Forming the Self and Forming the Self and Collective ExpressionCollective Expression

Family and PlaceFamily and Place

• We all learn valuable lessons from We all learn valuable lessons from others and from life experiences, others and from life experiences, sometimes with pleasure and sometimes with pleasure and sometimes the hard way. sometimes the hard way. Beginning at an early age, these Beginning at an early age, these lessons form us from the inside lessons form us from the inside out. out.

• We watch others for signs of how We watch others for signs of how the sexes express themselves and the sexes express themselves and relate to one anotherrelate to one another

• We watch to see where someone We watch to see where someone our age fits into a familyour age fits into a family

• We learn the roles of family We learn the roles of family membersmembers

• We learn ‘how our family is’ We learn ‘how our family is’ relative to neighbors, friends, relative to neighbors, friends, others in the communityothers in the community

• We learn about the community We learn about the community and region we inhabitand region we inhabit

• We learn who are ‘people like us’ We learn who are ‘people like us’ (ex: hard-working Italian-American (ex: hard-working Italian-American Catholic Democrats who are good Catholic Democrats who are good cooks and reliable friends) cooks and reliable friends)

Learning ValuesLearning Values

• ValuesValues are beliefs held by a person or social are beliefs held by a person or social group in which there is an emotional group in which there is an emotional investment investment

• These are practical lessons with an underlying These are practical lessons with an underlying logic which is widely shared by your grouplogic which is widely shared by your group

• Often, how we look outside (the color of our Often, how we look outside (the color of our skin, how thin/fat or young/old or skin, how thin/fat or young/old or beautiful/ugly we are) is what people use to beautiful/ugly we are) is what people use to make judgements about us.make judgements about us.

Self-WorthSelf-Worth

• Tied to personal values and accomplishment in socially Tied to personal values and accomplishment in socially constructed rolesconstructed roles

• Also tied to approval---after all we are primates—so this is a Also tied to approval---after all we are primates—so this is a dialectical relationshipdialectical relationship

• People who love us tell us that superficial things don’t People who love us tell us that superficial things don’t matter, it’s “what’s inside that counts,” but rejection and matter, it’s “what’s inside that counts,” but rejection and ridicule (and the fear of it) still brings frustration, rage, ridicule (and the fear of it) still brings frustration, rage, sadness, and depression to many people and profoundly sadness, and depression to many people and profoundly modifies their behavior. modifies their behavior.

• It is easy to be hard on ourselves, because no one can live It is easy to be hard on ourselves, because no one can live up to both their own and others’ standards.up to both their own and others’ standards.

• Today the particularly invidious role of the media Today the particularly invidious role of the media (individuals, attitudes, values) in providing role models (individuals, attitudes, values) in providing role models contributes greatly to assessments of self-worthcontributes greatly to assessments of self-worth

StressStress

• Has always been a part of Has always been a part of human existence. human existence.

• In today’s world, stress shows In today’s world, stress shows up in even more forms. up in even more forms.

• Disease, mental illness, and Disease, mental illness, and self-abusive behaviors are self-abusive behaviors are positively correlated with positively correlated with stress. The manner in which stress. The manner in which people react to stress varies people react to stress varies culturally.culturally.

• Stress Kills (overdosing on Stress Kills (overdosing on adrenalin--‘fight or flight’ adrenalin--‘fight or flight’ chemical defense of the body--chemical defense of the body--has direct physical effects–has direct physical effects–heart attacks, even death as in heart attacks, even death as in voodoo)voodoo)

What do People do to What do People do to Reduce Stress and Feel Reduce Stress and Feel

Better about Themselves?Better about Themselves?• Social responses: seeking Social responses: seeking

out friends, volunteer work out friends, volunteer work • Economic responses: buy Economic responses: buy

something (“when the something (“when the going gets tough, the tough going gets tough, the tough go shopping”)go shopping”)

• Chemical responses: Chemical responses: physical activity, mind-physical activity, mind-altering substances (altering substances (Reefer Reefer MadnessMadness, , HookedHooked), eating, ), eating, fastingfasting

• Spiritual responses: religion, Spiritual responses: religion, other spiritual training (such other spiritual training (such as out-of-body experiences–as out-of-body experiences–the classroom example will the classroom example will be the Ghost Dance)be the Ghost Dance)

Our Consuming SocietyOur Consuming Society

• In our consumer-oriented In our consumer-oriented culture, we are easy prey to culture, we are easy prey to those who offer to make us those who offer to make us thinner, younger, and more thinner, younger, and more beautiful---to make us hip, beautiful---to make us hip, cool, phat.cool, phat.

• Addictive behavior: Addictive behavior: economic, social, sexual, economic, social, sexual, whatever---compromises whatever---compromises health and reinforces health and reinforces negative feelings about negative feelings about self.self.

• Food is an important means Food is an important means by which we partake in by which we partake in society–we society–we eateat culture. culture.

Food and IdentityFood and Identity

• One very important answer isOne very important answer is foodfood..

• Ethnic groups define Ethnic groups define themselves on the basis of themselves on the basis of shared history and culture; shared history and culture; cultural differences are most cultural differences are most often marked by characteristic often marked by characteristic foodsfoods

• How do the groups we belong How do the groups we belong to make us feel stronger and to make us feel stronger and happier?happier?

• Communal consumption (family Communal consumption (family feasts, church suppers, feasts, church suppers, executive lunches, funeral food, executive lunches, funeral food, etc)etc)

• Solo consumption (comfort Solo consumption (comfort food, often food that affects our food, often food that affects our bodies in particular ways, such bodies in particular ways, such as chocolate or starch)as chocolate or starch)

An Italian Dinner in the 1940s

Food Defines us in National Food Defines us in National and International Termsand International Terms

• Food as DiplomatFood as Diplomat• Food as Keeper or Destroyer Food as Keeper or Destroyer

of values of values ex: French cuisine’s position ex: French cuisine’s position among the world’s cuisines; among the world’s cuisines; French cuisine vs. Middle French cuisine vs. Middle Eastern cuisine in Eastern cuisine in contemporary France; US contemporary France; US McDonald’sMcDonald’s

• Food Fights and Food Wars Food Fights and Food Wars exs: US/European Union exs: US/European Union standoff over genetically standoff over genetically modified organisms (GMOs), modified organisms (GMOs), globalization and fast food, globalization and fast food, freedom friesfreedom fries