BANANACUE
REPUBLIC
Vol I, No. 10
Nov 10, 2004
by Leoncio Olobia
PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY:
Philosophical Lessons in Life
The
philosophy of Existentialism has been my bible ever since I was a college
student. I remember my teacher who asked our class to write an essay about
the question "why" after going through different schools of
philosophical thought for the entire semester. I was bewildered by this
test that it took me about thirty minutes to divulge on something out of
nowhere. I ended up failing the exam because he meant to find the opposite
answer "why not". Everyone failed.
Jean Paul Sartre's existentialist thoughts can be so abstruse, but in
ordinary lingo it's basically about man's actions and responsibilities. In
his own words: life is nothing but what man makes of himself. Man is free
but must be responsible for his freedom. The meaninglessness of existence
is negated by our actions because without which, we are devoid of
anything. True enough because the essence of our existence is justified by
our thinking, for instance, separating us from the rest of the animal
kingdom.
A great message can be sent to our leaders who enjoy utmost freedom in
just about anything but the question about whether they are responsible or
not pose a threat. The outcry of the citizenry presents a disfigured
understanding.
I am saddened by today's events. With terrorism disrupting our lives, we
are no longer free. Our rights are curtailed by endless threats in the
airports, in crowded scenes, or in the subway in New York where I traveled
a lot for the last two months. Even in immigration lines, it is such a
hassle having to wait for so long because you are scrutinized to the last
detail of your body. You are a suspect in the strictest sense.
There is nothing wrong with tight security but not to be able to breathe
fresh air because you are being reduced to a mere specimen can be so
dehumanizing. Nothing is free these days. There is always a price you have
to pay for every action you take.
If you are a traveling person like me, it's advisable not to take a lot of
belongings with you, as you will only be delayed with all the procedures.
These immigration officers put a stamp on your visa whether you can enter
or not in a country you're visiting so you must be all patient, observing
proper decorum with a very respectable tone when answering a question. You
cannot be aggressive or you lose your stamp. That's how difficult it is
nowadays. Sometimes I just wish I'd be at home in Sampaguita, Tacloban
City, going about my daily routines at home and not having to worry about
anything.
Anybody
in power must realize the extent of his might. There is always limitations
in everything you do. A security guard cannot search you totally making
you feel totally naked or an immigration officer cannot dwell on minute
details about your personal life. The freedom we experience must not be
diminished by anyone who tries to decide our fate. We are free and
responsible enough to do things that have impact on other people.
Which brings me to the concept of doubting. The great philosopher Rene
Descartes explained that we should doubt everything in this world because
at the end of it is certainty. There is a lot of confusion and doubting in
our dealings with our lives. Again, because these immigration people doubt
everyone with the assumption that a culprit will eventually be found in
the end, they continue to dwell on the act oftentimes crossing that line.
How do we manage to act with all this mess? These are rules and procedures
we need to abide today. These are our responsibilities we cannot simply
ignore. We live in a complex society of doubting and uncertainties but our
freedom of life is still enjoyed. We just have to be more conscious of it
to become more responsible.
Posted 11/09/04. Send
your comment to bananacue_republic@yahoo.com
"In Jean Paul Sartre's own words, life is nothing but what man makes
of himself. Man is free but must be responsible for his freedom."