I like spaghetti. It's easy to cook, tastes good even with minimal effort in making it, and its affordable. Tonight, I will be cooking spaghetti and will be eating it as we celebrate the coming of the New Year. Spaghetti for me symbolizes a myriad of things. I have actually created my own symbolism for my favorite food. The long, white noodles represent the hope for a happy and more prosperous life in the coming New Year, hopefully I will find an exciting and fulfilling job. The red sauce represents passion, passion to explore life and the mysteries it presents, the passion to pursue my dreams - to have a greater understanding of myself.
Lunes, Disyembre 31, 2012
Linggo, Disyembre 30, 2012
Teardrop in the Cheeks of Time
White and resplendent in the cheeks of time
Silent, confident, serene specks of marble jewels
Eternally waiting for love lost
Beckoning in its pool of sparkling waters.
Dainty and mellow in the cheeks of time
Symbol of unending love
Pulsating life, giving life
Reflecting life in its gardens of lush pulchritude.
Beauty and strength in the cheeks of time
Embracing the longing heart
Screaming solitude in a sea of cacophony
Touching the hands of destiny.
Comfort and peace in the cheeks of time
Swaying with the breeze of constant change
Let rest be covered on those who lay
And suckle them that kiss your lips
To bathe in love that teardrop in the cheeks of time.
Silent, confident, serene specks of marble jewels
Eternally waiting for love lost
Beckoning in its pool of sparkling waters.
Dainty and mellow in the cheeks of time
Symbol of unending love
Pulsating life, giving life
Reflecting life in its gardens of lush pulchritude.
Beauty and strength in the cheeks of time
Embracing the longing heart
Screaming solitude in a sea of cacophony
Touching the hands of destiny.
Comfort and peace in the cheeks of time
Swaying with the breeze of constant change
Let rest be covered on those who lay
And suckle them that kiss your lips
To bathe in love that teardrop in the cheeks of time.
Sabado, Disyembre 29, 2012
The Meaning of Life
Man has for centuries searched for the meaning of life, of existence and of the universe. Throughout man's history these overarching themes habitually come about and indeed, has had a pivotal role in the shaping of religion, philosophy, history, civilization and science.
The search for meaning is best exemplified in the earliest periods of man's history through religion. Religion gave an explanation, at a time of uncertainly and difficulty, of the workings of the universe. Religion gave man hope as it showed that there is a higher being more powerful, more knowledgeable, more overarching than man could ever be. In the harsh reality of daily existence, religion served to connect man to the manifold mysteries of the universe. This religion has not always been as organized as it seems today. However, such became the fundamental basis of the eventual codification of the deeply held beliefs and practices.
As time moved on, man came to observe the organization of the things around him. He became more intrigued, more mesmerized, more inquisitive. He made it his goal to learn more and to discover more the workings of the universe. And so came the eventual birth of philosophy, indeed, the word comes from the Greek philein (love) and sophia (wisdom). Philosophy then became an activity for wisdom sake. In other words, it was a search for meaning.
The history of man and his civilization clearly manifests the paramount role of religion and philosophy in his life. Entire civilizations rose around a religion and a philosophy. The raison d'etre of much if not all, of human civilizations was not just the mere agglutination of men for survival, it was also a journey into the mystical. That is why the Ancient Egyptians, Chinese, Mayans, Aztecs to name but a few build monuments, specifically pyramids, as a bridge to the afterlife.
The rise of Western Philosophy to its heights in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries failed to satisfy, undoubtedly, man's yearning for a coherent and encompassing understanding of the universe. And philosophy's inability to provide a more coherent and clearer picture of existence gave rise to the eventual dominance and preeminence of science, especially the hard sciences of biology, physics and astronomy, into the frontiers of man's unending quest for the search for life's meaning.
Science offered a more credible alternative than religion and philosophy because it was based on reality itself, on experimentation and on a rigorous standards of research and processes.
We are at an amazing and radical juncture in man's history as the power of science to ever more clearly explain life and its origin become ever more clear, albeit still incomplete and full of uncertainties, there, in its most perplexing revelations, science reveals, that the meaning of life is still undoubtedly, man's to make.
The search for meaning is best exemplified in the earliest periods of man's history through religion. Religion gave an explanation, at a time of uncertainly and difficulty, of the workings of the universe. Religion gave man hope as it showed that there is a higher being more powerful, more knowledgeable, more overarching than man could ever be. In the harsh reality of daily existence, religion served to connect man to the manifold mysteries of the universe. This religion has not always been as organized as it seems today. However, such became the fundamental basis of the eventual codification of the deeply held beliefs and practices.
As time moved on, man came to observe the organization of the things around him. He became more intrigued, more mesmerized, more inquisitive. He made it his goal to learn more and to discover more the workings of the universe. And so came the eventual birth of philosophy, indeed, the word comes from the Greek philein (love) and sophia (wisdom). Philosophy then became an activity for wisdom sake. In other words, it was a search for meaning.
The history of man and his civilization clearly manifests the paramount role of religion and philosophy in his life. Entire civilizations rose around a religion and a philosophy. The raison d'etre of much if not all, of human civilizations was not just the mere agglutination of men for survival, it was also a journey into the mystical. That is why the Ancient Egyptians, Chinese, Mayans, Aztecs to name but a few build monuments, specifically pyramids, as a bridge to the afterlife.
The rise of Western Philosophy to its heights in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries failed to satisfy, undoubtedly, man's yearning for a coherent and encompassing understanding of the universe. And philosophy's inability to provide a more coherent and clearer picture of existence gave rise to the eventual dominance and preeminence of science, especially the hard sciences of biology, physics and astronomy, into the frontiers of man's unending quest for the search for life's meaning.
Science offered a more credible alternative than religion and philosophy because it was based on reality itself, on experimentation and on a rigorous standards of research and processes.
We are at an amazing and radical juncture in man's history as the power of science to ever more clearly explain life and its origin become ever more clear, albeit still incomplete and full of uncertainties, there, in its most perplexing revelations, science reveals, that the meaning of life is still undoubtedly, man's to make.
Huwebes, Disyembre 27, 2012
MOVIE REVIEW: The Tall Man
What seemed at first to be another psycho-thriller-slasher movie breaks one's preconceived notions of what entertainment can mean when you are watching it in the wee hours of a typhoon hounded morning. Nothing can seem more gripping, heart-pounding and teeth grinding than watching The Tall Man slowly unravel my paradigm of what a typical out-of-hollywood movie production can deliver, at least in the realm of gruesome nothingness thrown about in the field of the story, for the sake of the need to deliver gruesomeness. Instead, the viewer is faced with profound socio-economic-moral questions about responsibility, social justice, parenthood, dignity, right and conscience.
Julia Denning aspired to bring new life, a better life, to those children unlucky enough to be born into a life of deprivation, hopelessness and want. A pretend-life she led, indeed, sacrificing her own husband's and herself from living a normal life as a couple. The pervasive incidence of missing children in Cold Rock, British Columbia was for most seemingly senseless and brutal, an insult to an already grim life punctuated by poverty and hopelessness.
Julia's facade will eventually be taken down, and she held her own, sacrificing the truth, and in the process, ensuring her own inevitable confinement behind the walls of the prison, to secure forever the life she believes, and her organizations believes, the children deserve. Jenny Weaver, born to suffering, eventually unearths the enigma of the Tall Man and pleads Julia to be introduced to him. After Julia's imprisonment, Jenny was eventually taken by the Tall Man. The movie ends with Jenny, now with her "third mother", secure and seemingly content with her life. However, being older than the other kids taken, there is that nagging question lurking at the back of her mind, did she do the right thing? Jenny invites the viewers to answer her queries, but in fact, invites them to an even deeper question - do children have the right to be born to a secure life?
