by Miguel Jimenez
Levinas’s idea of Il y a is an interesting topic. It’s that state of indeterminacy where there is neither nothing nor something. Levinas tries to illustrate what il y a is through citing different examples of it. I’ll do the same. Using my own, weird example, I think he was trying to describe the fact that when one or an existent is in a state of il y a, the existent is not totally there, or (Being (as Being HIMSELF)), but IS there as being. Think of my illustration as the existent being like a robot on stand-by, but it isn’t totally there because it isn’t being controlled or activated. The robot is able to conquer il y a when one finally turns him on and makes him move. When one isn’t Being, what is he/she?
I’d like to give another example, one that’s closer to home. It’s about il y a being manifested in a student’s procrastination for a project or term paper. Levinas’s idea of Il Y A is present when a student is in the state of procrastinating. A student, let’s call him Miguel, the quintessential crammer, procrastinated on his term paper. Basically, Miguel had 2 weeks to complete a term paper that he was telling himself that he’d start writing day after day after day. He tells himself, “hey, I wrote it already in my head,” but the paper isn’t written, it isn’t manifested in a tangible, paper format. For 13 days, Miguel fights his inner struggles to complete a term paper, for 13 days, Miguel tells himself he’ll do the paper tomorrow, and for 13 days, that paper is still blank.
Procrastination, is that in determinant state where Miguel is in, deciding whether or not to do the paper. Now, the two outcomes for procrastination is one, going back to laziness and playing video games, or watching random videos on YouTube. This can be equated the existent failing to emerge from il y a and not Being, or going “back to the mother’s womb,” back to dependency or the existent’s comfort zone. The second outcome is to actually push down laziness and do the term paper. This is similar to the existent pushing down the il y a and emerging as Being.
As students, I think the reason to why we cram is because we ultimately want time for ourselves and to do absolutely nothing that’s productive. We’re just really lazy. Also, for those hard working ones, we procrastinate because we have other things that we first need to attend to.
Showing posts with label il y a. Show all posts
Showing posts with label il y a. Show all posts
Friday, March 14, 2014
Saturday, January 4, 2014
The il y a and the Labyrinth
by Kathleen Sun
I wonder how many hours we spend imagining the great things that we will do, the places we will go, and people we will meet someday. But unfortunately for many of us, we never actually get to do any of these things and they will forever remain only in our imagination. We find ourselves stuck in the “labyrinth”, caught up in the repetitive and technical cycle of today’s world. We are afraid to go out and to be ourselves because of the feeling of security and familiarity in just doing what everyone else is doing. We know that there is something more we want to do, and something greater that we can offer to the world, but instead, we settle on the routines and patterns that we are used to.
Why is this so? I think this is what Levinas refers to as the “Il y a”. It is the refusal to be separated and different from everyone else. It is an inner struggle that hinders us from being unique because perhaps we fear judgment and criticism. We become willing to set ourselves aside because we do not take charge of the situation, and thus we miss out on what it truly means to be an embodied subject. Because of this, we cannot become what we really want to be. This also means that we can never find fulfillment in just living the “custom made life” laid out before us.
As humans, we have the capacity to use what we are given to the best of our abilities. And this means that we also have the capacity to escape from Il y a, and escape the labyrinth. One of the first steps in doing so is the experience of jouissance or the “innocent enjoyment”. It is through finding joy and gladness in the simple things that we slowly come to a better understanding of who we are and who we want to become. We must begin to ask ourselves why we are doing what we do so that hopefully, we can break free from the “broken world” that we find today.
Furthermore, it is also important to remember that the search for who we are is not a solitary journey. As beings in the world, we are also defined by the relationships we form and our connections with those around us. This is why Levinas insists that moving away from Il y a is only the first step. The next is the realization that we must “de-position” ourselves and to realize our responsibility for the Other. Therefore, in order to gain the ultimate fulfillment, we must find ourselves through our relationships with those around us. We find meaning not only in realizing what we need to do for ourselves, but also in knowing what we must do for others. We need people around us to teach us, guide us, and to help us grow because it is our interactions with others that truly defines our existence.
Friday, December 13, 2013
Hassle
by Wai Yiu So
“Il y a” as discussed by Doc G is a situation where there’s an indeterminacy of being, in the sense that beings are disintegrate into “no thing” --- that is neither nothing nor something. “Il y a” describes the lack of subjectivity, it’s the darkness that gives no orientation, no perspective, no meaning.
But “no meaning” doesn’t mean that the meaning does not exist. “No orientation” doesn’t mean that there are no light in front of us… maybe we just closed our eyes.
