CHAPTER II: UNPACKING THE SELF

A. THE PHYSICAL SELF

MODULE OVERVIEW

This module tackles on the Physical aspect of the Self. It presents the impact of the bodily parts on
the development of the physical self and its effect on body image and self-esteem. There is no
concrete definition as to who is beautiful, hence, every part of the world has its own concept of what
beauty is like a tattooed face, full-figure, long neck, or even a lotus feet.
This recent times, much of what people consider as beautiful is all because of the influence of
media, the glassy fair even-toned skin splashed on giant billboards, the washboard abs of men seen
on the pages of magazines and the long and slender frame of women on television commercials
become a basis of a beautiful physical self-nowadays.

MODULE LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. Identify and reflect on the different forces and institutions that impact the development of the
physical self.
2. Demonstrate critical and reflective thought in integrating the various aspects of self and
identity.
3. Understand the different cultural perspective about beauty.
4. Recognize the role of media on the understanding of beauty and self-esteem and its
influence on body image satisfaction.
5. Appreciate one’s physical beauty.

LEARNING CONTENTS

As globalization arises, we watch and celebrate with both awe and disappointment the many people
who are famous because of their body change and modifications. Fat people want to become slim,
white people bake under the sun to get a darker skin tone, not to mention LGBTs who even want to
change their inner organs such as famous celebrities like Caitlyn Jenner and Jazz Jennings. The
younger generation admire the courage of these people who are so brave to show who they really
are, but some lambaste their decisions.

Why do you think people would want to spend a great sum of money, go to a great length and
endure physical pain just to change a part of their physical self? Obviously, these people would want
to look better, so they adhere to what they believe is the standard of what is beautiful or handsome.
Through the efforts that they take, they believe that this will boost their self-esteem and increase
acceptance by other people.

THE SELF AS IMPACTED BY THE BODY

Physical Self refers to the body, this marvelous container and complex, finely tuned, machine with
which we interface with our environment and fellow beings. The Physical Self is the concrete
dimension, the tangible aspect of the person that can be directly observed and examined.

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The physical self is defined by the physical characteristics that are visible. These characteristics are
the defining traits and features of the body. Sex, height, weight, complexion, hair and facial features

are among the common, physical features identified when one is asked to describe another person.
One’s gender is first mentioned, whether one is a male or female, then he or she is described to be
either tall, short, or average in terms of height. A person can either be thin, fat or average and light,
dark, fair or anything in between in terms of complexion. One can have a brown, black or blonde
hair which can either be long, short , straight, curly, frizzy or he or she may even be bald. One’s
nose can either be flat or pointed; one’s eyes can be almond-shaped, hooded, deep-set, round,
downturned or chinky.

The physical aspect of the self does not include characteristics that are internal to the self-such as
kindness, generosity, loyalty, obedience and other similar qualities.

THE IMPACT OF CULTURE ON BODY IMAGE AND BEAUTY

When is a person considered beautiful? What is the socially accepted standard of beauty? Usually,
only the physical features such as the face and body figure are considered as the bases of beauty.

The cultural implications of beauty are prominent in every culture and have a strong influence on the
way men and women are perceived. Across the world, different cultural perceptions uphold an ideal
of beauty that is linked to sexual appeal and social status. The purpose of beauty is the feeling and
consequences from being beautiful. In ancient cultures, according to Julian Robinson, "the
enhancement and beautifying of the human form by various means appeared to be an inborn
human trait-an essential part of our genetic makeup and an expression of our psyche."

Both genders are aware of the societal need to embellish them, in order achieve something that is
closer to the ideal. People have endured some sort of process to beautify ourselves, and in each
culture the process varies. Robinson makes a valid point, that "human beauty is an expression of
this inventive and aesthetic nature, a reflection of our inner sprit, a biological imperative sculpted
into our soul by some seemingly godlike life force, about which we can do little except accept its
reality and validity."

THE CONCEPT OF BEAUTY IN DIFFERENT CULTURES

"Beauty is not one's own, but a reflection of one's culture."