Julia Denning aspired to bring new life, a better life, to those children unlucky enough to be born into a life of deprivation, hopelessness and want. A pretend-life she led, indeed, sacrificing her own husband's and herself from living a normal life as a couple. The pervasive incidence of missing children in Cold Rock, British Columbia was for most seemingly senseless and brutal, an insult to an already grim life punctuated by poverty and hopelessness.
Julia's facade will eventually be taken down, and she held her own, sacrificing the truth, and in the process, ensuring her own inevitable confinement behind the walls of the prison, to secure forever the life she believes, and her organizations believes, the children deserve. Jenny Weaver, born to suffering, eventually unearths the enigma of the Tall Man and pleads Julia to be introduced to him. After Julia's imprisonment, Jenny was eventually taken by the Tall Man. The movie ends with Jenny, now with her "third mother", secure and seemingly content with her life. However, being older than the other kids taken, there is that nagging question lurking at the back of her mind, did she do the right thing? Jenny invites the viewers to answer her queries, but in fact, invites them to an even deeper question - do children have the right to be born to a secure life?
Miyerkules, Nobyembre 14, 2012
It's judgment day in Criminal Law
Tomorrow we will learn our fate as to whether we passed or failed in Criminal Law I. The wait is killing me and I might not be able to sleep tonight ahhhhh!
Lunes, Nobyembre 12, 2012
TV SHOW REVIEW: The Walking Dead S03E05
What an exciting episode! After last weeks shocking finale, what with the death of T-bone and Lori, the stress and strain of the entire ordeal seems to be finally catching up with Rick, who seems to be be finally losing his grip. This is entirely understandable, he did not have a good last encounter with Lori, and although there is in me something that tells me Laurie may still be around, not necessarily of the human kind though.
Carl will definitely emerge as the leader of the Pack. Andrea will regret her decision to stay behind. The Governor is keeping the people in Woodbury only because he wants to find a cure for Penny, his daughter. Michonne will probably be back to rescue Andrea. And mmm, the new member of the group will most probably be named Sofia.
Carl will definitely emerge as the leader of the Pack. Andrea will regret her decision to stay behind. The Governor is keeping the people in Woodbury only because he wants to find a cure for Penny, his daughter. Michonne will probably be back to rescue Andrea. And mmm, the new member of the group will most probably be named Sofia.
Linggo, Nobyembre 11, 2012
Is man free?
On a speech last October 29, 2012 at the Bon Mot Book Club, which I was privy to watch on Youtube, Sam Harris argued that free will is an illusion, man is not really free as he is governed by uncontrollable variables like chemicals, genes, upbringing and life experiences.
According to Sam Harris, there is no evidence for free will. He cited for example the case for serial killers, whose behavior to kill people is basically beyond their control as they are determined by their genes. They have the so-called "sociopathic soul." And they really have no choice but to kill people as it is programmed in their genes that they will be so. Harris cited as an example Charles Whitman who in 1966 killed his wife and mother plus 13 other people at the University of Texas and wounding 33 others. An autopsy later revealed that a glioblastoma was pressing upon his amygdala, the seat of passions and emotions. Harris cited the case of Whitman as a clear example that free will is an illusion, since Whitman's actions were controlled by the tumor. Whitman's suicide letter also revealed that he could not understand his actions lately, admitting that he was a reasonably intelligent person but has recently been consumed by irrational thoughts that he could not understand.
Brain science is a complicated endeavor and it is frankly, like the other sciences, a continuing saga into the unknown. However, to suggest that all who have tumors in the brain are somehow driven to kill is simply preposterous. There have been serial killers who have no brain tumor, although science tells us that there is a particular physiologic characteristics of the serial killer brain - still, much research has still to be done with regards to the matter. Indeed, there could be a possibility that even those who have never killed their entire lives might share a physiologic brain similarity with serial killers.
Harris also said we cannot control our thoughts as they just appear in our consciousness. He further asserts that we cannot control our thoughts until we become aware of them - so hence the absence of free will. He says: "Thoughts just emerge in consciousness... and if you become aware only of your thoughts until they arrive at you, where is freedom of will?"
Our thoughts are complex interactions of chemical processes, I give to that. It is true that we cannot always control what we think, but some Buddhist monks and yogi practitioners apparently can control their body temperatures. Also, thoughts are mental processes that are affected not only by the present, by chemical processes currently undergoing in the brain, but also memories and external conditions. There are some people who have remarkable powers of concentration that they can block other stimuli to focus only on a singular thought. We can also decide to think only about certain things, topics and persons - and some people, like Buddhist monks and Hindu Sadhu's (Hindu holy men), can actually sustain doing nothing but meditating over years.
He adds, "You cannot honestly take credit for you unconscious mental life." I agree, we cannot take credit for the unconscious mental life, it is something we cannot control in most respects, as they are one side of the human psyche, but constant reflection, meditation and even analysis on them will enable us to control how we respond to things that trigger them to the conscious.
Harris also says: "You have voices in your head that says things... it says things that are completely unconstrained at times...." This true, the human mind is a veritable forest of mysteries. Thoughts just pop in and out, most we cannot control, but that is part of the human experience, we cannot control the internal processes of our body as if it were the case, man as a creature will become extinct. Harris cited for example the production of RBC's as being beyond the conscious control of man. That is part of the evolutionary cycle, if breathing for example is dependent upon memory, the mental toll of constantly remembering it would be a strain on the evolutionary viability of man. Just as animals of the lower kind do not consciously control their breathing cycles - although during hibernating animals can condition the body to lower heart rate and metabolic processes, they do so unconsciously.
Free will is part of the human experience simply because Man can choose to be who he wants to be, how he wants to be. If we go back to the existentialist philosophers of the 20th century like Jean-Paul Sartre, man is free because he is "thrown" into the world and he has no choice but to choose.
While it is true that hormones and chemical processes affects the thinking processes of man and that the physiologic integrity of the different cellular structures of the body determines man's thinking processes, in the end, Man still has the ultimate power to succumb to such inclinations or not.
Charles Whitman might have been affected by the tumor pressing on his amygdala, but not alll who have brain tumors become serial killers, just as most serial killers have no brain tumors. It is also to be noted that many people who do have brain tumors turn up to leave normal, fulfilling lives.
Man is an interplay of not just chemical, biological, genetic and environmental factors, all of which exert on man's thoughts and on his ability to discern. He has free will because he can choose to believe he is free - that is its mystery.
According to Sam Harris, there is no evidence for free will. He cited for example the case for serial killers, whose behavior to kill people is basically beyond their control as they are determined by their genes. They have the so-called "sociopathic soul." And they really have no choice but to kill people as it is programmed in their genes that they will be so. Harris cited as an example Charles Whitman who in 1966 killed his wife and mother plus 13 other people at the University of Texas and wounding 33 others. An autopsy later revealed that a glioblastoma was pressing upon his amygdala, the seat of passions and emotions. Harris cited the case of Whitman as a clear example that free will is an illusion, since Whitman's actions were controlled by the tumor. Whitman's suicide letter also revealed that he could not understand his actions lately, admitting that he was a reasonably intelligent person but has recently been consumed by irrational thoughts that he could not understand.
Brain science is a complicated endeavor and it is frankly, like the other sciences, a continuing saga into the unknown. However, to suggest that all who have tumors in the brain are somehow driven to kill is simply preposterous. There have been serial killers who have no brain tumor, although science tells us that there is a particular physiologic characteristics of the serial killer brain - still, much research has still to be done with regards to the matter. Indeed, there could be a possibility that even those who have never killed their entire lives might share a physiologic brain similarity with serial killers.
