Thinkpiece no. 2
Q: What are the legacies of the Greeks?
The Greeks have contributed a lot to human civilization that they are often the topic of discussions and inquiries among scholars. Questions on how such a relative handful of people could make arts and literature, politics and other domains flourish are of great interest to those who are studying Ancient Western civilization.
It amazes me that such a group of people could produce good calibers of political thinkers, writers, dramatists, and artists. I have learned in class that such occurrence was made possible by the availability of services provided by the laborers. Fair enough, I guess. It is apparent that one could devote his or her time in practicing his or her field of interest if he is exempted in doing household chores.
It is unmistakable that the Greeks have left a lot of legacies for the enrichment of human life, both as an individual and as a member of a state. Among all their important contributions, I would have to say that democracy is the best gift they have delivered in this world. It would be adequate to call Athens the “birthplace of democracy” for it was successful in practicing the beliefs of a democratic state. Assemblies are often held to seek the interest of the public before the government makes a decision. What I deeply appreciate in the way they practice democracy, which is seemingly non-existent in the Philippine context, is that every citizen was eligible to attend the assemblies and they were also encouraged to speak up. Through this system, the voice of the people could really be heard and not only those of the ruling class.
Having an interest in literature, I consider the legacies of the Greeks in that field as valuable as their other counterparts. All Western literary forms, both prose and verse, were established and brought to a high degree of perfection by the Ancient Greeks. Their literature survived the catastrophes of late antiquity and made possible the rebirth of learning and appreciation of tradition and art. Greeks are often mentioned in the development of drama, tragedy and comedy. However, I feel that their mythology is of greater popularity. Greek mythology provides its readers with a mystifying adventure of what is deemed unreal in the present world. It is always fun to encounter characters whose divine powers is always coupled with human flaws and on the menacing side, their own creatures of the dark would always challenge one’s imagination.
The way they value education and the things derived out of this value could also be considered one of the legacies of the Greeks. Their flourishing ideas in politics, science, philosophy and the arts were also incorporated in the quality of education that they provided for the citizens especially the youth. I think that through the outstanding teachers tat they were blessed with like Plato and Aristotle, their system of education served as a good model to lay the foundation of one’s educational structure.
It is no doubt that the legacies the Greek has imparted to the humankind go beyond the knowledge they have contributed in science and medicine, the relevant political ideas and philosophies that transcend time, or the pieces of art and literature that they have created. The Greeks are also successful in showing how far a man could develop his potentials, provided that he has a good environment and passion and personal motivation. People of other lineage would be happy enough to derive inspiration from the lives of all the popular thinkers and artists that Greek civilization has produced.
Monday, June 27, 2005
Friday, June 17, 2005
Poverty and the Filipinos
THINKPIECE NO.1
Q: What is the most political, social or econmic issue/problem for you?
Poverty is still the biggest problem the Filipino people are facing these days. Poverty in this sense, is the continuous deterioration of the quality of life of the people, the problem of unemployment, and the unfair increase in prices of commodities while the laborer's salary remain inadequate. It is apparent that this economic problem is not new in the Philippine scenario. The Filipinos have always been confronted with different faces of poverty, and their optimistic nature often serves as a catalyst for them to endure such crisis. However, there are times that one's optimism is no longer enough to tolerate one's hunger and affliction. In this case, the people are becoming more critical with the way the government addresses the problems of the masses, which often leaves them with a feeling of disappointment and betrayal.
According to Pulse Asia's November 2002 Ulat ng Bayan Survey, the public responded that national economic re-covery, the great poverty of many Filipinos, the high prices of basic necessities and the low pay of workers are the most pressing economic problems of the country. Political and public safety concerns like peace in the country, government graft and corruption, widespread criminality and facing terrorism generally take a secondary position relative to the people's most urgent economic concerns. I am among them in believing that poverty is greatly felt in the daily lives of the Filipinos that its solution must be prioritized. However, any solution requires a definite course of action that would eradicate graft and corruption, a problem belonging to their secondary concerns. So with this, the government instead of dealing with the effects of poverty alone must dig deeper to the implicit causes of the problem. From what I am seeing right now, the government could only provide short-term remedy against poverty like cheaper goods sold in roaming vehicles which carries the name of the president, while targeting the causes that would bring a much longer effect on the lives of the people are often left out, intentionally or not. For instance, passing land reforms that would eventually distribute land ownership for our farmers would be more beneficial than a momentary watch on the prices of goods. Moreover, corruption has always been pointed out to be one of the causes why Filipinos never seem to get out of the rut of financial crisis. But the present administration seem to have poor actions against graft and corruption and at worst, the president and her close relatives are facing numerous scandals involving it.
It is very ironic that Filipino people are poor while in fact the Philippines are blessed with rich natural resources. The problem here lies in the distribution of these resources. Only a few could access the means that the Pearl of the Orient provide and in effect, these elite group of people monopolizes the wealth coming from our natural resources. Their control in our country is not limited in the economic aspect; they are also a dominant force in the political arena. Given this situation, vested personal interests are often associated with the government's decision making. Instead of being pro-poor, the government is passing bills that are considered burden to the people's lives. The bill pertaining to the VAT was easily passed while those concerning an increase in wage or salary would often undergo a slow paced process before it is granted.
Parallel to the paradox of poverty and the richness of our country in natural resources, is the absurdity that Filipinos are poor while we are basically considered to be talented and hardworking. As a result of the deteriorating quality of life of the people, education is often placed into second importance. It is conceivable that breadwinners would allot a bigger portion of one's salary for food and other necessary expenses like water and electricity. Because of this, education becomes more of a privilege rather than a right. The vast financial crisis is limiting the chances of the Filipinos to develop their potentials. Though possible, it would be harder for a Filipino to breakaway from all the limitations his economic status sets for him.
