#selfandothers

[lacoske]

2022年

牛腸茂雄さんの写真を観ました。

『SELF AND OTHERS』

自己と他者

写真を見る時には、撮る人の存在も浮かぶものです。

スマートフォンとSNSが登場してから写真は、見せるために撮るようになり過ぎたと誰かが書いていました。

何を撮っとんねんっていう写真を今年はもっと撮りますね。

[jolya]

Identities

The following is a journal entry about the first module of the NSTP class dated September 9, 2019. The speaker, Miss Michelle Alcantara, talked about the self and others. Specifically, the self and its relation with others.

As we have been given free rein with how the entry is written (and because I would hate for it to be JUST an informative essay), I will be writing this entry (and most of my entries) with creative liberty.

Word count: 552 words

Identities have always been a hard concept to grasp. One can say, “This is my identity.” And yet not completely understand the whole extent of said identity. We try to learn it by understanding ourselves better but we may fail to include that to understand ourselves is to also understand our relationship with others.

“It starts with the self.” Ms. Alcantara had said.

Another way is to see it as how we view ourselves and how we relate that to others. Or better yet, how we view ourselves concerning others. We categorize ourselves with similarity and comfort. This breeds a level of closeness that is also achieved through the process of relating. With this, we can at least conceptualize our identity.

Of course, there are restrictions to this. What we don’t know about ourselves cannot be equated to others since it is an unknown trait or characteristic. We must also take into account our experiences. Because of these, there may be a change in our mindset. Which can also affect our relation to others. Each event in our life may cause us to change and this change can affect the levels of closeness we have already achieved.

To sum it up, the self, or how we view it, is related to others. Experiences may affect the way we relate to others which in turn can change how we view ourselves. Which changes the identity we have already established. Think of it as constantly evolving identities bred by experiences and relationships.

With this identity, we have a place in society. By living in a world where it’s inherent to label and define everything, having an identity means we are already classified to identity groups or subgroups. Where, unfortunately, some identities are not equal. This means that some are more favorable than others. Note that some identities we cannot change. Race is a very good example of this. Age, while constantly changing, is not something we can also change on a whim. Identities such as these have hierarchies, though some may not be as pronounced. This leads to oppression and discrimination.

What is wrong with hierarchy and identity discrimination? Aside from the fact that it disregards equality, hierarchical identities are advantageous to those who are at the top.

Another word for this? Privilege.

Privilege, as said before, is a product of identity discrimination and hierarchy. It is the unearned benefits given to those who are considered to be more favorable. Most of the time, some privileges are unacknowledged yet practiced daily. To say that someone has earned an honor in something because of hard work have underlying privileges. For example, a student coming from a well-earning family can comfortably study without worrying about other things. Compare this to a student who needs to work to pay for his own tuition instead of studying. The family we are born into is already an unspoken benefit/disadvantage we don’t acknowledge. Privilege comes with discrimination in terms that we see people without or with less privilege as us as lower. This ultimately affects our experiences and self-identities.

Everything comes in a full circle. The self is related to others. This forms an identity which in turn is classified into a hierarchy. This breeds oppression and discrimination that produces privilege. Privilege then affects our self and others.

[pulangkastilyo-blog]

Journal Entry #1 - Self and Others

kapwa • pron 

kindred, both, fellowbeings, equally (applied to one of a pair).

The term “kapwa” still lingers in my mind after using it as a basis for a concept about Sikolohiyang Pilipino to the courtyard plate we designed in Lagmay Hall in UP Diliman. This 9th of August 2019, I’ve encountered the word “kapwa” once again explained by Ms. Michelle Alcantara to a more understandable level. 

Everything starts off with our own identity and eventually makes its way to perceiving others, how they would fit in society, and how it affects the way they’d get treated. How one’s identity whether be it their sexuality, nationality, social status creates several privileges if you are under certain standards; it shouldn’t be like that but that’s how society has set their hierarchy on norms. 

Prejudices shouldn’t be happening to make someone or a group feel secluded from something. People should consider everyone’s identity and be sensitive about their feelings.

And with that, I end my entry with a song.

[henridelaposte]

#SelfandOthers 🚖 (at Jacuzzi Club)