Harris also said we cannot control our thoughts as they just appear in our consciousness. He further asserts that we cannot control our thoughts until we become aware of them - so hence the absence of free will. He says: "Thoughts just emerge in consciousness... and if you become aware only of your thoughts until they arrive at you, where is freedom of will?"
Our thoughts are complex interactions of chemical processes, I give to that. It is true that we cannot always control what we think, but some Buddhist monks and yogi practitioners apparently can control their body temperatures. Also, thoughts are mental processes that are affected not only by the present, by chemical processes currently undergoing in the brain, but also memories and external conditions. There are some people who have remarkable powers of concentration that they can block other stimuli to focus only on a singular thought. We can also decide to think only about certain things, topics and persons - and some people, like Buddhist monks and Hindu Sadhu's (Hindu holy men), can actually sustain doing nothing but meditating over years.
He adds, "You cannot honestly take credit for you unconscious mental life." I agree, we cannot take credit for the unconscious mental life, it is something we cannot control in most respects, as they are one side of the human psyche, but constant reflection, meditation and even analysis on them will enable us to control how we respond to things that trigger them to the conscious.
Harris also says: "You have voices in your head that says things... it says things that are completely unconstrained at times...." This true, the human mind is a veritable forest of mysteries. Thoughts just pop in and out, most we cannot control, but that is part of the human experience, we cannot control the internal processes of our body as if it were the case, man as a creature will become extinct. Harris cited for example the production of RBC's as being beyond the conscious control of man. That is part of the evolutionary cycle, if breathing for example is dependent upon memory, the mental toll of constantly remembering it would be a strain on the evolutionary viability of man. Just as animals of the lower kind do not consciously control their breathing cycles - although during hibernating animals can condition the body to lower heart rate and metabolic processes, they do so unconsciously.
Free will is part of the human experience simply because Man can choose to be who he wants to be, how he wants to be. If we go back to the existentialist philosophers of the 20th century like Jean-Paul Sartre, man is free because he is "thrown" into the world and he has no choice but to choose.
While it is true that hormones and chemical processes affects the thinking processes of man and that the physiologic integrity of the different cellular structures of the body determines man's thinking processes, in the end, Man still has the ultimate power to succumb to such inclinations or not.
Charles Whitman might have been affected by the tumor pressing on his amygdala, but not alll who have brain tumors become serial killers, just as most serial killers have no brain tumors. It is also to be noted that many people who do have brain tumors turn up to leave normal, fulfilling lives.
Man is an interplay of not just chemical, biological, genetic and environmental factors, all of which exert on man's thoughts and on his ability to discern. He has free will because he can choose to believe he is free - that is its mystery.
Sabado, Nobyembre 10, 2012
Beggar Diplomacy of the Philippines
Newly re-elected U.S. President Barack Obama will be embarking on a Southeast Asian Tour come Nov. 17-20, 2012 and already Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez was lamenting the fact that the Philippines will not be part of Obama's itinerary. Rep. Rodriguez, in an article published in inquirer.net, also added that the visit to the country would have been a positive signal for Obama's support for the Philippines in its dispute with China over the Scarborough Shoal.
This reaction of Rep. Rodriguez is just a clear manifestation of the country's perpetual unhealthy dependence on America, which has never really given much thought as to how the Philippines will actually do in foreign affairs. Our political leaders continued beggar diplomacy from armaments to everything else speaks of our still strong colonial mentality that has effectively made the Philippines a gnat in international affairs - constantly rediculed for its policies and never respected in its endeavours.
It is time the Filipino people rise up to the realities of the 21st century and elect political leaders who have a sense of nationalism and patriotism, who hold a strong vision for a Philippines that is strong, independent, progressive and free, a country who respects individual rights, provides opportunities for its citizens to grow and prosper and most of all, who inspires the populace to believe in themselves.
This reaction of Rep. Rodriguez is just a clear manifestation of the country's perpetual unhealthy dependence on America, which has never really given much thought as to how the Philippines will actually do in foreign affairs. Our political leaders continued beggar diplomacy from armaments to everything else speaks of our still strong colonial mentality that has effectively made the Philippines a gnat in international affairs - constantly rediculed for its policies and never respected in its endeavours.
It is time the Filipino people rise up to the realities of the 21st century and elect political leaders who have a sense of nationalism and patriotism, who hold a strong vision for a Philippines that is strong, independent, progressive and free, a country who respects individual rights, provides opportunities for its citizens to grow and prosper and most of all, who inspires the populace to believe in themselves.
Biyernes, Nobyembre 9, 2012
Why RA 10175 Should Be Abrogated
There has been a lot of brouhaha regarding the introduction of RA 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012. Indeed, the law was crafted so fast, I doubt if there was even any meaningful consultation with various groups such as the internet community, human rights groups, netizens through various social media sites, NGO's and the like. It is no surprising therefore that even before it became effective last October 3, 2012, the online community in the Philippines was aghast with its patently obvious censoring implications. No less than seven petitions were filed in the Philippine Supreme Court to have the law declared unconstitutional or suspended. Within a few days after it became effective, the Supreme Court issued a 160-day restraining order suspending its implementation. Presumably, according to various media pundits, to give time to the usually rubber stamp congress to make the "necessary" changes.
Sa aking opinyon, ang batas na ito ay hindi lamang dapat ma-suspendi, ito ay dapat itakwil dahil ang mga probisyon nito ay hindi lamang labag sa mga itinatakdang karapatang nakalaan sa Saligang-batas ng 1987, kundi maaaring gamitin bilang isang instrumento para mapatahimik ang malayang talastasan ng mga ideya at opinyon. Puno ng mga butas ang batas na ito na walang dudang magbibigay ng pagkakataon para sa mga makapangyarihang tao sa Pilipinas para masiguro na ang mga magpapahayag ng mga opinyong hindi sang-ayon sa kanilang mga posisyon ay kanilang masasakal. Ito ay hindi lamang labag sa mga karapatang nakatalaga sa Bill of Rights ng saligang-batas ng 1987.
There are many objectionable provisions of RA 10175 and I will deal extensively with only some of them which, as a regular internet user, could affect the free and unfettered flow of information through the internet. The free flow of information is critical in a functioning democracy as it serves as a check and balance against the abuse and misuse of public power and ensures that the reigns of government do not become the absolute domain of our political dynasties - a sorry feature of Philippine democracy.
Let me begin.
Section 4 (3) (c) (1) "Cybersex - The willful engagement, maintenance, control, or operation, directly or indirectly, of any lascivious exhibition of sexual organs or sexual activity, with the aid of a computer system, for favor or consideration."
OBJECTION: In statutory construction, there is a principle called verba legis. This principle essentially means the "plain-meaning rule." That is, the words in a statute should be interpreted in its simplest possible meaning. When there is no ambiguity, the provision of law should be taken to mean what it says it means.
Using the verba legis principle, it is clear from the provisions of Sec. 4 (3)(c)(1) that if I willfully make a sex video alone or with someone, I am technically criminally liable under said provision. The last phrase in said provision somewhat qualifies the offense as that which is "for favor or consideration." The phrase "for favor or consideration" is open for interpretation, does that only refer to sexual videos done for money? What is the nits and bounds of the terms "favor or consideration"?
