5.

2 Sociology

5.2.1 The self as a product of modern society among other constructions

Modernization has significantly changed society, and this has affected how an individual
builds and develops his/her self - identity. Pre - modern society was centered on
survival. People behaved according to social rules and traditions while the family and
the immediate environment provided supervision on how to get through life. Choosing
where to live, what line of work to do, and even who to marry was very limited.

Modernization however, has improved people's living conditions. A person in the

modern society is free to choose where to live, what to do, and who to be with. However,
stability has also decreased as traditions and traditional support systems, such as the
family, have decreased in importance. In modern societies, individualism is dominant,
and developing one's self-identity 1s central. Key characteristics of modernity According
to Giddens, the most patent, major characteristics of modernity:

1. Industrialism - the social relations implied in the extensive use of material power
and machinery all in process of production;

2. Capitalism - a production system involving both competitive product markets

and the commodification (putting a price tag) of labor power.

3. Institution of surveillance - the massive increase of power and reach by

institutions, especially in government.

4. Dynamism - the most evident characteristic of a modern society. Dynamism is

characterized as having vigorous activity and progress. In a modern society, life is
not a predetermined path with limited options based on location, family or
gender, it is a society full of possibilities. Everything is subject to change, and
changes happen much more rapidly than ever before in human history.

Social groups and social network George Simmel expressed that people create social
networks by joining social groups.

Social network - refers to the ties or connections that link you to your social group.

Example: The connection you have with your family is blood relation.

The connection you have with your barkada is your friendship.

The connection you have with your classmates is the common interest to learn.
 A social group is either organic or rational. An organic group naturally occurring
and it is influenced by your family. This is usually formed in traditional societies
because there is little diversity in these communities. George Simmel stated that you
join these groups because your family is also a part of it, in the first place. He called it
organic motivation. Simmel noted that the positive effect of organic groups is
rootedness. This means the foundation of the social network runs deep, thus, giving the
person a sense of belongingness. The downside, however, is that organic groups imply
less freedom and greater social conformity. You re expected to act and behave according
to your community's standards.

Rational groups occur in modern societies. Modern societies are made up of

different people coming from different places. The family in modern societies is not the
main motivation when joining rational social groups. Rational groups are formed as a
matter of shared self - interest; moreover, people join these groups out of their own free
will. Simmel called this rational motivation. Rational group imply greater freedom,
especially the freedom of movement. Relationships based on self-interest are not as
embedded as organic relationships. Interests change and when they do, group members
change. The relationship between rational social networks is tenuous, and the person
feels no meaningful connection with

the others.

Mead and the Social Self

Have you ever watched someone do something? Of course, you have. Even as babies we
watch others, like mom or dad, do something. Why do we do that? It's how we learn. We
learn t do things; we learn what's safe and what's not. When we watch other people, we
leam a lot about ourselves. Moreover, when we watch others, we also come to
understand people. We understand way they behave the way they do; what identity they
claim; and what role they play in society.

On the other hand, while you get to know yourself and understand others by watching
people, how can you understand yourself? Can you “watch” yourself as
objectively as you do the others? This is the question that sociologist George Mead
explored.

George Herbert Mead was a sociologist from the late 1800s. He will be known for this
“theory of the Social Self’, Mead's work focused on how the “self” is developed. His
theory is based on the perspective that the self is a product of social interactions and
internalizing the extemal (i.e., other people's) views along with one’s personal view
about oneself. Mead believed the “self” id not present

at birth; rather it develops now over time through social expenences and activities.

Developing the self

Mead developed a concept that proposed different stages of self - development. These
stags are language, play, and game.

According to Mead, self - development and language are innately tied. Through shared
understanding of symbols, gestures, and sound, language gives the individual the
capacity to express himself or herself at the same time comprehending what the other
people are conveying. Language sets the stage for self-development.

The second stage for self-development is paly. At this level, individual role-play or
assume the perspective of others. Role - playing enables the person to internalize some
other people’s perspectives; hence, he/she develops an understanding of how the other
people feel about themselves (and about others, too) in a variety of situations.

The game stage is the level where the individual not only internalizes the other people’s
perspectives, he/she is also able to take into account societal rules and adheres to it.
According to Mead, the self is developed by understanding the rule, and one must abide
by it to win the game or be successful at an activity.
Two sides of self. “I” and “Me”

Mead sees the person as an active process, not just a mere reflection of society. He
further proposed two interactive facets of the self. the “I” and “Me”. The “me”

and the “I” have a didactic relationship, which is like a system of checks and balances.
According to Mead, “me” is the product of what the person has learned while interacting
with others and with the environment. Learned behaviors,

attitudes, and even expectations comprise the “me”. The “me” exercise social control
over the self. It sees to it that rules are not broken.

On the other hand, the “I” is that part of the self that is unsocialized and spontaneous. It
is the individual's response to the community's attitude toward the person. Th “I”
presents impulses and drives. It enables him/her to express individualism and
creativity. The “|” not blindly follow rules. it understands when to possibly bend or
stretch the rules that govern social interactions. It constructs a response based on what
has been learned by the “me.”