by Inah Robles
Levinas states that we are responsible for the death of the other. We might not have directly killed someone, we might not have blood on our hands but we do have a fault.
We live in a finite world. A world where opportunities are limited, and each time we take an opportunity, we have essentially taken a chance away from someone. We have taken their chance at a job to support their family, a chance to go to the school they've always dreamed of. This is part of life, but this also means that for every opportunity we get, we must do our best in order to be just to those who were not granted the same privilege.
More than just the finite word, we face structural injustices. Poverty, oppression are common occurrences in the world we live in. However, too few do anything to challenge the status quo for the fear of becoming an outcast or simply many "do not have the time". It is this mentality that has allowed many to die from poverty, from the lack of shelter, and water- all these deaths could have been prevented if enough people had the were responsible for the other.
Unfortunately, we live in a capitalist world where profit and wealth have been the objective of most people. Many are willing to trample on the dignity and basic rights of the other in order to gain more than what they need to survive- hence the tale of the 1%. Where 1% of the population live extremely comfortably, while the 99% have difficulty meeting their daily needs.
We must remember that the world was never filled with enough resources to fulfill everyone's wants and capricious demands, seeing the other's needs and as an equal you are responsible for can help alleviate the 99%'s suffering.
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ReplyDeleteIt may be true that we may have not directly killed others and that our actions were unintentional. With regard to this, probably the challenge for us in this capitalistic society is to be more aware of the welfare of the people around us. It is integral that we recognize that in this world, it is not all about me all the time as we share this world with others. We should recognize that like us, other people have rights and dignities as human beings and these should be recognized by giving them justice. It is true that social norms persist and this probably hinders us from going out of our bubble, however being human entails the need to sometimes being different and inhuman if being human is defined by the "beast" within man. There is a need to be responsible and sensitive to others and be dis-interested to effectively be able to make this society a better place to live in.
ReplyDeleteJohann Pe
Ph 102 Section A
I agree with everything you said. Levinas' statement opens our eyes to the injustices in this world and how each one of us plays a part in the other's death. I believe that instead of being driven by good, we are all allowing ourselves to be filled with greed so much so that we neglect the lives of others. However, as Dr. Garcia told me during my midterms: "money isn't everything." What can you really do with much money? We just end up filling our own selfish needs and we forget that there may be enough for everyone. It is not all about us and maybe we learn to share our blessings if we remember the other as face and our responsibility.
ReplyDeleteRobert Go
Ph102 A
I completely agree with what you stated.
ReplyDeleteIt is also with this in mind that our JEEP experiences are important. We, as Ateneans, are lucky to be able to study in such a high institution, however, it is also part of our curriculum that we may be able to learn and understand the others around us. We shouldn't just seclude ourselves to living comfortably, we should also be able to think of our neighbors, of the community as a whole, and as you said, "More than just the finite word, we face structural injustices. Poverty, oppression are common occurrences in the world we live in. " As this is the case, one of the most fundamental question we need to be able to ask and answer is, "How far are you willing to go for the other?"
Trixia Tan
Ph102 C
I agree with the fact that you said the we are responsible for the death of others because we do live in a finite world. Opportunities are indeed limited and we have to take what we can get. Despite this, I think Levinas still encourages us to take these opportunities. He cautions us that when we take these opportunities, we take them away from the other. However, to make good on these opportunities, we have to do our best and work the right way. This process may go a long way in helping the other.
ReplyDeleteStephen Vera Cruz (A)
I also agree with everything you said.
ReplyDeleteI think the first step is for one to identify the core of the problem and realize its gravity. And that's what philosophy is for, it opens our eyes to the obvious.
With this, no injustice, no poverty, no social issue will ever be solved if no one dares to stand up for it. And with the discussion that we just had regarding death, I think that ignorance is a form of death itself. If no one dares to exert his/her effort in at least contributing to alleviate this broken world, then apathy and oblivion will get the best of us.
Denise Tan
PH102A
Even though we're somehow indirectly killing and affecting the lives of others, we shouldn't blame ourselves for it all. We must learn that people are given opportunities for a reason. With these opportunities, we should as well make the best of it and use this responsibility in also making the world a better place. We must remember about the other and not take advantage of what they don't have. Making the best of what we've accomplished by sharing it to others and never forgetting who else are with us in this world. Lastly, we should be satisfied with what has been given to us and try not to be greedy. This mentality continues the major division between people and you can say that we are "killing" the other in such a way we aren't sharing the gifts we have and just keeping it all to ourselves.
ReplyDeleteLuis Tanjuatco
Ph 102 A
I do agree that even though we do not necessarily have blood on our hands, it doesn't mean that we do not contribute to the suffering and death of this Other. What is wrong with the world today is that we are too self-centered. We tend to only care for ourselves even if it is at the expense of the Other. Because wealth, fame, and success are usually what is prioritized today, we only live maintaining ourselves. I guess this is what JEEP ultimately aims to make us realize -- that we need to know the needs of others especially when someday we might encounter these people again. Money IS important however the way to achieve or acquire this shouldn't be at the expense of the Other.
ReplyDeleteFrenchi Baluyot A
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ReplyDeleteAs people who were fortunate to receive very special opportunities, we should help those who weren't as lucky. However, we should also be aware that providing assistance isn't always about giving material things and providing the other with all that he/she needs. Truth is, just being available for them and making them aware of your presence may already be enough for them to move forward and improve their lives. Simple things can go a long way.
ReplyDeleteLeo Lorenzo (A)
I agree that “the world was never filled with enough resources to fulfill everyone's wants and capricious demands.” However I do believe that the world is filled with enough resources to support the need of everyone. It's just that some, who were more selfish than others, desired and wanted more than their fair share. Thus, depriving the so called 99% of their basic necessities. However if the 1% were moved to change, they'd be able to save the other 99% and ultimately themselves.
ReplyDeleteFor every starbucks coffee we buy, there is a hectare of coffee plant needed for the beans in our drink, a thousand farmers who will work to pick those beans, a hundred workers who will process those beans until they're delivered to the starbucks shop just outside your village, and then put into a cup that you don't even put that much value on. We should remember that every action, every resource that we would use is not something that we get from an infinite source. The things we consume everyday come from a planet which we abuse, worked hard for by the people who don't even get the pay they deserve. There is no such thing as a free lunch and later on, we're gonna pay for what we have abused if we don't change.
ReplyDeleteMar Tan - PH 102
According to Oxfam, the annual income of the 100 richest man in the world is enough to alleviate world poverty. This goes to show that inequality is so great between the rich and the poor. Different organizations, both bilateral and multilateral, have been trying to the gap between the rich and the poor, but they are not enough. Even the government of independent countries aim to do this by regressive tax and subsidies for the poor. However, the very consequences of poverty has also become its cause. It has become chronic. Those organizations will not be able to do everything themselves. Responsibility is non-transferable, and we have a responsibility in this task, too. Not necessarily in the monetary sense, but we can help too by things that cannot be quantified.
ReplyDeleteKate Bonamy, ph102A
I think that this structural injustice is happening because there are some people that have the mentality that "it's all about me", and thus others adopt this philosophy because they don't want to be left behind. The end result is a world where a lot of people think about themselves and those around them, leaving little room for others. We are called to challenge this mindset, but it's hard. But we still try anyway, because important things are at stake.
ReplyDeleteMiguel Co
PH102 A