Indeed, in the milieu in which we are now, the increased technicalization and computerization of almost all facets and aspects of contemporary life suggests that favors or considerations go beyond the mere exhange of money. It could include recognition, which in the internet world, at the right circumstances, can eventually become monetized. Example, if a blogger attaches a sexually explicit video of himself on his blog, there is almost always a high likelihood that traffic to such blog will increase, the resulting increase in traffic, if sustained over a period of weeks and months, will attract attention, some of which will be from advertisers, who will most likely offer to pay considerable amounts of money to advertise in such blog. Although there might be no initial intent to gain favor or consideration, the subsequent ad offers might be too good to pass. And so if such blogger then accepts such offers, under the provisions of aforesaid law, he will now be subject to the definition outlined in Sec. 4 (3)(c)(1). This is plainly the state interfering in the personal and private activity of an individual. This seemingly innocuous event can open windows to the religious right (of which there are many in the Philippines - think the Catholic Church, chameleonic politicos) to also call for the regulation of internet activity to control so-called "immoral" pictures, videos, stories and the like.
Kung makikita natin, sa isang probisyon pa lamang ay delikado na ang lagay ng kalayaang magpahayag ng sariling mga saloobin at opinyon ang sambayanang Filipino. Ang probisyong ito pa lang ay sapat na para sakalin ng mga makapangyarihan, mapera, at maimpluwensiya ang kalayaang maglimbag. Sa probisyong ito, mayuyurakan ang malayang pagdaloy ng impormasyon, ideya at katotohanan, higit sa lahat, mahihigpitan din ang sagradong karapatang maibahagi at maipahayag ang sarili.
Section 5 (a) "Aiding or abetting in the Commission of Cybercrime - Any person who willfully abets or aids in the commission of any of the offenses enumerated in this Act shall be held liable."
OBJECTION: This provision is a death knell to the social media experience. With the extensive popularity of Facebook in the Philippines, many Filipinos could technically become criminals. How will this affect free expression in the social media world?
First and foremost, if someone "LIKES" something on Facebook, he could potentially be an accessory to the crime simply because, as Sec. 5 (a) stipulates, he is already "willfully abetting or aiding in the commission of the crime." HOW? Because as everyone who uses Facebook knows, when someone clicks a "Like" button on Facebook, such activity is immediately reflected in the "Newsfeed" portion located on the upper right corner of the Facebook page of ALL friends of the one making the click (of course, depending on how the privacy settings of the users' account is set-up, the number of persons who will be privy to such information will vary), if that friend in turn clicks the "Like" button on said posting, it will appear on such friends' friends "Newsfeed" and so on and so forth. In short, you will spread the information. Isn't that abetting or aiding already? And if it is, then all those who clicked on the post will be held liable as by definition, they have already abetted and aided in the commission of the crime by spreading such information.
Sa madaling salita, hindi totoo ang palabas ng ilang mga abogado at tagapagtanggol ng RA 10175 na ang mga may-akda lamang ng mga "libelous comments" ang posibleng mapanagot. Iginigiit din ng mga nasabing tao na ang simpleng pag-like ng isang komento sa Facebook ay hindi "libelous" basta hindi sila ang nagsulat nito.
Makikita natin sa ayos ng mga salita sa Sec. 5 (a) na hindi ito totoo. Sa katunayan, simple, klaro at walang kadudaduda ang mga salita sa nasabing probisyon, ang sinumang tumulong sa paggawa ng Cybercrime ay mananagot. Kung mag-like ka sa isang post sa Facebook, alam nating ito ay umaabot sa mas marami pang tao, at dahil ito ay umaabot sa mas maraming tao, mas marami ang makakaalam sa nasabing post, at kapag nag-like naman ang mga taong ito, mas dadami pa ang makakaalam nito dahil makikita ito sa mga "Newsfeed" ng kanilang mga kaibigan sa Facebook. Hindi ba abetting and aiding na ito?
Section 5 (b) "Attempt in the Commission of Cybercrime - Any person who willfully attempts to commit any of the offenses enumerated in this Act shall be held liable."
OBJECTION: RA 10175 curiously does not really define what the scope of the word "attempt." Since under the provisions of RA 10175 Sec. 6 and 7 clearly indicates that aforesaid statute uses the RPC as a supplemental law, it is reasonable to assume, under the principle of in pari materia, that the two laws should be construed to support each other. Hence, the definition of "attempt" in RA 10175 must be the same as those defined under Art. 6 of the Revised Penal Code of the Philippines, in which an attempted felony is one in which: (1) The offender commences the commission of the felony directly by overt acts; (2) The offender does not perform all the acts of execution which should produce the felony; and (3) The non-performance of all acts of execution was due to a cause or accident other than the offender's own spontaneous desistance.
The conundrum therefore arises, using the example explained in Sec. 4, if there is such a thing as "attempted" in the realm of social media. Again, the example in the preceding section will be used, if one clicks "Like" on Facebook, as stated previously, such information is displayed in real-time on the "Newsfeed" of the account holders list of friends, the number of which will depend on the privacy settings, of those who are currently on-line. If however, one decides to "Unlike" said post, will it still be considered attempted? In such a scenario, those who are on-line when the "Like" button was clicked will have then seen such activity. However, those who are not online when such click was done will not be able to see them. In other words therefore, as defined in the provisions of Art. 6 of the RPC, is there really an "attempt" as contemplated by said provision when it comes to the social media experience? Indeed, when one clicks "Like" on Facebook, all acts of execution are already committed, even if you subsequently "Unlike" it later on, since those who are on-line when the "Like" button was clicked will have potentially seen it. Only those who were not on-line when said click was made will not be able to see such activity.
There is therefore a need to further scrutinize if there is really such a thing as "attempt," at least in the social media experience. Indeed, in the world of the internet, once something is posted on the web, it stays on the web forever, and so therefore how can an "attempt" be truly an attempt when applied to the social media experience.
Makikita natin na ang RA 10175 ay salat sa mga mahahalagang bagay na dapat pagtuunan ng pansin. Makikita na ang batas na ito ay hindi masyadong napag-aralan, napag-isipan at napag-usapan. Maraming mga kwestionableng probisyong naitala na mayroong malalim na implikasyon sa mga mahahalagang karapatang pantao ng bawat Filipino.
RA 10175 should not just be amended, as there are still many provisions which should be radically changed that the law itself becomes skelotonized as to render it essentially useless, it should be rejected, declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court as it violates Art. 3, Sec. 4 of the Bill of Rights of the 1987 Constitution which states: "No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, of expression, or of the press..." and trashed to the dustbins of history as where it so rightfully belongs. It has no place in modern society, much less in a milieu that is increasingly information dependent, technically complex and socially more expressive of their rights.
Sa aking opinyon, ang batas na ito ay hindi lamang dapat ma-suspendi, ito ay dapat itakwil dahil ang mga probisyon nito ay hindi lamang labag sa mga itinatakdang karapatang nakalaan sa Saligang-batas ng 1987, kundi maaaring gamitin bilang isang instrumento para mapatahimik ang malayang talastasan ng mga ideya at opinyon. Puno ng mga butas ang batas na ito na walang dudang magbibigay ng pagkakataon para sa mga makapangyarihang tao sa Pilipinas para masiguro na ang mga magpapahayag ng mga opinyong hindi sang-ayon sa kanilang mga posisyon ay kanilang masasakal. Ito ay hindi lamang labag sa mga karapatang nakatalaga sa Bill of Rights ng saligang-batas ng 1987.
There are many objectionable provisions of RA 10175 and I will deal extensively with only some of them which, as a regular internet user, could affect the free and unfettered flow of information through the internet. The free flow of information is critical in a functioning democracy as it serves as a check and balance against the abuse and misuse of public power and ensures that the reigns of government do not become the absolute domain of our political dynasties - a sorry feature of Philippine democracy.
