Consumption as an Scenery for the ‘Forging of the Self’ in the Body and Health Categories: a Perspective from the Humanistic Existential Psychology

Abstract

This article raises a theoretical reflection upon the existential values in consumption as a social phenomenon. The existential-humanistic psychology was defined as a theoretical framework and the analysis was delimited towards the body and health, interesting categories for psychology, market, and advertisement. Qualitative research was used with a bibliographic review of hermeneutic kind. These categories allowed the use of notions such as “care of the self” and "forging of the self”, which are necessary for the orientation of men if he or she chooses to, towards a good life”. It was found as a binding theme line the limit as inherent to freedom and responsibility. The study finally allowed to comprehend that the “forging of the self” and “the care of the self” are framed under this exercise of limit, freedom, and responsibility. Even if within categories such as body and health men and women can dispose of practices for the “care of the self”, these are crossed by market dynamics orientating for a idealized, medicalized “body” and “health” and functional towards work and productivity, as well as hedonic pleasure experiences that enslaves him or her and not necessarily points towards a “forge of the self”.