LA CARLOTA CITY COLLEGE

City of La Carlota
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Module in GE 1
(Understanding the Self)
First Semester, AY 2020-2021

Module 1 - The Self; Its Nature and Significance

Instruction: Read and analyze this case

Regine is ecstatic to be hired as a legal assistant in a local law office. The first two months
seemed a breeze as her tasks were basically her forte. She is really good in writing legal
documents and forms that is why she can accomplish daily tasks in no time at all. However on
her third month in office, her immediate supervisor assigned to her new tasks that involved
using Google Documents to which she is not acquainted to. When she was asked if she
needed assistance, she quickly replied that she could figure it out herself. Regine think that
everything can now be researched and sourced on the Internet. But a week has passed and
she cannot determine the procedures and instructions assigned her using this software. She
was disappointed about herself and has thought of quitting her job and finding another one
that she thinks will suit her skills.

Point to Ponder
How do you think does Regine view herself and her abilities as a worker and as a
person? Expound.

THE NATURE OF THE SELF

There are varied terminologies that can be considered synonymous with the ‘Self.’
It can be as diverse as ‘self-awareness’, consciousness’, ‘identity’, ‘self-esteem’, ‘self-
concept’, ‘ego’ and the like. But all of those terms and concepts direct us towards our ‘inner
being’ and our ‘soul’. It takes much intelligence and awareness to determine that there is a
being inside of us who experiences every undertaking that we have. The ‘self’ is thinking and
a feeling within ‘us,’ and within ‘ourselves.’ The self generally is the distinct identity which is
summation of the experiences of an individual. The self is related to the awareness and
consciousness of a rational being.

Our journey towards our life goals is a quest to determine what makes us happy,
contented fulfilled. Such requires a deep understanding of the ‘self’ towards the achievement
of self- determination. The essence of our humanity and the meaning of our existence
demand an appreciation of who we are as a person, as a member of the community and as a
member of larger institution of people. The same matters as this temporal life is geared
towards a certain meaning that all of us desire to understand in the process.
 OPEN BLIND SPOTS

Known by Both Unknown to You

Often, we struggle in our lifetime to search for our ‘identity’ and our ‘core being’. The
greatest challenge happens during the period of adolescence as we go through ‘surge of hormonal
imbalance’. The search for our true identity is a process of learning, re-learning and unlearning
the lessons that we acquire from the teachings of life. Discovering and re-discovering the self
becomes a complex procedure that we need to undergo to finally find our genuine ‘self’ and
individuality. This life learning is a continuous flux, an unending adventure onto the realms of life’s
complexities. Everything that we embrace in this learning experience is part of our meaningful
evolution.

The Johari Window: Getting to Know “The Self”

The Johari Window

KNOWN
TO OTHERS

UNKNOWN
TO OTHERS

Known by You Unknown by You

The Johari Windows model was develop in 1955 at the University of California Los Angeles
by Joseph Luft and Harrington Ingham who are both American psychologists. This model allows
participants to understand themselves well their corresponding relationship with the significant
others through the four quadrants determining traits relative to one’s self and other’s judgment.

Determining the Four Quadrants

The Arena These are the traits or descriptions that one sees in the self’ similar to that
perceived by the significant others. Example of this is ‘being outgoing and sociable’.
This is also known as ‘the public self’ as it is evident to the self and to others.
Façade These are traits that are known to the ‘self’ but not to the significant others. An
example includes ‘being emotional and sensitive despite being a man’. This quadrant is also
known to be the ‘hidden’ quadrant as it covers those that we desire not to expose to
others

Blind Spot This includes traits that the subject is unaware of but the significant others claim to
be possessed by the subject. This quadrant cover those that others perceive to
characterize the subject such as ‘being down to earth and soft-spoken’
Unknown This quadrant covers traits that both parties do not recognize and consider as
comprising the subject traits. This is a mystery that waits to unfold in the proper
time. Such ideally means that there is still much that needs to be discovered in the
‘self’ as we go through the process of discovering our unique identity.

It Pays to Read!
Who Am I ? Who Am I?
By Mel Schwartz L.C.S.W.
Psychology Today June 2, 2010

People who ask this sort of question typically struggling with Their identity and are
searching for a core sense of themselves. The irony is the more you seek to identify who are you,
the more fragile you are likely to feel about yourself. Our identity should be seen as an ongoing
process. Rather than a static snapshot, we should embrace the flowing sense of self, whereby we
are perpetually re
-framing, re-organizing, re-thinking and re-considering ourselves. How different would life be if
rather than asking who am I, we contemplated on how we’d like to engage life?
A sense of inadequacy often informs the question around “Who am I?” As people engage
the deepening complexity of understanding themselves, they would fare much better to devote
themselves to the unfolding process of life. You’d have to permit that new sense of self to flow
from your new experiences. Rather than remaining mired in fear, you’d need to summon up a sense
of wonder and adventure. There is a new sense of self waiting to be you. You get to re-craft
yourself along the way.
The universe purportedly exists in a state of flowing potential. And it is essential to
understand that we are indeed part of that universe. The goal then is to access that potential,
keeping the parts of our identity that continue to serve as well and shedding the old habitual pieces
that constrain us. This process is known as positive disintegration. This permit us to find balance
between the extremes previously discussed and enter into a relationship with self that commits to
our personal evolution.