consumption.
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 The Impact of Digital Advancements to Identity

6. Digital Self- Harm

- We tend to demean ourselves on public as we tend to
validate our insecurities and weaknesses among
our online friends and followers.
- Online world allows the chance to post our self-
impression about one’s looks and traits which later
validates insecurities and low self-concept.
- Engagement in this online behavior also permits
“cyber bullying”.
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 The Impact of Digital Advancements to Identity

7. Contribute to Declining Mental Health

- The inability to gain attention from the significant
others results to sadness and frustration.
- This is contributing a lot declining mental health as
the individual is unable to overcome stress.

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 The Impact of Digital Advancements to Identity

8. Self- Obsession
- Constant exposure to the online world has evidently
increased the incidence of “narcissism”. Many have
become self-obsessed and self- absorbed as
facilitated and promoted by the social media.
- The digital world has inspired individuals to be
amazed about the “me, myself, and I”

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 Reasons for Engaging in the Digital Hype
1. Every individual desires to meet the expectation of
the significant others in his/her life.
2. “like” and “shares” from friends and followers are
gestures that boost their ego and self-esteem.
3. “Hierarchy of Needs” by Maslow stated that that
each has need to “belong”. Everyone desires to
“blend in”. Uploading and images creates a feeling
of being a part of the hype.

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 Reasons for Engaging in the Digital Hype
4. The digital web provides individual with much more
freedom to express themselves in varied forms.
5. The digital world allow the individual to achieve his or
her “ideal self” whether it is physical such as those
provided by online applications to improve their
images physically. And it could also be emotionally as
platform users can express themselves by “Vlogging”.
Whichever manner results in an emotional experience
that makes one feel “good” about his or her self.
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 The Disinhibited Self
 Unlike in real- life encounters, individuals tend to act
out more intensely and openly in virtual
interactions.
 This phenomenon is what he calls the online
disinhibition effect, or the removal of social
inhibitions and/or restrictions imposed upon people’s
behavior when engaging in the web.
 Two main categories: benign disinhibition and toxic
disinhibition.
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 The Disinhibited Self
1. Benign Disinhibition
- positive side of the effect.
- Digital equivalent to “self- actualization”, or the act
of working through one’s identity.
- Kindness or generosity online
 Example:
Various FB groups with complete strangers confiding to
each other in hopes of addressing shared issues such as
depressions, alcoholism, and sexism.
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 The Disinhibited Self
2. Toxic Disinhibition
- Refers to disparaging remarks, death threats,
blackmails, and hate slurs.
- Anonymous consumption of online pornography.
Example:
The dark web, commonly perceived as a place in the
cyberspace for illicit dealings and activities.

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 The Disinhibited Self
1. Dissociative Anonymity (People don’t know me!)
- Confidence you feel every time you anonymously
encourage in online activities.
- You can easily “disassociate” your online identities
from your offline ones.
- You can be relatively carefree in your virtual
behavior, resulting in a more unfiltered, even
harmful, you.

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 The Disinhibited Self
2. Invisibility (People can’t see me!)
- You can sometimes intentionally misrepresent
yourself to come across as an entirely different
person.
- In hiding your true physical and personal attributes
away, you are effectively freeing yourself up from
the baggage of having to present yourself as you
truly are.

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 The Disinhibited Self
3. Asynchronicity (See you when I see you!)
- You have the luxury of time delay in the virtual
world.
- You don’t need to be physically present in your
virtual engagements.
- This makes you more relaxed in dealing with people
online, with the pressures of real-world
communication removed completely.

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 The Disinhibited Self
4. Solipsistic Introjection (It’s all in the mind!)
- You unconsciously recite in your head both the
messages you send and those deployed your way.
- You imagine how the pitch or intonation would be if
spoken out loud. You think of your voice when you
read the messages.
- That’s why acquaintances are sometimes very
talkative to each other virtually but do not actually
speak let alone interact much in real life.
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 The Disinhibited Self
5. Dissociative Imagination (It’s all a play!)
- Faulty belief that online interaction is a game, and
whose rules you can easily break with no perceived
implications.
- You assume that your real-life identity and digital
avatar are separate entities, and that the cyberspace
is an outlet for escape.
- You sometimes resort to doing unspeakable things
you normally wouldn’t in real life.
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 The Disinhibited Self
6. Minimization of Status and Authority (Your rules
don’t work online)
- Internet, more than just providing users a
disinhibited space, levels the playing field, with no
one personality having unanimous clout over others.
- Take notice how complete nobodies suddenly have
the guts to engage influential people in arguments
on social media. Online people are perceived to be
equals.
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Thanks!
Any questions?

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