Let me begin.
Section 4 (3) (c) (1) "Cybersex - The willful engagement, maintenance, control, or operation, directly or indirectly, of any lascivious exhibition of sexual organs or sexual activity, with the aid of a computer system, for favor or consideration."
OBJECTION: In statutory construction, there is a principle called verba legis. This principle essentially means the "plain-meaning rule." That is, the words in a statute should be interpreted in its simplest possible meaning. When there is no ambiguity, the provision of law should be taken to mean what it says it means.
Using the verba legis principle, it is clear from the provisions of Sec. 4 (3)(c)(1) that if I willfully make a sex video alone or with someone, I am technically criminally liable under said provision. The last phrase in said provision somewhat qualifies the offense as that which is "for favor or consideration." The phrase "for favor or consideration" is open for interpretation, does that only refer to sexual videos done for money? What is the nits and bounds of the terms "favor or consideration"?
Indeed, in the milieu in which we are now, the increased technicalization and computerization of almost all facets and aspects of contemporary life suggests that favors or considerations go beyond the mere exhange of money. It could include recognition, which in the internet world, at the right circumstances, can eventually become monetized. Example, if a blogger attaches a sexually explicit video of himself on his blog, there is almost always a high likelihood that traffic to such blog will increase, the resulting increase in traffic, if sustained over a period of weeks and months, will attract attention, some of which will be from advertisers, who will most likely offer to pay considerable amounts of money to advertise in such blog. Although there might be no initial intent to gain favor or consideration, the subsequent ad offers might be too good to pass. And so if such blogger then accepts such offers, under the provisions of aforesaid law, he will now be subject to the definition outlined in Sec. 4 (3)(c)(1). This is plainly the state interfering in the personal and private activity of an individual. This seemingly innocuous event can open windows to the religious right (of which there are many in the Philippines - think the Catholic Church, chameleonic politicos) to also call for the regulation of internet activity to control so-called "immoral" pictures, videos, stories and the like.
Kung makikita natin, sa isang probisyon pa lamang ay delikado na ang lagay ng kalayaang magpahayag ng sariling mga saloobin at opinyon ang sambayanang Filipino. Ang probisyong ito pa lang ay sapat na para sakalin ng mga makapangyarihan, mapera, at maimpluwensiya ang kalayaang maglimbag. Sa probisyong ito, mayuyurakan ang malayang pagdaloy ng impormasyon, ideya at katotohanan, higit sa lahat, mahihigpitan din ang sagradong karapatang maibahagi at maipahayag ang sarili.
Section 5 (a) "Aiding or abetting in the Commission of Cybercrime - Any person who willfully abets or aids in the commission of any of the offenses enumerated in this Act shall be held liable."
OBJECTION: This provision is a death knell to the social media experience. With the extensive popularity of Facebook in the Philippines, many Filipinos could technically become criminals. How will this affect free expression in the social media world?
First and foremost, if someone "LIKES" something on Facebook, he could potentially be an accessory to the crime simply because, as Sec. 5 (a) stipulates, he is already "willfully abetting or aiding in the commission of the crime." HOW? Because as everyone who uses Facebook knows, when someone clicks a "Like" button on Facebook, such activity is immediately reflected in the "Newsfeed" portion located on the upper right corner of the Facebook page of ALL friends of the one making the click (of course, depending on how the privacy settings of the users' account is set-up, the number of persons who will be privy to such information will vary), if that friend in turn clicks the "Like" button on said posting, it will appear on such friends' friends "Newsfeed" and so on and so forth. In short, you will spread the information. Isn't that abetting or aiding already? And if it is, then all those who clicked on the post will be held liable as by definition, they have already abetted and aided in the commission of the crime by spreading such information.
Sa madaling salita, hindi totoo ang palabas ng ilang mga abogado at tagapagtanggol ng RA 10175 na ang mga may-akda lamang ng mga "libelous comments" ang posibleng mapanagot. Iginigiit din ng mga nasabing tao na ang simpleng pag-like ng isang komento sa Facebook ay hindi "libelous" basta hindi sila ang nagsulat nito.
Makikita natin sa ayos ng mga salita sa Sec. 5 (a) na hindi ito totoo. Sa katunayan, simple, klaro at walang kadudaduda ang mga salita sa nasabing probisyon, ang sinumang tumulong sa paggawa ng Cybercrime ay mananagot. Kung mag-like ka sa isang post sa Facebook, alam nating ito ay umaabot sa mas marami pang tao, at dahil ito ay umaabot sa mas maraming tao, mas marami ang makakaalam sa nasabing post, at kapag nag-like naman ang mga taong ito, mas dadami pa ang makakaalam nito dahil makikita ito sa mga "Newsfeed" ng kanilang mga kaibigan sa Facebook. Hindi ba abetting and aiding na ito?
Section 5 (b) "Attempt in the Commission of Cybercrime - Any person who willfully attempts to commit any of the offenses enumerated in this Act shall be held liable."
OBJECTION: RA 10175 curiously does not really define what the scope of the word "attempt." Since under the provisions of RA 10175 Sec. 6 and 7 clearly indicates that aforesaid statute uses the RPC as a supplemental law, it is reasonable to assume, under the principle of in pari materia, that the two laws should be construed to support each other. Hence, the definition of "attempt" in RA 10175 must be the same as those defined under Art. 6 of the Revised Penal Code of the Philippines, in which an attempted felony is one in which: (1) The offender commences the commission of the felony directly by overt acts; (2) The offender does not perform all the acts of execution which should produce the felony; and (3) The non-performance of all acts of execution was due to a cause or accident other than the offender's own spontaneous desistance.
The conundrum therefore arises, using the example explained in Sec. 4, if there is such a thing as "attempted" in the realm of social media. Again, the example in the preceding section will be used, if one clicks "Like" on Facebook, as stated previously, such information is displayed in real-time on the "Newsfeed" of the account holders list of friends, the number of which will depend on the privacy settings, of those who are currently on-line. If however, one decides to "Unlike" said post, will it still be considered attempted? In such a scenario, those who are on-line when the "Like" button was clicked will have then seen such activity. However, those who are not online when such click was done will not be able to see them. In other words therefore, as defined in the provisions of Art. 6 of the RPC, is there really an "attempt" as contemplated by said provision when it comes to the social media experience? Indeed, when one clicks "Like" on Facebook, all acts of execution are already committed, even if you subsequently "Unlike" it later on, since those who are on-line when the "Like" button was clicked will have potentially seen it. Only those who were not on-line when said click was made will not be able to see such activity.
There is therefore a need to further scrutinize if there is really such a thing as "attempt," at least in the social media experience. Indeed, in the world of the internet, once something is posted on the web, it stays on the web forever, and so therefore how can an "attempt" be truly an attempt when applied to the social media experience.
Section 6. "All crimes defined and
penalized by the Revised Penal Code, as amended, and special laws, if committed
by, through and with the use of information and communications technologies
shall be covered by the relevant provisions of this Act. Provided,
That the penalty to be imposed shall be one (1) degree higher than that
provided for by the Revised Penal Code, as amended, and special laws, as the
case may be."
Section 7. "Liability under
Other Laws. – A prosecution under this Act shall be without prejudice to
any liability for violation of any provision of the Revised Penal Code, as amended,
or special laws."
OBJECTION: RA 10175 as manifested by Sec. 6 is clearly interlinked with the RPC. This is even more clear by the provisions of Sec. 7 of RA 10175. Sec. 7 of RA 10175 is very disturbing in the sense that in one line, it actually allows DOUBLE JEOPARDY to be committed. This is a clear violation of the provisions of Art. 3, Sec. 21of the 1987 Constitution which states: "No person shall be twice put in jeopardy of punishment for the same offense. If an act is punished by a law and an ordinance, conviction or acquittal under either shall constitute a bar to another prosecution for the same act."