Across the globe, few people have difficulty recognizing someone who is considered beautiful.
Beauty is often sought after, revered, and sometimes interpreted as a personal virtue. Standards of
beauty are usually social markers determining cultural status, social acceptance and suitability as a
mate. However, beauty remains an elusive notion. Scientists continue to study the biological and
anthropological factors behind physical attractiveness, while advertisers continue to employ ideals
of beauty to sell products. Countless people continue their quests to become or remain beautiful to
receive the benefits society offers for beauty. A physical aesthetic has remained constant over time
throughout the diverse cultures of the world. In this sense, beauty has been regarded as a reflection
of health, vitality, sexual allure and social appeal. Although the specifics of what makes someone
beautiful can differ across countries, cultures and communities, the concept of beauty has existed
for as long as there have been people.

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In the Philippines, we see our standard of beauty everywhere, in magazines, televisions and
billboard ads. Just as we have a unique cultural perception of beauty, so do other cultures and
peoples.

1. Face Tattoos

Tattooing the chin and lips of Māori women of New Zealand is

considered beautiful. Tattooing the chin and lips of Māori women of
New Zealand is considered beautiful. This tradition has been around for
centuries, and consists of patterns called Ta-Mako in black or dark blue
ink on the woman’s face. Ta-Mako tattoos are also a public declaration
of one’s membership in the Māori tribe. This tradition has been around
for centuries, and consists of patterns called Ta-Mako in black or dark
blue ink on the woman’s face. Ta-Mako tattoos are also a public
declaration of one’s membership in the Māori tribe.

2. Decorated Skin
Instead of accessorizing with extravagant jewelry, women in India turn to
nose rings, bindis and henna to make themselves more attractive for
festivals and celebrations, like weddings. Brides in particular will often wear
a dot of red powder on the face known as akumkum to look more beautiful.

3. Long Earlobes
To the Masai tribe of Kenya, long, stretched
earlobes are the ideal for both men and women. They are known to
shave their heads and use everything from elephant tusks to twigs to
pierce and stretch their lobes to become more attractive

4. Long Necks

Long, giraffe-like necks are the ultimate sign of beauty and female
elegance to the Kayan tribe. At 5 years old, Kayan women start priming
their necks with heavy brass rings. Each year, more coils are added,
pushing down their shoulders and creating the effect of a longer neck. The
rings in this centuries-old ritual can weigh up the 22 pounds.

5. Pale Skin
Women in many Asian countries avoid the sun at all costs simply
because pale skin is the ultimate sign of beauty and desirability.
Contrary to Western culture, where ladies are keen to get a tan
during the summer, tan is the least popular color – especially in

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Korea. This is why a lot of women can be spotted wearing hats with abnormally large visors that can
protect their entire faces from the sun.  Apart from covering their faces, Korean women cover their
bodies from head to toe, too – even in the hottest months, in order to keep their skin from tanning.
Skin-whitening creams are also a major hit in this country, and women tend to spend a great deal of
money on such skincare products that can result in an even paler complexion.

6. Full Figures

In Mauritania, females with full figures are considered

incredibly beautiful, and think women are considered
physically undesirable. Mauritanian parents will even send
their girls to “Fat camps,” where the girls would eat up to
16,000 calories a day to prepare for marriage. On top of
that, stretch marks are considered a bonus, and even more
beautiful.

7. Body Scars

Scarification of the body is a practice, specifically among

populations with dark skin too dark to show tattoos. The Karo tribe
of Ethiopia scar men and women’s torsos and chests to assert
social status. Men’s scars mark the number of enemies killed in
battles, while women’s scars represent sensuality and appeal.
Although less practiced today, some indigenous groups with little
contact with the modern world continue these kinds of beauty
rituals. 

8. Lip Plates
Suri people of Ethiopia find beauty represented in women’s lip
plates. When a girl reaches puberty, her bottom teeth are removed
to make way for a piercing in the lower lip. Once the piercing is in
place, the lip is stretched around a clay plate. When it is time to
find a husband, this lip plate guides the dowry process. Plates are
seen as both a sign of beauty and a measure of a woman’s value
in cattle. Larger plates signal a more valuable and desired woman.

