ACTIVITY # 4: THE VERSUSES!

(50 points)

This section aims to assess your understanding of some of the topics covered in Week 4
through the activity below.
Instructions: Differentiate the following terms in the box in one sentence. Write your
answers in a clean sheet of paper. Take a photo and turn it in using Google Classroom
(GED 101 Class) and/or GED 101 group chat via FB (5 points each).

ME-SELF I-SELF

REAL SELF IDEAL SELF

MULTIPLE SELF UNIFIED SELF

TRUE SELF FALSE SELF

PROACTIVE SELF AGENTIC SELF

CHAPTER 5
THE SELF IN THE WESTERN AND
ORIENTAL/EASTERN THOUGHT
 Western and Oriental/Eastern Thought
Cultural differences and environment creates different perceptions
of the self. The most common distinction between people and
cultures is the Eastern-Western distinction. Eastern are known as
the Asian countries, and Western represents the Europe and Northen
America. It must be noted that countries who are geographically
closer to each other my share commonalities, but factors that may
create diffrences must be considered.
Individualistic versus Collective Self

Understanding individualism and collectivism

could help in the understanding of the cross-
cultural values of a person. Not every culture
is at one end or the other of the spectrum, but
the majority tend to favor one over the other in
everyday life.
 Individualistic versus Collective Self

NDIVIDUALISTIC SELF

• Individualism is not the idea that individuals should live like isolated
entity, nor the idea that they should never get or give help from
others, nor the idea that an individual never owes anything to other
people.
• Individualism is the idea that the fundamental unit of the human
species that thinks, lives, and acts toward goals is the individual. This
means that we can form our own independent judgments, act on our
own thoughts, and disagree with others.
• In general, people tend to distance themselves psychologically and
emotionally from each other. One may choose to join groups, but
group membership is not essential to one’s identity or success.
Individualist characteristics are often associated with men and people
in urban settings.
• Western cultures are known to be individualistic
 Individualistic versus Collective Self

• Collectivism is the idea that the fundamental unit of the human species
that thinks, lives, and acts toward goals is not the individual, but some
group. In different variants, this group may be the family, the city, the
economic class, the society, the nation, the race, or the whole human
species. The group exists as a super-organism separate from individuals:

• A group may make its own decisions, acts apart from the actions of
individuals, and has its own interests apart from those of the individuals
that compose it.

• Examples of the collectivist thinking is when our identity is in large part,

a function of our membership and role in a group, e.g., the family or
work team.
• Asian countries are known to be collective in
nature
COLLECTIVE SELF
The Social Construction of the Self in Western
Thought

• Self has been an area of interest by French and English philosophers, and evident in the ideas of
Greek philosophers like Socrates and Plato.

• Descartes in 17th century emphasized the self in his dictum “I think therefore I am” which claims
that cognitive basis of the person’s thoughts is proof for the existence of the self.

• Kant believed that the self is capable of actions that entitles it to have rights as an autonomous
agent.
• Here are some qualities imparted to the Western subjective self.

• Western self as analytic. Since analytic and inductive modes of thinking were prominent for
person in western cultures, to see objects as divisible combinations of yet smaller objects. Real
things are not only visualized but immaterial things like thoughts, ideas and memories would be
given emphasis.
• Western self as monotheistic. Monotheism can be known as the rigid consequence of the doctrine of
normal human being. It is like forcing the concentration of supernatural capabilities

• Western self as individualistic. The emphasis on individualism has direct and indirect effects on both the
presentation of self (in public ways) and the experience of the self (in private awareness).

• Western Self as materialistic and rationalistic. The western accentuation of rational, scientific approach to
reality has tended to define spiritual and immaterial phenomena as potentially superstitious and dangerous.
In any society, belief system is stratified and composed of a hierarchy of interrelated, causal-explanatory
models.
The Self as Embedded in Relationships and through
Spiritual Development in Confucian Thought

• Confucius was born in the period of the Zhou Dynasty in 551 BCE in
the state of Lu. He grew up poor although he was descended from
scholarly family.

• Confucius philosophy is known as humanistic social philosophy

which focusses on human beings and the society in general.

• Confucianism is centered on ren which can be manifested through

the li (propriety), xiao (filiality), and yi (rightness). For Confucius,
ren reflects the person’s own understanding of humanity. It is found
within each person and can be realized in one’s personal life and
relationship. Ren guides human actions that makes life worth living
which can be realized through li, xiao, and yi:
Confucius
• Li the propriety. Rules of propriety should be followed to guide human actions. These rules are the
customs, ceremonies, and traditions that forms the basis of li. According to Confucius, “to
master oneself and return to propriety is humanity” (Koller, 2007).

• Self mastery involves self development. Self mastery is characterized by self-control and the will
to redirect impulses to change these to socially accepted expression of human nature.

• Li conforms to the norms of humanity, thus one must fulfill their duties and responsibilities in this
five (5) relationships: father and son, ruler and subject, older and younger brothers, husband and
wife, friend and friend.

• Xiao the filiality. This is the virtue of reverence and respect for the family. Parents should be
revered for the life they and given. Children show respect to their parents by exerting efforts to
take care of themselves .
• Relationship that exist in the family reflect hoe the person relates to others in the community.
The family is the reflection of the person. How the person interacts socially and the values
they emulate can all be traced back to their family environment. This forms the bases of the
person’s moral and social virtues (Koller, 2007).

• Yi the rightness. The right way of behaving which is unconditional and absolute. Right is right,
and what is not right is wrong. Actions must be performed and carried out because they are
right actions. Confucius emphasized that actions should be performed because they are right
and not for selfish benefits that they provide.
 ACTIVITY#5:MYSELF:ANINDIVIDUALISTICORCOLLECTIVE?(20points)

This section aims to assess your understanding of some of the topics covered in Week 5
through the activity below.
Instructions: In a maximum of 300 words, write an essay with the title, My Self: an
Individualistic or Collective? Explain how you consider yourself as individualistic or
collective in nature. Write your answers in a clean sheet of paper. Take a photo and turn
it in using Google Classroom (GED 101 Class) GED 101 group chat via FB

Name:
Section:

My Self: an Individualistic or Collective?

 NOTHING
FOLLOWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!