It is however clear from Sec. 7 of RA 10175, that a person who may be charged for libel who uses both print and the internet can be LEGALLY, however unconstitutionally, be prosecuted for the same offense, to wit: "...prosecution under this Act shall be without prejudice to
any liability for violation of any provision of the Revised Penal Code, as amended,
or special laws."
Makikita natin na ang RA 10175 ay salat sa mga mahahalagang bagay na dapat pagtuunan ng pansin. Makikita na ang batas na ito ay hindi masyadong napag-aralan, napag-isipan at napag-usapan. Maraming mga kwestionableng probisyong naitala na mayroong malalim na implikasyon sa mga mahahalagang karapatang pantao ng bawat Filipino.
RA 10175 should not just be amended, as there are still many provisions which should be radically changed that the law itself becomes skelotonized as to render it essentially useless, it should be rejected, declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court as it violates Art. 3, Sec. 4 of the Bill of Rights of the 1987 Constitution which states: "No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, of expression, or of the press..." and trashed to the dustbins of history as where it so rightfully belongs. It has no place in modern society, much less in a milieu that is increasingly information dependent, technically complex and socially more expressive of their rights.
Huwebes, Nobyembre 8, 2012
Secularizing Philippine Society: The RH Bill and why Philippine Society Needs It
I am getting tired and nauseous with the Catholic Church's constant interference in the secular affairs and concerns of the Philippines. The latest being the Church's rabid opposition to the passage of a crucial, life saving and socially-necessary piece of legislation - the Reproductive Health Bill.
The Church opposes it for the following reasons but is not limited to such:
1. The promotion of contraceptive use promotes immorality.
2. The promotion of contraceptive use does not solve poverty.
There are many reasons why the Church opposes the RH Bill but I will only tackle the two aforesaid reasons, which in my opinion, shows how the church is essentially out of touch and delusional about what a republic like the Philippines should be and how scientific studies show otherwise.
First, on the question as to the promotion of immorality or the inducement to immorality of the use of contraceptives escapes any reasonable thinking human beings' sense of critical thinking. There has been no documented study that the use of contraceptives actually promotes immorality. And I doubt if the church even remotely conducted such study. There is simply no connection between contraceptive use and how it shapes morality, besides, morality is religiously, socially, culturally and zeitgeistically determined. What has been moral in 15th Century Medieval Europe is not necessarily considered moral nowadays. Does modern society for example, still condone and sanction the burning of those suspected of being witches?
Second, on the question as to contraceptive use not solving poverty. The use of contraceptives was never intended to solve poverty, although controlling family size through the use of contraceptives can help a couple maintain a family that they are financially, physically, and medically ready to carry through. A couple who can barely support themselves need contraceptives to ensure that they can create a family that will ensure a comfortable and secure future for themselves and their children.
The Church, in its unreasonable, unscientific, and socially detached chronic opposition to something Philippine society desperately needs now, is indeed a force of enslavement, immorality and stupidity. Indeed, the Filipino people should now, more than ever, think seriously why we as a society have given this institution, who by the way, has historically caused untold suffering to the Filipino masses by colluding with the oppressive powers that have always been a constant feature of the Filipino experience to continue to rule and hold sway over the life of our republic.
Secularize Philippine society, let us purge the influence of religion and institutionalized delusional beliefs from the fabric of public life!
The Church opposes it for the following reasons but is not limited to such:
1. The promotion of contraceptive use promotes immorality.
2. The promotion of contraceptive use does not solve poverty.
There are many reasons why the Church opposes the RH Bill but I will only tackle the two aforesaid reasons, which in my opinion, shows how the church is essentially out of touch and delusional about what a republic like the Philippines should be and how scientific studies show otherwise.
First, on the question as to the promotion of immorality or the inducement to immorality of the use of contraceptives escapes any reasonable thinking human beings' sense of critical thinking. There has been no documented study that the use of contraceptives actually promotes immorality. And I doubt if the church even remotely conducted such study. There is simply no connection between contraceptive use and how it shapes morality, besides, morality is religiously, socially, culturally and zeitgeistically determined. What has been moral in 15th Century Medieval Europe is not necessarily considered moral nowadays. Does modern society for example, still condone and sanction the burning of those suspected of being witches?
Second, on the question as to contraceptive use not solving poverty. The use of contraceptives was never intended to solve poverty, although controlling family size through the use of contraceptives can help a couple maintain a family that they are financially, physically, and medically ready to carry through. A couple who can barely support themselves need contraceptives to ensure that they can create a family that will ensure a comfortable and secure future for themselves and their children.
The Church, in its unreasonable, unscientific, and socially detached chronic opposition to something Philippine society desperately needs now, is indeed a force of enslavement, immorality and stupidity. Indeed, the Filipino people should now, more than ever, think seriously why we as a society have given this institution, who by the way, has historically caused untold suffering to the Filipino masses by colluding with the oppressive powers that have always been a constant feature of the Filipino experience to continue to rule and hold sway over the life of our republic.
Secularize Philippine society, let us purge the influence of religion and institutionalized delusional beliefs from the fabric of public life!
Miyerkules, Mayo 30, 2012
euro - zone of suffering: the impending collapse of the monetary union
The brouhaha about the status of the Greek economy within the eurozone
has been boggling minds and lives for the past year or so. Indeed, the
future of the eurozone is at stake. The terminal state of the Greek
economy is not only rattling minds in Greece, it has forced policymakers
and common folk alike across the eurozone to rethink the viability of
the euro experiment.
Many articles have been written
depicting the scenarios that would happen if and when the euro
collapses, all would certainly cause more suffering, and could possibly
disentangle the eurozone itself.
For all of the inherent problems facing the eurozone and the Greek economy in particlar, there is an increasing possibility that Greece could possibly move out of the union by the end of 2012, possibly by October, then again, that is just me.
I am no economist nor a financial professional in any
stretch of the word, but I believe that the euro experiment was never a
comfortable marriage for the following reasons:
1.
The economies that bonded to form the euro were never in the same level
of economic development, and because they were never on equal footing
economically, other countries became more competitive than they
otherwise would have without the euro and others became even less
competitive although they maintained a lifestyle of artificial success.
Such scenario will eventually break over time and would drag the entire
union into the gutters.
2. The eurozone countries did not make a common
financial pact regulated and binding in all countries that would
designate one body to regulate the financial activities of each country
within the union. Such uber-body would control spending and budgetary
initiatives of each member country. The absence of such arrangement
created a free-for-all attitude of reckless borrowing and unsustainable
financial policies.
3. The eurozone countries did not really commit
fully to the union as evidenced by the populace in each countries
reluctance to give up certain rights to make the union more financially
stronger, such initiative would mean giving up monetary sovereignty to
the ECB. It seems that the less developed economies did not make painful
financial policy changes to catch-up with the more developed economies
and more developed economies flooded liquidity to the less developed
ones which only incentivized their reluctance to delay necessary
changes. The euro countries therefore wanted to have their cake and eat
it too.
With such structural defects, the eurozone would
eventually face an up-hill battle to keep it together - the hen has come
to roost.
For all of the inherent problems facing the eurozone and the Greek economy in particlar, there is an increasing possibility that Greece could possibly move out of the union by the end of 2012, possibly by October, then again, that is just me.