9. Foot Binding
Despite being ban in the 1940’s, foot binding was a
huge part of Chinese culture. The process of foot
binding included breaking all of the toes and bending
them backwards against of the sole of the foot, and
then binding them in place with a tight fabric wrapping.
The result was small and petite feet which is considered

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highly attractive in China.

10. Monobrows

While Filipino women always want their brows to be on fleek by plucking

or shaving, the women of Tajikistan embrace their natural eyebrows, and
will even draw on them to make it appear that they have a monobrow. I
guess monobrows are in style in Tajikistan.

THE INFLUENCE OF MEDIA ON THE ADOLESCENT’S

UNDERSTANDING OF BEAUTY

Today's young people are bombarded by thousands of advertising messages a day. These come
not only via television and magazines but also websites, blogs, social media, music videos, films,
and even smartphones.
The way that people are portrayed in this advertising – both the words and the pictures – has a big
impact on the way adolescents view themselves and who they aspire to be.
The mass media play a critical role in people’s self‐image by informing and reflecting what people
consider to be beautiful or attractive. One of the ways in which they do so is through the common
use of very thin and attractive models in print and other media, often termed the ‘thin ideal’, which
communicate the way that people believe they should look in order to be attractive and desirable to
others. There are different aspects of appearance about which the media can convey beauty ideals,
including hair, skin, and facial features.
The media has increasingly become a platform that reinforces cultural beliefs and projects strong
views on how we should look, that we as individuals often unknowingly or knowingly validate and
perpetuate.

The more we look at perfect images of others and then look to find those same idealized
characteristics in ourselves and don’t find them, the worse we feel about ourselves. It’s a cycle that
breeds discontent. With such strong societal scrutiny, it’s easy to see how the focus on how we look
can slide into the dark side – negative body image. Body image is a multidimensional construct that
refers to one’s perception of and attitudes about the size and shape of one’s body. It has both a
perceptual component that refers to how we see our body size, shape, weight, physical

characteristics, performance, and movement, and an evaluative component, which refers to how
we feel about these attributes and how those feelings influence our behaviors. Body dissatisfaction
is experienced when one perceives that their body falls short of the societal ideal in terms of size
and/or shape, regardless of a person’s objective size or shape. In other words, body dissatisfaction
is influenced not only by how we interpret societal ideals, but by how we perceive ourselves.
Therefore, body dissatisfaction and perceptions of beauty are inextricably linked. Body
dissatisfaction is the number one risk factor for a number of unhealthy behaviors, including eating

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disorders and chronic dieting. 

BODY IMAGE AND SELF ESTEEM

Self-esteem is all about how much you feel you are worth — and how much you feel other people
value you. It is how you value and respect yourself as a person. Self-esteem affects how you take
care of yourself, emotionally, physically and spiritually.

Body image is how you view your physical self — including whether you feel you are attractive and
whether others like your looks. 

Body image and self-esteem directly influence one another. When you have healthy body image,
you feel comfortable about your body and know how to care for it.

Body image is an increasingly important topic in this day and age. Today’s society displays immense
pressures to be thin, fit, and beautiful. Images of waif-like models are splashed across television
and theater screens and in magazines, sending a message that success, happiness, and belonging
only come with unattainable beauty. The constant measures of thinness and beauty lead people to
scrutinize their own appearance as well as those around them, usually resulting in viewing their own
bodies harsher than reality.

How people view themselves, or their body image, can vastly affect their self-esteem, or overall
feeling of worth. According to Jung and Lee (2006), the lower or more negative one’s body image,
the lower his or her self-esteem. In addition, the more optimistically one feels about his or her
appearance, the more optimistically he or she will feel about him or herself overall.

An interesting component of body image is that studies show peoples’ image of their body is not a
reflection of their actual weight, but instead how they perceive their body as a whole It is this
perception of appearance that leads to their body image, and subsequently, their self-esteem. In
addition, there is often incongruence between one’s perceptions of his or her body and his or her
ideal figure. The greater the incongruence, the more likely a person is to have lower self-esteem.