Sometimes we close our eyes because it’s effortless, and can in some way wash away our problems. By closing our eyes we don’t have to worry about judgments from other people, we just have to be one of the people walking down the street. And because it’s so comfortable to be in the darkness and sleep, we have forgotten to search for the light. “Hassle eh.”
In the darkness we can’t see clearly even ourselves. In this darkness we don’t have any goal, and we are not going for anything. There’s no meaning and we are not going to find it. “Wala nga eh.”
So what do we mean by truly exist or be a being is to get out of our “Il y a”. To be able to get out of “Il y a”, to get out of the darkness and be unique, different, special, one needs to exert a great amount of effort and initiative. We have to take up the responsibility, and to exercise wisdom of love --- “what we can do for the Others?” Because what we have done define ourselves, so for us to really determine ourselves, we must first be Conscious-Beings-In-The-World-For-Others.
“Il y a” as discussed by Doc G is a situation where there’s an indeterminacy of being, in the sense that beings are disintegrate into “no thing” --- that is neither nothing nor something. “Il y a” describes the lack of subjectivity, it’s the darkness that gives no orientation, no perspective, no meaning.
But “no meaning” doesn’t mean that the meaning does not exist. “No orientation” doesn’t mean that there are no light in front of us… maybe we just closed our eyes.
Sometimes we close our eyes because it’s effortless, and can in some way wash away our problems. By closing our eyes we don’t have to worry about judgments from other people, we just have to be one of the people walking down the street. And because it’s so comfortable to be in the darkness and sleep, we have forgotten to search for the light. “Hassle eh.”
In the darkness we can’t see clearly even ourselves. In this darkness we don’t have any goal, and we are not going for anything. There’s no meaning and we are not going to find it. “Wala nga eh.”
So what do we mean by truly exist or be a being is to get out of our “Il y a”. To be able to get out of “Il y a”, to get out of the darkness and be unique, different, special, one needs to exert a great amount of effort and initiative. We have to take up the responsibility, and to exercise wisdom of love --- “what we can do for the Others?” Because what we have done define ourselves, so for us to really determine ourselves, we must first be Conscious-Beings-In-The-World-For-Others.
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Of Kelly Clarkson, Darth Vader, and Levinas
by Victor Uy
I’m sure most – if not all – of us have encountered the phrase “the dark side”, be it through a song popularized by American Idol Kelly Clarkson, watching too much Star Wars, or what have you. However, aside from Ms. Clarkson and Darth Vader, Levinas also speaks of this “dark side” philosophically that is il y a. The question of ontology is that why there is something instead of nothing. Something and nothing are quite on both ends of the spectrum; but technically speaking, nothingness is unimaginable because in order to think of nothing, you must first think of something and actually erase that something to come up with nothing.
Having said that, because of the huge gap between something and nothing, this “dark side” – il y a – comes about. As human beings, it is quite a given fact that we want to become “something”, which will allow us to “be” and to achieve transcendence by being a neighbor, by loving the Other, and by being responsible.
Let’s give a more concrete example that’s closer to home. We are fortunate enough to have had the chance to experience an Atenean education. Albeit a lot of Ateneans are really diligent when it comes to academics, it is undeniable that a sizable chunk of the population has adapted the “petiks culture”. The “bahala na” attitude of some students often overpower their diligence so much so that they just go to school for the sake of going to school. Therefore, they are not really “student-ing” – they fall in between the something and the nothing. I also know of some people who aren’t really “happy” with the courses that they’re in. Sure, they go to classes, sit there for the whole duration of the session. Hence, physically, they’re present; but the real question is, are they really there? By being unhappy with their courses, they don’t really have a certain direction, priority or purpose; it’s like they’re robots that are preprogrammed to sit on a chair for hours and listen to professors – whether or not they are actually mentally present.
For a more graphic metaphor, imagine the walkers on the TV series The Walking Dead. They’re “alive”, but at the same time, they’re not alive. They walk endlessly without direction and/or purpose until some guy puts a gun against their heads and pulls the trigger.
Levinas asserts in his philosophy of Ethics the non-reciprocal relation of responsibility. We do what is good simply because it is good, and our lived experiences tell us so. To give an example, whenever we give gifts, we actually voluntarily share a part of ourselves. We give gifts because we want to give gifts. Upon giving these gifts, we don’t necessarily expect anything in return. Insofar as gifts are concerned, I believe that all of the people that fall under the descriptions in the preceding paragraph are very much capable of maximizing their gift that is the wisdom that they have acquired and are acquiring. However, they have the prerogative to make something of that wisdom. Education, in itself, is a gift, but its potential is entirely wasted if we choose not to accept it or to live out what wisdom we have acquired.
