Exploring the Connection Between Possessions and Identity
money can't buy
happiness
michael norton
”If You Think Money
Can't Buy Happiness,
You're Not Spending
it Right.”
"whoever said
money can't buy
happiness simply
didn't know where
to go shopping"
- bo derek
Unpack the self
examining all the different
facets of my self
(Ore wa Monkey D. Luffy)
(Kaizoku Ou Ni Ore Wa Naru Otoko Da)
Exploring the Connection Between Possessions and Identity
material girl
'Cause we are living
in a material world
And I am a material
girl
- madonna
We are living in a world of sale and
shopping spree.
Part of us wants to have that
product. What makes us want to
have those products are connected
with who we are. What we want to
have and already possess is related
to our self
"We regard our
possessions as
parts of ourselves.
We are what we
have and what we
possess."
- ruseel belk (1988)
Icebreaker Question: Take a look around you, and let me know,
"What possession or item holds the most sentimental value
for you? Why?"
- - 2 participants
"Understanding
the self can be
examined through
its different
components."
- william james
a feeling of being
excessively pleased
with oneself, often
accompanied by a
sense of superiority or
pride.
a feeling of
disappointment or
discontent with one's
abilities, achievements,
or qualities.
Sometimes we feel good about
ourselves, and other times we feel
not so good.
Some people think that these
feelings come from thinking
about the good or bad things
that might happen to us.
Sometimes we feel good about
ourselves, and other times we feel
not so good.
But there's also a general
feeling we have about
ourselves that doesn't depend
on what happens. am , b a gsak
g sak sa ex
i porket ba a o ko !’
‘D g pag ka t
na buon
the instinctual responses the various instinctive
and behaviors aimed at and conscious
ensuring personal safety, motivations such as
survival, and the seeking pleasure,
preservation of one's acquiring possessions,
physical and mental striving for social
integrity. recognition, and pursuing
personal goals.
The three categories:
1. BODY-RELATED DESIRES
2. RELATIONSHIP-RELATED
DESIRES
3. INNER GROWTH DESIRES
the aspect of our identity that
emerges through our interactions and
relationships with others, the part of
us that is influenced by what others
think of us and how we fit into the
larger social group.
the spiritual self is our deepest beliefs
and values about life's bigger questions
and our search for understanding and
fulfillment beyond the material world.
refers to the fundamental sense of
self or subjective consciousness that
underlies all our thoughts, experiences,
and perceptions.
It refers to the aspect of our self-identity that is
associated with our physical body, possessions, and
the external things that we consider a part of
ourselves.
It also involves our personal characteristics, physical
appearance, social status, and the objects we
possess.
“...sum total of all he call his, not only his
body psychic power but his clothes and
his house, his wife and children”
“…his ancestors and friends, his
reputation and works, his land, his yacht
and bank account, all these things give
him the same emotions.”
“…If they wax and prosper, he feels
triumphant; if they dwindle and die away, he william james
feels cast down – not necessarily in the same
degree for each thing, but in much the same
for all.”
Two subclasses
of the Material
Self
1. External Self
2. Extended Self
Innermost part of the material self
Intentionally, we are investing in our body.
We are directly attached to this
commodity that we cannot live without.
We strive hard to make sure that this
body functions well.
Any ailment directly affects us.
We do have certain
preferential attachment
or intimate closeness to
certain body parts
because of its value to
us.
There were people who got their certain body
parts insured.
Mariah Carey, Rihanna
Influenced by the “Philosophy of Dress” by Herman Lotze, William
James believed that clothing is an essential part of the material self.
“Any time we bring an object into the surface of our body, we invest
that object into the consciousness of our personal existence taking in
its contours to be our own and making it part of the self.”
-Lotze. Microcosmus
The style and the brand of
clothes becomes a symbolic
significance.
The fabric and style of the clothes
we wear bring sensations to the
body to which directly affect our
attitudes and behavior.
This material component of the self can
include books, bed, money, car, and other
things that a person can call his own
possession.
Clothing is a form of self-expression.
We choose and wear clothes that
reflect our self.
Immediate
Family
Parents and siblings hold an important
part of ourselves
What they do & become affects us
We place huge investment in our immediate family when we
see them as the nearest replica of ourselves
They are also the people that would shape and influence the
development of self identity.
It is the earliest Home is where our Our experiences The home thus is
nest of our heart is inside the home an extension of
selfhood were recorded and self, because in
marked on it, we can
particular parts directly connect
and things in our our self
home
The connection between investment of self and
attachment to possessions
Having investment of self to things, made us attached to those things. The more
investment of self-given to the particular thing, the more we identify ourselves to it.
Collecting and possessing items that become part of
our identity.
We also tended to collect and possess properties. The collections in different degrees of
investment of self, become part of the self.
“A man’s self is the sum of total of all what he CAN call his,
not only his body and his psychic powers, but his clothes
and his house, his wife and children, his ancestors and
friends, his reputation and works, his lands and horses, and
yacht and bank-account. All these things give him the same
emotions. If they wax and prosper, he feels triumphant; if
they dwindle and die away, he feels cast down.”
(William James, 1890)
Extended Self
The extended self refers to the "definition of self-created by
external objects with which one surrounds oneself" (Solomon
1994).
The extended self consists of self plus possessions and is that
part of self-identity which is defined by possessions including
gifts, money, body-parts, monuments, and places (Belk 1988).
Levels of extended self:
Individual level – inclusion of many personal possessions in self-
definition, e.g. cars, clothing, and so on.·
Family level – includes a consumer’s residence and its furnishings.
Community level – the neighborhood or town to which consumers
belong.
Group level – attachments to certain social groups can be
considered a part of self.
External objects become viewed as part of self when we are able to
exercise power or control over them, just as we might control an
arm or a leg. The greater the control we exercise, the more closely
allied with self the object should become. (McClelland - 1951).
"We regard our
possessions as part
of ourselves. We are
what we have and
what we possess."
- RUSSEL BELK
Th e identification of self with
possessions starts from infancy
We start to associate our
personal identity with the
objects we possess.
Th e identification of self with
possessions starts from infancy
What is the sense of self in
a consumer-driven society?
Does owning certain
things make us more
popular, successful,
or happy?
“Many people die at
twenty-five and
aren’t buried until
they’re 75.”
- benjamin franklin
Certain objects
hold special
meaning and
value even when
the person who
owned them is no
longer alive.
possessions serve as
tangible reminders of
their loved one's
presence, personality, and
experiences.
certain objects, such as
antique furniture, family
heirlooms, or treasured
possessions, can carry a
sense of history, tradition,
and lineage.
notable individuals who have
made significant contributions
to society, such as artists,
writers, or historical figures,
can hold immense cultural and
historical significance.
The enduring significance
of possessions after
someone's passing
highlights the role of
material culture in
shaping our
understanding of
individuals and their
lives.