Inapi, Binully, Nagparetoke. A tale of plastic surgery :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhlSovnc-Wk

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Here are a few other things that you can try to increase your self-esteem:

● Make a list of the stuff you’re good at. It can be anything from drawing or singing to playing a
sport or telling a good joke. If you’re having trouble with your list, ask your mom or dad to help
you with it. Then add a few things to the list that you’d like to be good at. Your mom or dad can
help you plan a way to work on those skills or talents.

● Give yourself three compliments every day. Don’t just say, “I’m so great.” Be specific about
something good about yourself, like, “I was a good friend to Jill today” or “I did better on that test
than I thought I would.” While you’re at it, before you go to bed every night, list three things in
your day that really made you happy or that you feel thankful for.

● Remember that your body is your own, no matter what shape, size, or color it is. If you are
worried about your weight or size, you can check with your doctor to make sure you’re healthy.
Remind yourself of things about your body that are cool, like, “My legs are strong and I can skate
really well.”

● Remember that there are things about yourself you can’t change. You should accept and
love these things — such as skin color and shoe size — because they are part of you.

● When you hear negative comments in your head, tell yourself to stop. Remind yourself of
things you’re good at and if you can’t think of anything, ask someone else! You can also learn a
new skill (for example, calligraphy, dance, a musical instrument) so you can feel good about that!

By focusing on the good things, you do and all your great qualities, you learn to love and accept
yourself — the main ingredients for strong self-esteem! Even if you’ve got room for improvement
(and who doesn’t?), knowing what you’re good at and that you’re valuable and special to the people
that care about you can really help you deal with growing up.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 1

Activity 1. Reflection

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Beautiful by Christina Aguilera
Don't look at me No matter what we do
Every day is so wonderful No matter what we say
Then suddenly it's hard to breathe. We're the song inside the tune
Now and then I get insecure Full of beautiful mistakes
From all the pain, I'm so ashamed. And everywhere we go
The sun will always shine
I am beautiful no matter what they say. And tomorrow we might wake on the other side
Words can't bring me down.
I am beautiful in every single way. We are beautiful no matter what they say
Yes, words can't bring me down... Oh no. Yes, words won't bring us down, no, no
So don't you bring me down today. We are beautiful in every single way
To all your friends you're delirious, Yes, words can't bring us down, oh, no
So consumed in all your doom. So don't you bring me down today
Trying hard to fill the emptiness. Oh, yeah, don't you bring me down today, yeah, ooh
The pieces gone, left the puzzle undone. Don't you bring me down ooh... today
is that the way it is?

You are beautiful no matter what they say

Words can't bring you down....oh no
You are beautiful in every single way
Yes, words can't bring you down, oh, no
So don't you bring me down today...

Reflect on the lyrics of the song and cite a line that has an impact to you and explain.

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LEARNING ACTIVITY 2

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Self-Esteem Sentence Completion

SUMMARY

Undeniably, our physical self is such a marvelous creation. It is one of the core aspects of who we
are as individuals. Having an in-depth understanding of the physical self will help us answer the
most difficult question, “Who Am I”. It is in fact that our physical appearance, our face and our body
shape greatly influence how we perceive others and ourselves. Every culture has its standard
metrics of beauty and the negative effects on people who cannot cope up with the metrics are very
alarming. It is vital for us to show appreciation of our own physical bodies by constantly respecting
and accepting our body image.

REFERENCES

Arcega, A., Cullar, D., Evangelista, L., Falculan, L. Understanding the Self. Mutya Publishing House, 2018.
Corpuz,R., Estoque R. Tabotabo, C. Understanding the Self. C & E Publishing, 2019.
Cuevo, FM, De Guzman, D., Larioque, R., Tapadera, M., Understanding the Self. St. Andrew Publishing, 2018
https://erietigertimes.com/1907/world/different-cultures-definitions-of-beauty/
http://www.drsunaina.com/blog/how-culture-influences-beauty/
http://roughdraft.eu/concept-beauty-different-cultures/