Linggo, Mayo 6, 2012
TV SHOW REVIEW: Supernatural S04E17 "It's a Terrible Life"
Dean and Sam are swept in a new world. Both working in a call center
company but seemingly unaware of each other or their past. Dean is the
director for sales and marketing while Sam works as a technical support
agent.
When two employees of the company committed suicide after receiving an e-mail purportedly from the HR department ordering them to visit said office at room 1444, Sam begins to question things. The duo investigates room 1444 and finds an employee down on his back with a steel cabinet on his top. As Dean and Sam try to save the employee a ghost appears, that of P.T. Sandover, founder of the company. Both Dean and Sam are able to fend off the spirit, both seemed to know that iron and salt works on ghosts.
Sam begins to increasingly doubt his life, his career, and his way of life. Dean too feels the same way. Both felt they were called to a different life, a life vanguishing evil.
This got me thinking, we do indeed feel it when the life we live is not the life we truly want. What do I want? The great mythologist Joseph Campbell once said that life is not the search for meaning but the experience of being alive. Campbell said in his interview by Bill Moyers (set into a book titled "The Power of Myth") that in order to be happy in life, we have to follow our bliss, because when we do, we come to bliss. To be trite, it means to be living a fulfilling and contented life.
Sounds simple? I think not because knowing what we want is to know to listen to ourselves, and in a world distracted by the bewildering array of technology and materialism, this is a challenge. A challenge we have to eventually face for if we refuse or cannot do so, life indeed becomes terrible.
When two employees of the company committed suicide after receiving an e-mail purportedly from the HR department ordering them to visit said office at room 1444, Sam begins to question things. The duo investigates room 1444 and finds an employee down on his back with a steel cabinet on his top. As Dean and Sam try to save the employee a ghost appears, that of P.T. Sandover, founder of the company. Both Dean and Sam are able to fend off the spirit, both seemed to know that iron and salt works on ghosts.
Sam begins to increasingly doubt his life, his career, and his way of life. Dean too feels the same way. Both felt they were called to a different life, a life vanguishing evil.
This got me thinking, we do indeed feel it when the life we live is not the life we truly want. What do I want? The great mythologist Joseph Campbell once said that life is not the search for meaning but the experience of being alive. Campbell said in his interview by Bill Moyers (set into a book titled "The Power of Myth") that in order to be happy in life, we have to follow our bliss, because when we do, we come to bliss. To be trite, it means to be living a fulfilling and contented life.
Sounds simple? I think not because knowing what we want is to know to listen to ourselves, and in a world distracted by the bewildering array of technology and materialism, this is a challenge. A challenge we have to eventually face for if we refuse or cannot do so, life indeed becomes terrible.
Biyernes, Mayo 4, 2012
kamingaw - loneliness ini
i wake upon a dark and steely night
cloaked stars amidst whispering winds
scrape but a tingle in my hushed ears.
standing in solitude embraced by the dark
with limpy arms stretched by ghostly vines
downcast eyes see a crouching shadow.
to where will i look so alone i will not be
to the sky so heavy, so dark, so silent
so glam so alone i am indeed.
to where will i listen so alone i will not be
to the leaves that whimper, so vexing, so eerie
so tearful so alone i am indeed.
to where will i touch so alone i will not be
to the ground so rough, so stony, so cold
so lifeless so alone i am indeed.
i beg upon the dark and steely night
that aching loneliness i have inside
be gone and be carried by the wind.
kneeling in solitude kissed by the dark
with leaning stems of spindly stems
i look, i listen, i touch - it is you beloved.
cloaked stars amidst whispering winds
scrape but a tingle in my hushed ears.
standing in solitude embraced by the dark
with limpy arms stretched by ghostly vines
downcast eyes see a crouching shadow.
to where will i look so alone i will not be
to the sky so heavy, so dark, so silent
so glam so alone i am indeed.
to where will i listen so alone i will not be
to the leaves that whimper, so vexing, so eerie
so tearful so alone i am indeed.
to where will i touch so alone i will not be
to the ground so rough, so stony, so cold
so lifeless so alone i am indeed.
i beg upon the dark and steely night
that aching loneliness i have inside
be gone and be carried by the wind.
kneeling in solitude kissed by the dark
with leaning stems of spindly stems
i look, i listen, i touch - it is you beloved.
Huwebes, Mayo 3, 2012
Death and the Nurse
As a registered nurse, I have encountered death in its manifold
manifestations. Indeed, death is an everyday experience. Biologically
and metaphorically speaking, dying is what it means to have life, and to
live is to die moment by moment.
One thinker once said that "Dying is as normal as being born." From a biological perspective, it is practically true. Everyday, millions of cells die as millions more are being born. This is the eternal paradox of life - that in dying birth is made possible. But death is more than the corruption, destruction, and annihilation of life - it is life itself. For death does not only erase an entity, it simultaneously makes it possible for life in the same or some other form to exist. Take for example the black hole, that all powerful remnant of a dying star, so powerful that it even bends and sucks light into it. As it reaches its critical mass, it explodes and from it a new form of cosmic substances are sprung forth.
Philosophically speaking, death is just a way for life to renew itself. We die everyday. When we get retrenched from our jobs, we die. When loved ones part, we die. When friends leave us, we die. When relationships break, we die. But in as much as death brings pain, it also brings life, it brings life because it renews us. The renewal can take the form of a more profound understanding of what it means to be alive, to live life, to understand and experience the experience of life.
Nurses are unique professionals in that they encounter life and death on a regular basis. As such, the nurse must have a clear view of what his thoughts on life and death are, for the understanding of what it is for him to have life and to witness death can impact how he deals with the patient, the significant others of the patient, and his fellow health care team members. If a nurse for example views life as not only the search for meaning but the experience of living, then he exudes in himself a sense of quiet confidence that can calm a patient and make him a willing partner in the healthcare process.
In the same way, a nurse who sees death as a moment of reunion, reflection and renewal will radiate to dying patients a sense of dignified calm and fortitude of spirit. This will help the patient, the family and the healthcare team make the dying experience an avenue for emotional growth and enable the dying patient face death with peace and serenity.
One thinker once said that "Dying is as normal as being born." From a biological perspective, it is practically true. Everyday, millions of cells die as millions more are being born. This is the eternal paradox of life - that in dying birth is made possible. But death is more than the corruption, destruction, and annihilation of life - it is life itself. For death does not only erase an entity, it simultaneously makes it possible for life in the same or some other form to exist. Take for example the black hole, that all powerful remnant of a dying star, so powerful that it even bends and sucks light into it. As it reaches its critical mass, it explodes and from it a new form of cosmic substances are sprung forth.
Philosophically speaking, death is just a way for life to renew itself. We die everyday. When we get retrenched from our jobs, we die. When loved ones part, we die. When friends leave us, we die. When relationships break, we die. But in as much as death brings pain, it also brings life, it brings life because it renews us. The renewal can take the form of a more profound understanding of what it means to be alive, to live life, to understand and experience the experience of life.
Nurses are unique professionals in that they encounter life and death on a regular basis. As such, the nurse must have a clear view of what his thoughts on life and death are, for the understanding of what it is for him to have life and to witness death can impact how he deals with the patient, the significant others of the patient, and his fellow health care team members. If a nurse for example views life as not only the search for meaning but the experience of living, then he exudes in himself a sense of quiet confidence that can calm a patient and make him a willing partner in the healthcare process.
In the same way, a nurse who sees death as a moment of reunion, reflection and renewal will radiate to dying patients a sense of dignified calm and fortitude of spirit. This will help the patient, the family and the healthcare team make the dying experience an avenue for emotional growth and enable the dying patient face death with peace and serenity.
