Gibberish

Gibberish                                                                                                                              March 26, 2009 12:50 am

I recently discovered that whatever truth there may be, it is first and foremost a story. A story that only my cynical self has dared to probe.  A story that has no substance but a mere opinion, hearsay, a futile train of thought.  A philosophy that is so common we ignore it even exists.  This is a story of the myriad irony in this thing called life.

First, let’s talk about the social aspects of inequality.  It has always bothered me why society has a form of stratification since time memorial.  In any culture, there is a universal hierarchy, a form of superior-subordinate relationship.  Not that I insinuate oligarchy because I do believe that abolishing the former will only make things worse in terms of social order and harmony but the thing is, for most of us it has become a reality that we just started to accept. The modern age equivalent of the white, male, tall and western man is the dominant culture in American society and in our own colonial mentality; we still adhere to the standards of Uncle Sam’s ideologies.  Well, enough of our being “indios” I think the little-brown Filipinos should start recognizing their own accomplishments without any more depending on the say of dignitaries in the “land of the free and brave.”

Here’s a related but not similar example. Why do certain Filipino athletes’, Filipino Pop-stars, Filipino geniuses who bring honor to the country need to be recognized abroad first before we recognize them in our own country.  Does international standard necessarily overtake national ones?  Or is it just but natural for us to take pride in foreign awards and recognitions instead of treating our own as the best ones? It doesn’t make sense.

Second, I really hate and at the same time wonder the hypocrisy and mediocrity of the Philippine Educational System. I’m referring actually to the whole educational idea per se.  Yet, I myself am a victim and a number one patron, so sue me, yes I qualify for mediocrity.  Criticism aside, I think that there is a form of serious imbalance in the way the system works. 

For one, how many professional graduates do we produce each year and how many among them get employed for the first 6 months.  I’m there, the demands are low and the supply is high but how about considering shifting focus from white collar jobs to blue collar jobs.  And who says that only graduates can have a higher chance of getting ahead out of life. I personally knew some, even in my age or my batch, who ventured into business (even starting with really small ones like cart-types) yet gradually it paid off.  Well, this is not just talking of measuring success or progress in terms of financial gain but more on the self-fulfillment of proving one’s worth.

Here’s a funny scenario we see at home.  When parents start verbalizing their dreams for their children, they usually start by giving them a good education so that when the students (their children) graduate, they can land a stable, well good and (let’s say) high-paying job.  Is becoming a mere employee of the government, or that multi-dollar, private company the end of the dream?  How come others are brought up to think that way? Wouldn’t any parent suggest or dream that their children be the proponent or visionary leader of something that is unimaginable.   I think the world would be a better place if we just transcend the accepted caliber of excellence.  And it will even be a lot better world if we start to apply or actually put into practice what has been so easily conceived in thought.

Another irony or dilemma that is so common in the actual educational curriculum is the absurdity of ideas or theories that we so readily absorb.  I often think about how many times I have dealt with the question “who ever invented this theory?”  Especially when the lazy self gets the better part of me, I stop and question the sensibility of learning a theory so rampantly abused or misused in the real-world politics.  It’s a vicious cycle and system that is just hard to break.  And who am I to suggest or even thought of creating a difference when I myself cannot be disciplined to deviate.  It’s all gibberish.  It’s all just classical and rhetoric.

Lastly, I wouldn’t want to cross this point but I will say it anyway.  I see a great deal of problems rooted in the belief that I will call (for this article) “the lie of trusting one’s life in faith but not supporting it with works.”  The Philippines is the only Christian country in Asia yet we see all forms of corruption and wickedness.  Of course by biblical standards, man has a fallen, selfish-nature and we inherited that very nature to sin but is this the end of the story.  Definitely not, because we are created with a free will and God’s perfect plan only materializes when we do our part and exercise that gift to choose.  Now I’m already sounding like a preacher here and not that I am an expert in morality or matters of the church but we know that we can always choose.  We choose to be righteous or we choose to do wrong. Wrong in the sense that it will not be for the common good.   In its basic premise, we harvest what we plant.  Life reverberates and actions have consequences.  Faith is not a mere abstract word we use by simply mentally saying we believe yet do nothing about the situation.  This explanation is stupid.  I know it does, it’s a very basic “you-know-already.”  Anyway, it’s so ironic and surprisingly generic that even in our day-to-day “bahala na” values it is being accounted to as faith.

Well, so much for my weary-wary thoughts, I think it’s time I get some sleep.  So here’s a goodnight for now. Oops, morning!!!