These, I think, are the most common labels we use to identify people. There is nothing wrong with labels and labelling because they provide the world order and clarity; unless of course you are a postmodernist who believes otherwise. But, I will save my arguments for and against postmodernism for now.
During the period of classical antiquity, the period when Plato and Aristotle lived, the view was your status presupposes your existence. This means that when you are born into this world, you already carry with you a certain status. This is manifested in Plato’s writings, specifically, in the Republic and his “three divisions in an ideal society”: the guardians – philosopher kings or those who rule; the auxiliaries – warriors and the producers – artisans, craftsmen and the like. This then implies that you can never transcend your current station in life; if you are born as a producer, you will die as a producer. Your children will be producers; your children’s children will be producers and so on.
Fast forward to the modern period.
I have learned in my modern political thought class that modernity is a contextual rather than a temporal concept. We define modernity as a meta-narrative of progress that can be realized in history and the motor for realizing progress in history is reason understood as science. This basically means that progress is not just a shift from one form to another; progress in modernity means incessant stages of development and these are radical changes because we ourselves, the actors, CHANGE. History is not static; history is the movement from a lower to a higher form of civilization.
This then implies a change in the view of life. There are no fixed stations in life. Men can always do better. This view started during the Renaissance wherein there was a glorification of man and his achievements. Nothing impedes man to transcend himself.
And this just strengthened my belief that it is human nature to want to better off oneself. We evolve, we become better. We become more useful to society. We choose to progress; not regress.
Now, the
There is a big gap between the rich and the poor.
We probably heard this a million times before. They say that the rich become richer and richer everyday and the poor become poorer and poorer just the same.
I am from a middle class family and I have a different level of consciousness from the rich and the poor. We all have different patterns of socialization and orientation to different things. Each of us has a different set of values and principles passed on to us and they have a legitimate right to exist because they are a product of the past. This is the reason why society is very dynamic. Diversity makes this possible.
However, this also makes members of society in constant conflict with one another. I believe this emanates from the lack of respect for each other’s existence. Most of the time, this also clouds our judgment of people: BE IT THE RICH OR THE POOR.
IT IS HIGH TIME WE START JUDGING PEOPLE, NOT BASED FROM WHERE THEY COME FROM BUT FROM WHAT THEY BRING ON THE TABLE. IT IS HIGH TIME WE BECOME A BETTER JUDGE OF CHARACTER.
I observe one thing particularly fascinating about Filipinos: we love the underdog.
In Philippine reality shows, our love for the underdog is manifested to its full glory. The “one who needs it more” or the “more kawawa” always bags the top prize. Let me be clear that I am NOT implying that they do not deserve it. They do. However, there had been times that the “better off in life” contestant deserves the prize more but the prize goes to the “one who needs it more” instead.
MERITOCRACY OVER SYMPATHY.
We should be more objective and less subjective. We should appreciate the beauty of a meritocracy. People rise and fall based on how hard they work. If everything was relative and was based on subjectivity ALONE then, what is the essence of actually giving out rewards? We might as well give it on a silver platter to the person who claims that it needs it more than anyone else.
I have been watching Pinoy Big Brother Teen Edition Season Two lately. There is really a lot of wrong in that show. But, I watch it anyway. Seriously, come on.
The housemates are my number one problem.
There is this guy from Ateneo, Robi. He is more well-off than the others in the house. He is probably upper middle class. He is also a very intelligent and talented kid. And, for the past few weeks, he has been nominated to be booted out of the show. The drill of course is that the housemates are the ones who are going to nominate who should be out.
Here are some of the reasons why his housemates deem it necessary that he should be out:
- Kasi, mayaman na siya.
- May maganda siyang buhay sa labas ng bahay.
- Masyado siyang seryososa mga tasks.
- Responsable siya at natutunan niya na yun sa bahay.
Preposterous to the point of being outrageous!
Robi did nothing in the house but prove himself worthy. I am NOT portraying him as someone who is perfect. He also has his flaws. But, using the above as reasons for him to be booted out is just unacceptable.
The same goes for punishment.
NO ONE IS EXEMPTED FROM THE LAWS THAT GOVERN US.
IT IS HIGH TIME WE BECOME BETTER CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTRY.
Everyone, without question, must submit to the supremacy of the laws. Should we rather be in a STATE OF
Pay your taxes; the RIGHT AMOUNT OF TAXES. The rich have all the money at their disposal but they are the ones who do not pay their taxes. It is not like you are going to be poor of all a sudden. Come on!
Do not put the law in your own hands. We have institutions for that.
I do not buy the argument of people who commit crime saying that they did what they did because they had to; they had to because either that or their family is going to die. Again, we should stop using the “I am this kind of person” card. I am a fan of Machiavellian political thought but in this particular context, the END does NOT justify the means.
If there is one thing that holds true for everyone is that THERE IS GOOD AND BAD IN ALL OF US.
There are rich people who shove their richness down our throats. Elitista as they say. It is not wrong to be an ELITE but to be an ELITISTA is an altogether different thing.
There are also rich people who give to charity. But, I only appreciate the ones who do not publicize what they do. Charity with all the publicity is not charity at all. It is all pakitang tao. Let other people give you credit for what you do.
There are poor people who have so little already but still choose to share what they have to the ones poorer than them. That is impractical but it merits credit.
We can always be better people if we want to. The choice is entirely ours. We have to retain the good values and the good principles that we have. We should acknowledge the fact that in order for society to be less “disorderly”, we have to coexist with other people.
The universe does not revolve around on one person alone or one particular class.
We are all CITIZENS of the world. Acknowledge that.
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