So what could be done to alleviate this pressing economic problem of the Filipinos? Honestly, I could not think of solutions that are not yet conceived by economists and other concerned people. The president have delivered her 10-point agenda last year. Her promises really are pleasant to the ear, however distrust still reigns on my mind. The government may present hundreds of poverty alleviation techniques but the most difficult part remains unpromising, the continual implementation of such methods.
Alleviating poverty in our country is a very arduous task. It would require a very long period of time before our economy could recover. Thus, it should not be of second priority to our government officials, for it is still the biggest burden affecting the lives of the Filipino people. Definite actions addressing poverty should start NOW.
Q: What is the most political, social or econmic issue/problem for you?
Poverty is still the biggest problem the Filipino people are facing these days. Poverty in this sense, is the continuous deterioration of the quality of life of the people, the problem of unemployment, and the unfair increase in prices of commodities while the laborer's salary remain inadequate. It is apparent that this economic problem is not new in the Philippine scenario. The Filipinos have always been confronted with different faces of poverty, and their optimistic nature often serves as a catalyst for them to endure such crisis. However, there are times that one's optimism is no longer enough to tolerate one's hunger and affliction. In this case, the people are becoming more critical with the way the government addresses the problems of the masses, which often leaves them with a feeling of disappointment and betrayal.
According to Pulse Asia's November 2002 Ulat ng Bayan Survey, the public responded that national economic re-covery, the great poverty of many Filipinos, the high prices of basic necessities and the low pay of workers are the most pressing economic problems of the country. Political and public safety concerns like peace in the country, government graft and corruption, widespread criminality and facing terrorism generally take a secondary position relative to the people's most urgent economic concerns. I am among them in believing that poverty is greatly felt in the daily lives of the Filipinos that its solution must be prioritized. However, any solution requires a definite course of action that would eradicate graft and corruption, a problem belonging to their secondary concerns. So with this, the government instead of dealing with the effects of poverty alone must dig deeper to the implicit causes of the problem. From what I am seeing right now, the government could only provide short-term remedy against poverty like cheaper goods sold in roaming vehicles which carries the name of the president, while targeting the causes that would bring a much longer effect on the lives of the people are often left out, intentionally or not. For instance, passing land reforms that would eventually distribute land ownership for our farmers would be more beneficial than a momentary watch on the prices of goods. Moreover, corruption has always been pointed out to be one of the causes why Filipinos never seem to get out of the rut of financial crisis. But the present administration seem to have poor actions against graft and corruption and at worst, the president and her close relatives are facing numerous scandals involving it.
It is very ironic that Filipino people are poor while in fact the Philippines are blessed with rich natural resources. The problem here lies in the distribution of these resources. Only a few could access the means that the Pearl of the Orient provide and in effect, these elite group of people monopolizes the wealth coming from our natural resources. Their control in our country is not limited in the economic aspect; they are also a dominant force in the political arena. Given this situation, vested personal interests are often associated with the government's decision making. Instead of being pro-poor, the government is passing bills that are considered burden to the people's lives. The bill pertaining to the VAT was easily passed while those concerning an increase in wage or salary would often undergo a slow paced process before it is granted.
Parallel to the paradox of poverty and the richness of our country in natural resources, is the absurdity that Filipinos are poor while we are basically considered to be talented and hardworking. As a result of the deteriorating quality of life of the people, education is often placed into second importance. It is conceivable that breadwinners would allot a bigger portion of one's salary for food and other necessary expenses like water and electricity. Because of this, education becomes more of a privilege rather than a right. The vast financial crisis is limiting the chances of the Filipinos to develop their potentials. Though possible, it would be harder for a Filipino to breakaway from all the limitations his economic status sets for him.
So what could be done to alleviate this pressing economic problem of the Filipinos? Honestly, I could not think of solutions that are not yet conceived by economists and other concerned people. The president have delivered her 10-point agenda last year. Her promises really are pleasant to the ear, however distrust still reigns on my mind. The government may present hundreds of poverty alleviation techniques but the most difficult part remains unpromising, the continual implementation of such methods.
Alleviating poverty in our country is a very arduous task. It would require a very long period of time before our economy could recover. Thus, it should not be of second priority to our government officials, for it is still the biggest burden affecting the lives of the Filipino people. Definite actions addressing poverty should start NOW.
Wednesday, June 15, 2005
Anyong Haseyo!
I really am enjoying my korean class. However, I couldn't deny that it is quite difficult to memorize the basic parts of a conversation. Well, i guess I should practice more everyday, hahaha..its like I'm talking to myself whenever I practice at home.
ok..thats all for now...
ok..thats all for now...
Unusual as it may seem....
Don't be surprised if you'll be seeing here several posts concerning political and other national issues, and things that are related to political philosophy and social science...
Those posts are my thinkpieces in Soc Sci2..
Well, if you really are interested in my opinion, feel free to read or even react.
Those posts are my thinkpieces in Soc Sci2..
Well, if you really are interested in my opinion, feel free to read or even react.
Monday, June 06, 2005
Classes starts tomorrow..
Yes, school would be opening again tomorrow, I'm not sure if I am excited. maybe..
A while ago, i was browsing the widely abused pages of friendster, and ..I came along his account..and now, I like him so much again..though I also came to realize how distant we are from each other; age, skills, and a lot more differences..
have u ever felt this way? U wish u were older and more mature? this is making me sick...
A while ago, i was browsing the widely abused pages of friendster, and ..I came along his account..and now, I like him so much again..though I also came to realize how distant we are from each other; age, skills, and a lot more differences..
have u ever felt this way? U wish u were older and more mature? this is making me sick...
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