UNIT 2_SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE SELF

• biology do not define who you are because when you are born, society sees you as - barbarians, with no sense of self at all
• sociology - is scientific study of society including the pattern of social relationship on your attitude and behavior
• SOCIOLOGICAL VIEWS OF THE SELF

  1. The self as product of modern society
  2. The self as a necessary fiction
  3. Post modern view of the self
  4. The self as an artistic creation
• The self as product of modern society - According to Manhiem, author of sociological research and philosophy, modernization is the destruction of the self.
• The self as a necessary fiction - according to Nietzche, true or real self is only myth that does not have any continuous identity or social life.
• according to Friedrich Nietzche (1844-900) a german philosopher and culture critic. society influence experience and behavior.
• Necessary fiction - is belief that connot be proven but necessary to sustain in life
• Post modern view of the self - postmodernist argue that stable institutions in the ancient time such as families etc.. and other institutions do not have influence as how you perceive yourself.
• In post modern societies, globalization, media, and technology, also consumerism have more effective influence.
• identity for postmodernist called the digitalized self.
• Walter Truett Anderson (four terms postmodernist)

  • Multiphrenia
  • Protean
  • Decentered self
  • self in relation
• Multiphrenia - voices in different culture that tells who and what a person is. There is no authentic self but a multidimensional self.
• Protean - ”walang forever” because the self is capable of changing. The changes are manifestations that there is no true, stable self
• Decentered self - There is no self at all.
• self in relation - A person life is not lived of himself/herself but in relation to people and certain cultural context.
• The self as an artistic creation - according to giddens, a british sociologist and the author of the book modernity and identity, says you create and revise a set of biographical narratives of yourself for you to transform into a beautiful work of art.
• greek word idiot considered as mentally incompetent / non-social self
• according to George Herbert Mead - A social interaction is absent from early experience. You have no self. A person thought and experience are the product of interaction
• without language, communication die and without communication, no human interaction — symbolic interactionism
• according to mead , true self can be accomplished through a process called “role taking” you have to imagine in the position of other person with whom you interacting
• Main stage of development of the self in childhood

  • Language stage - develop communication through symbols
  • Play stage - role playing one’s self
  • Game stage - developing self awareness is adhering to rules and policies in the surrounding
• Two sides of the self

  • Me
  • I
• me - socialized aspect referred to as “generalized other” represent the behavior and attitude.
• I - represents identity based on your response to your “me”, express your individualistic creativity.