I’m sure most – if not all – of us have encountered the phrase “the dark side”, be it through a song popularized by American Idol Kelly Clarkson, watching too much Star Wars, or what have you. However, aside from Ms. Clarkson and Darth Vader, Levinas also speaks of this “dark side” philosophically that is il y a. The question of ontology is that why there is something instead of nothing. Something and nothing are quite on both ends of the spectrum; but technically speaking, nothingness is unimaginable because in order to think of nothing, you must first think of something and actually erase that something to come up with nothing.
Having said that, because of the huge gap between something and nothing, this “dark side” – il y a – comes about. As human beings, it is quite a given fact that we want to become “something”, which will allow us to “be” and to achieve transcendence by being a neighbor, by loving the Other, and by being responsible.
Let’s give a more concrete example that’s closer to home. We are fortunate enough to have had the chance to experience an Atenean education. Albeit a lot of Ateneans are really diligent when it comes to academics, it is undeniable that a sizable chunk of the population has adapted the “petiks culture”. The “bahala na” attitude of some students often overpower their diligence so much so that they just go to school for the sake of going to school. Therefore, they are not really “student-ing” – they fall in between the something and the nothing. I also know of some people who aren’t really “happy” with the courses that they’re in. Sure, they go to classes, sit there for the whole duration of the session. Hence, physically, they’re present; but the real question is, are they really there? By being unhappy with their courses, they don’t really have a certain direction, priority or purpose; it’s like they’re robots that are preprogrammed to sit on a chair for hours and listen to professors – whether or not they are actually mentally present.
For a more graphic metaphor, imagine the walkers on the TV series The Walking Dead. They’re “alive”, but at the same time, they’re not alive. They walk endlessly without direction and/or purpose until some guy puts a gun against their heads and pulls the trigger.
Levinas asserts in his philosophy of Ethics the non-reciprocal relation of responsibility. We do what is good simply because it is good, and our lived experiences tell us so. To give an example, whenever we give gifts, we actually voluntarily share a part of ourselves. We give gifts because we want to give gifts. Upon giving these gifts, we don’t necessarily expect anything in return. Insofar as gifts are concerned, I believe that all of the people that fall under the descriptions in the preceding paragraph are very much capable of maximizing their gift that is the wisdom that they have acquired and are acquiring. However, they have the prerogative to make something of that wisdom. Education, in itself, is a gift, but its potential is entirely wasted if we choose not to accept it or to live out what wisdom we have acquired.
Friday, March 15, 2013
You Want It Or You Don't
by Daphne General
“As much as I want to” is a line I’ve heard one too many times. As much as I want to I can’t bring myself to, as much as I want to there’s just no time, as much as I want to I don’t want to hurt you, as much as I want to I should not, etc.
There really is no saying: “as much as I want to”, because if you had wanted to, you would go ahead and do it. If you didn’t want to, then you would say or show that you don’t want it. There really is no in between I want to and I don’t want to, there’s only confusion, grey areas, “I don’t want to now”, pending decisions, etc.
There isn’t any pseudo-wanting something, it’s either you want it or you don’t. And if you don’t want it then I say, “I don’t want it.” Because when you can bring it to the level of speech, you actually make a decision. But saying “as much as I want to” is like staying silent when someone asks you a question, which is worse than answering it with a no.
I think “as much as I want to” is synonymous to falling short of something. Because you never really want it nor not want it. It’s kind of just…there. It’s kind of like IL Y A. There are no decisions, no convictions. But it is not anything and not nothing because you’re left questioning and convincing yourself that you want or don’t want it – and clearly you would not know since the “As much as I want to”s are getting in the way.
And believe me, this is one of the worst things anyone can say to you or you can say to anyone: As much as I want to, because you’ll never know. You’ll never understand it. You’ll never quite be wanted or unwanted. You are just there.
After saying or hearing an “as much as I want to,” you have to pick yourself up from being just “there.” It’s declaring the fact that you want to be wanted or unwanted, you want to be something. That’s the tricky part. It actually going through the full length of saying, “I want to do this” or even “I just don’t want to do this right now.”
So “as much as I want to” doesn’t really help me in any way. I’ll just stick to I WANT TO.
“As much as I want to” is a line I’ve heard one too many times. As much as I want to I can’t bring myself to, as much as I want to there’s just no time, as much as I want to I don’t want to hurt you, as much as I want to I should not, etc.
There really is no saying: “as much as I want to”, because if you had wanted to, you would go ahead and do it. If you didn’t want to, then you would say or show that you don’t want it. There really is no in between I want to and I don’t want to, there’s only confusion, grey areas, “I don’t want to now”, pending decisions, etc.