Biyernes, Abril 27, 2012
MOVIE REVIEW: THE GREY (2012)
I love watching movies, none more so than those that not only provide entertainment but also engages the mind in philosophical reflection.
The Grey is one of those movies that opens our minds into the realm of the oft-unthought of realm. Indeed, it shows the brutal reality that life really is. But that our beliefs and decisions are what truly defines how we live our lives. That friendships are born in the most unusual circumstances, that challenges will always follow us like a shadow in a dim-lit alley, that our beliefs in a higher being shapes our views of ourselves - our fears, hopes, insecurities and convictions, that personal relationships makes the journey that is life worth the while, and that finding meaning in life is what makes life truly wort living, and finding love gives meaning to our lives.
The movie is one big metaphor for life itself. When a group of oilmen journey through a stormy Alaskan night by plane, I am reminded by the "journeys" we have to take in different periods in our lives - deciding to go to college, leaving home, choosing a career, finding work, choosing a life partner, raising a family among others. In the journeys we take, sometimes our planes crash - typhoons come that are incarnated in the form of failures in school, career, relationships. There we will meet people of all classes and persuasions, some will succumb to the challenge, others will rise to lead us, like the lead character John Ottway. Sometimes we are the John Ottway, we are challenged to lead others despite our own insecurities, emotional baggages and dashed hopes and dreams. But at some point in our lives we are placed in a situation were we have to calm others in their most tragic, hopeless and terminal states - like when Ottway in the movie tells the dying Lewenden he will die, and die indeed he was, but peacefully thanks to the calming influence of Ottway.
Sometimes, we are like John Diaz, the antagonist of the group. We question those who try to lead the group, those who among us rise to the challenges that life presents. We become cynical like Diaz, cynical of life itself, of others, of ourselves in fact. We lose faith in religious traditions, in a belief in God - but sometimes it makes sense to lose faith in God, it gives us a reason to really think about what life really is all about. But it can make us emotionally vulnerable too, to not lean on something so abstract, so powerful, so encompassing for then we will have to stand alone, alone to face that life is indeed harsh, that man alone defines his purpose. And not everyone is cut out for this.
We are called to leave the comfort of our homes to find our place in the universe, like Ottway's group who have to leave the relative safety of the plane wreck to journey into the vast, icy cold wilderness to seek refuge in the forests of pine trees. Some of us do not make it, like Flannery, who falls behind and is killed by the wolves. This is a metaphor for those who cannot keep up with the pace of life - they just wither in the fields of time. It is painful, it leaves an emotional scar on those who are left to witness the event, but life moves on. The journey continues.
When the the survivors finally reach the forests, they try to light a fire, it was to keep them warm, to protect them form the wolves and to provide food. They killed one of the wolves and cooked it using the fire. In life as in the movie, we creates fires too, friendships are that fire that keeps the coldness of reality from biting us. They provide guidance, strength and hope. It is difficult to keep the fire of friendships burning against the storms and typhoons of life, but we have to find ways of keeping the light, and those light that survive, and very few do, are what we will forever be greatfull for, and rightly so, for such fire that burns amidst the wintry cold air is a fire that we can bring until the twilight of our existence.
The chasm that the group has to cross to reach the other side is another feature of what it is to be human, we have to cross difficult ravines at one point in our lives - and in order to do such, we have to face our fears, own our fears, tame our fears.
John Ottway led his group away from the territory of the wolves, or so he thought, but at the end of the movie, we realize that after everyone succumbed to death, he was right in front of the wolves den, facing the Alpha Wolf. Cold from hypothermia, ignored by a God he doesn't believe, he faces his greatest fear - and there, finds meaning in life he so wanted to end.
This movie is so philosophical, so reflective, so much a reflection of what is to be human as what life is all about.
I end this post with the poignant words of Ottway's fathers' poem:
Once more into the fray...
Into the last good fight I'll ever know.
Live and die on this day...
Live and die on this day...
The Grey is one of those movies that opens our minds into the realm of the oft-unthought of realm. Indeed, it shows the brutal reality that life really is. But that our beliefs and decisions are what truly defines how we live our lives. That friendships are born in the most unusual circumstances, that challenges will always follow us like a shadow in a dim-lit alley, that our beliefs in a higher being shapes our views of ourselves - our fears, hopes, insecurities and convictions, that personal relationships makes the journey that is life worth the while, and that finding meaning in life is what makes life truly wort living, and finding love gives meaning to our lives.
The movie is one big metaphor for life itself. When a group of oilmen journey through a stormy Alaskan night by plane, I am reminded by the "journeys" we have to take in different periods in our lives - deciding to go to college, leaving home, choosing a career, finding work, choosing a life partner, raising a family among others. In the journeys we take, sometimes our planes crash - typhoons come that are incarnated in the form of failures in school, career, relationships. There we will meet people of all classes and persuasions, some will succumb to the challenge, others will rise to lead us, like the lead character John Ottway. Sometimes we are the John Ottway, we are challenged to lead others despite our own insecurities, emotional baggages and dashed hopes and dreams. But at some point in our lives we are placed in a situation were we have to calm others in their most tragic, hopeless and terminal states - like when Ottway in the movie tells the dying Lewenden he will die, and die indeed he was, but peacefully thanks to the calming influence of Ottway.
Sometimes, we are like John Diaz, the antagonist of the group. We question those who try to lead the group, those who among us rise to the challenges that life presents. We become cynical like Diaz, cynical of life itself, of others, of ourselves in fact. We lose faith in religious traditions, in a belief in God - but sometimes it makes sense to lose faith in God, it gives us a reason to really think about what life really is all about. But it can make us emotionally vulnerable too, to not lean on something so abstract, so powerful, so encompassing for then we will have to stand alone, alone to face that life is indeed harsh, that man alone defines his purpose. And not everyone is cut out for this.
We are called to leave the comfort of our homes to find our place in the universe, like Ottway's group who have to leave the relative safety of the plane wreck to journey into the vast, icy cold wilderness to seek refuge in the forests of pine trees. Some of us do not make it, like Flannery, who falls behind and is killed by the wolves. This is a metaphor for those who cannot keep up with the pace of life - they just wither in the fields of time. It is painful, it leaves an emotional scar on those who are left to witness the event, but life moves on. The journey continues.
When the the survivors finally reach the forests, they try to light a fire, it was to keep them warm, to protect them form the wolves and to provide food. They killed one of the wolves and cooked it using the fire. In life as in the movie, we creates fires too, friendships are that fire that keeps the coldness of reality from biting us. They provide guidance, strength and hope. It is difficult to keep the fire of friendships burning against the storms and typhoons of life, but we have to find ways of keeping the light, and those light that survive, and very few do, are what we will forever be greatfull for, and rightly so, for such fire that burns amidst the wintry cold air is a fire that we can bring until the twilight of our existence.
The chasm that the group has to cross to reach the other side is another feature of what it is to be human, we have to cross difficult ravines at one point in our lives - and in order to do such, we have to face our fears, own our fears, tame our fears.
John Ottway led his group away from the territory of the wolves, or so he thought, but at the end of the movie, we realize that after everyone succumbed to death, he was right in front of the wolves den, facing the Alpha Wolf. Cold from hypothermia, ignored by a God he doesn't believe, he faces his greatest fear - and there, finds meaning in life he so wanted to end.
This movie is so philosophical, so reflective, so much a reflection of what is to be human as what life is all about.
I end this post with the poignant words of Ottway's fathers' poem:
Once more into the fray...
Into the last good fight I'll ever know.
Live and die on this day...
Live and die on this day...
Lunes, Abril 23, 2012
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