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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.
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