Ownership And Sense Of Self Essay

Through the ages, great thinkers and philosophers have often pondered pondered the relationship between ownership and sense of self. Some, such as Jean-Paul Sartre, believe that ownership, or possession of something, extends beyond the materialistic objects and delves into the concept of owning intangible objects as well. Other philosophers, such as Aristotle, describes that it is only the tangible objects that have an influence on the morals and identity of a person. However, I believe it is the the relationship between ownership and sense of self can be defined in the skills and knowledge, as well as materialistic, tangible objects, a person can attain that influences their identity.
In the novel Socrates Cafe by Christopher Phillips, Phillips
pushes people to move beyond general thinking into higher level thinking as they analyze and discuss various aspects of their lives and what they mean to them. This capability of critical thinking is what sets us apart from our fellow creatures in the animal kingdom in that we have the capacity to think about how we think. We are able to pick apart our minds and thoughts and have the self consciousness to discuss how we think one thing as opposed to another and why. It is only through this higher level thinking that we are able to truly consider: What is ownership? What is send of self? Are they related, and if so, how? The perception of oneself is influenced heavily by both the tangible and intangible materials they possess. In many cases, it is both the tangible and the intangible that define a person’s character, rather than just one or the other. For example, a wealthy man might think highly of himself due to his social status and by the multitude of his belongings. He might think the ideas in his head are more valuable than those of a poor person, or someone less educated or intellectual. On the other hand, a person with very little money or overall wealth will most likely look down on himself in disappointment because society would view him as a failure, simply because he does not have as many physical objects as someone else. In reality, a person’s sense of self can be influenced almost hugely in how society as a whole views them. One’s social status can directly influence the decisions they make and how they value different things, causing them to form this image of themselves that creates their identity. The rich man had many things, so he felt superior to others due to his social status, creating an arrogant or conceited sense of self. The poor man did not have much, and was frowned upon by society, creating an identity overcome by guilt and a sense of failure in himself. While a bit extreme, these examples encapsulate the notion of how tangible objects define one’s sense of self through the ownership of those objects.
Personally, I think it is the ownership of intangible things, such as knowledge, beliefs, experiences, or skills, that most heavily influence how a person views themselves.
For example, in my life, I have traveled around the country and around the world a great deal. These experiences have shaped my outlook in how I view the world and my behavior in how I handle with interactions among others of various cultures. These interactions have also been improved through my experiences in working a job in the food industry. Learning how to interact with customers has taught me how to handle different situations and respond accordingly in a manner that works best for myself and the other party. Likewise, my beliefs have also contributed greatly to my identity in the morales it has given me to view the world through. These morals that I possess influence nearly all my actions and behavior, which in turn influences my personality and identity. My ownership of my experiences have played a great role in shaping me to be the more well-rounded person I am today as well as my sense of self. My possession of the intangible, my education, beliefs, experiences, etc., all play a key role in defining my character and how I view myself, as well as how others view me in their interactions with
me.
Overall, it is the intangible as well as the tangible things we can own that shape who we are and how we view ourselves, our sense of self. It is through this ownership that our sense of self is influenced, defining who we are as people in our thoughts and actions.