Binalonan, Pangasinan

MODULE 8: Material Aspect of Self

Name: __________________________________________________________
Course and Year: _________________________________________________
Contact Number/E -mail Address: _____________________________________
Date and Time Allotment: ___________________________________________

Introduction
Many people work to earn money not just to buy basic necessities like food, clothes, shelter, and the
like. They also spend money to buy material things that will bring them comfort, convenience, and pleasure.
Some people buy things to earn admiration, praise, and recognition from other people while some buy things to
represent their status in life. Many people perceive material things as the extension of their identities. The
attachment of human beings to material things is influenced by many factors in the environment and in the
present times, is greatly influenced by the media. Some people think that acquiring material things is the key to
improving their identity. They assume that their participation in the consumption of goods and services
represents their material self as this participation furnishes them a status and role in society.

I. Objectives
At the end of the end of this module, students should be able to:
1. Explain the aspect of material self.
2. Assess the role of consumer culture in your sense of self and identity; and
3. Differentiate between needs and wants.
II. Lectures
Material Self

The movie Confessions of a Shopaholic (2009) the story of Rebecca, a woman who is addicted to
shopping. She believes that the labels of the goods she purchases or the pieces of the clothing she wears
define her. Her life becomes miserable when she incurs a huge debt and begins hiding from the credit
collector. This affects her career and her relationship with her boyfriend and best friend. There is a science in
the movie when the credit collector looking for Rebecca asks, “Will the real Rebecca Bluewood please
standup?” The question raised somehow implies that a person’s real self can be taken over by another self
dictated by the desire to acquire material goods. From the movie also comes the statement “I shop, therefore I
am”, which means that one identifies with the material things one acquires. The concept of being fixated on
acquiring material things as a way to identify oneself is related to the concept of material self, introduced by
William James (1980). Material self is defined as the self that consists of the body, clothes, immediate family,
home, and other things one considers to be his or her own. According to James, people invest themselves in
their material possessions, thus feeling deeply connected to them. The more people invest themselves in their
possessions, the more attached they become.

Material possessions are objects of instinctive preferences that may or may be related with a person’s
most practical interests in life. Many people have the impulse to always keep check of their bodies and to deck
them with clothing fey find to be most suitable for them. An individual’s body is the primary component of his or
her material self. One has control over his or her body and how he or she would like to present it for others to
see. This includes the kind of clothes one prefers to wear, and what accessories and ornaments he or she
would like to put on. There are also instances when people opt to alter their physical features by getting
tattoos, piercings, and surgeries or other medical procedures.

Aside from the body and clothing, one’s immediate family is also part of one’s material self. One’s
family member can be seen as an extension of one’s identity because the members affect one’s actions and
disposition in the environment. Another component of one’s material self is one’s home – a space that one
considers as his or her own. It is also in one’s home that an individual’s material possessions can be seen,
from the different necessary fixtures to the tiniest details of decoration.

Aside from one’s body, clothes, family, and home, any other material thing that one considers to be his
or her possession composes material self. These material things serve as the extension of one’s identity that
influence how he or she is perceived by others.
The Consumer Culture on One’s Sense of Self and Identity

Through credit cards, people can now buy goods or avail of services even without cash or checks.
Credit cards have brough convenience, security, and comfort in the way people engage in the consumption of
goods and services in the society. However, the use of credit cards can also have disadvantages. There may
sometimes be hidden charges or unauthorized credit card transactions and frauds. These issues are always
easily resolved and have caused some to entirely avoid using credit cards.

Credit cards definitely changed consumer culture and its role on how individuals, as consumers,
function as part of the process of production and consumption. Many credit card holders find themselves
vulnerable to incurring too much debt. This is why a credit card holder must be responsible for knowing his or
her limits when purchasing goods and services via credit card. Consequently, credit cards may lessen one’s
opportunity to save money because one’s incoming income will be allotted for paying credit card debt.

Over the years, innovations and development in advertising further changed consumer culture.
Advertising is influential in shaping how and why people consume goods and services. It lets individuals relate
to particular goods and services in order to convince or compel them to purchase these. Advertisements in any
form, when viewed by an individual, further emphasizes his or her identity as a consumer with the ability to
avail of goods and services based on his or her financial capacity, preference, and practical interests/

Needs VS Wants

At an early age, one is already taught the difference between needs and wants. Need is something that
a person must have in order to live while Want is something that a person desires to but can live without.
Food, clothes, shelter, medicine, and many other things that are necessary for survival are needs while things
that are considered as luxuries are wants. Despite the difference, it should also be remembered that needs
and wants are relative to each individual. One person’s wants may be another person’s need.

As consumers, people have different buying behaviors. Some are considered to be impulsive buyers –
buying anything without giving much thought to what they buy and the consequences that may come later on.
Some may also reason that they are working hard in order to buy things. Other people work in order to ensure
that they have everything they need while others work in order to have both needs and wants. Other
consumers do not easily differentiate their needs and wants because they do not inculcate self-control in their
buying behavior. These are instances when some people spend more money on luxurious things in order to
keep up with the latest trends and end up living paycheck to paycheck, with no savings allotted for needs that
may arise in the future. This is why there is a need to balance needs from wants.

As a consumer, one should know what to prioritize that would benefit him or her in the long run. One
should also allocate part of his or her earnings for savings so that when important reasons to expend comes in
the future, one is ready. In spending money, one should avoid being impulsive and instead be practical and
prudent.

III. Activity

ACT 8.1

Watch the movie or look for a movie review for Confessions of a Shopaholic (2009). Afterwards, answer
the following questions.

1.) How will you describe the material self of the main character?

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2.) What is the climax of the story?
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3.) Based on the ending, what kind or sense of self is promoted by the film?

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ACT. 8.2

In what goods or services do you invest as components of your material self: body, clothing or
accessories, family, and home? Afterwards, reflect on the items you have wrote and ask yourself if it is a
NEED or WANT for you. Complete the table below.

Body Clothing/Accessories Family and Home

IV. Assessment

Explain the consumer culture on your sense of self. Write your INSIGHTS on the space provided below.

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Prepared by:

REZZIE P. MENSALVAS, CHRA

Submitted to:

RAYMOND N. CLARO, PhD.