There isn’t any pseudo-wanting something, it’s either you want it or you don’t. And if you don’t want it then I say, “I don’t want it.” Because when you can bring it to the level of speech, you actually make a decision. But saying “as much as I want to” is like staying silent when someone asks you a question, which is worse than answering it with a no.
I think “as much as I want to” is synonymous to falling short of something. Because you never really want it nor not want it. It’s kind of just…there. It’s kind of like IL Y A. There are no decisions, no convictions. But it is not anything and not nothing because you’re left questioning and convincing yourself that you want or don’t want it – and clearly you would not know since the “As much as I want to”s are getting in the way.
And believe me, this is one of the worst things anyone can say to you or you can say to anyone: As much as I want to, because you’ll never know. You’ll never understand it. You’ll never quite be wanted or unwanted. You are just there.
After saying or hearing an “as much as I want to,” you have to pick yourself up from being just “there.” It’s declaring the fact that you want to be wanted or unwanted, you want to be something. That’s the tricky part. It actually going through the full length of saying, “I want to do this” or even “I just don’t want to do this right now.”
So “as much as I want to” doesn’t really help me in any way. I’ll just stick to I WANT TO.
Friday, December 7, 2012
Ilyaing, being and Being in Dreaming
by Hubert Cua (Part 1 of 2)
I slept. I woke up. I asked myself, “Did I sleep or did I dream?”
I believe that some of us have experienced this in the past even for just a time. This is the experience when we are not sure in what following case we belong. For the first case, we just lie on the bed without sleeping. For the second case, we lie on the bed, fall asleep without dreaming of something. For the third case, we lie on the bed, fall asleep and dream of something. Some scientific studies say that we usually experience this when we are tired when we go to sleep. Because we are tired, our consciousness is still at work to some extent, while we are sleeping. This makes us falsely believe that we are awake, so when we experience something like this, we actually belong to second case or third case.
Between the second case and third case, let us first talk about second case, which is we lie on the bed, fall asleep without dreaming of something. In the second case, we can see the continuity of our consciousness before sleeping and after sleeping. However, this consciousness is not active consciousness or total consciousness. Rather, this consciousness is passive consciousness or partial consciousness. This is because, we seem to be conscious, but we are not really conscious. At this point, we are neither the conscious nor the unconscious. In other words, we are experiencing il y a.
Now, let us talk about third case, which is we lie on the bed, fall asleep and dream of something. In the third case, we also experience il y a, like in the second case. However, since we are dreaming, we are being or Being in our own dreams. Isn’t this a strange phenomenon? We exist in this real world and in the imaginary world in dreams at the same time. More strangely, we are also ilyaing, being and Being at the same time.
In the class, we often say that ilyaing, being and Being are linear, in the sense that we need to go from ilyaing to Being through being. Here, it seems that we are assuming that we can’t be ilyaing, being and Being at the same time. To provide an example when we are ilyaing, being and Being at the same time, I brought out this strange phenomenon.
I believe that some of us have experienced this in the past even for just a time. This is the experience when we are not sure in what following case we belong. For the first case, we just lie on the bed without sleeping. For the second case, we lie on the bed, fall asleep without dreaming of something. For the third case, we lie on the bed, fall asleep and dream of something. Some scientific studies say that we usually experience this when we are tired when we go to sleep. Because we are tired, our consciousness is still at work to some extent, while we are sleeping. This makes us falsely believe that we are awake, so when we experience something like this, we actually belong to second case or third case.
Between the second case and third case, let us first talk about second case, which is we lie on the bed, fall asleep without dreaming of something. In the second case, we can see the continuity of our consciousness before sleeping and after sleeping. However, this consciousness is not active consciousness or total consciousness. Rather, this consciousness is passive consciousness or partial consciousness. This is because, we seem to be conscious, but we are not really conscious. At this point, we are neither the conscious nor the unconscious. In other words, we are experiencing il y a.
Now, let us talk about third case, which is we lie on the bed, fall asleep and dream of something. In the third case, we also experience il y a, like in the second case. However, since we are dreaming, we are being or Being in our own dreams. Isn’t this a strange phenomenon? We exist in this real world and in the imaginary world in dreams at the same time. More strangely, we are also ilyaing, being and Being at the same time.
In the class, we often say that ilyaing, being and Being are linear, in the sense that we need to go from ilyaing to Being through being. Here, it seems that we are assuming that we can’t be ilyaing, being and Being at the same time. To provide an example when we are ilyaing, being and Being at the same time, I brought out this strange phenomenon.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Taking The One Less Traveled By
by Katya Vargas
4 December 2012
Discussed text: Levinas, "The Solitude of Being," Ethics and Infinity
Today’s lesson on jouissance reminded me of a poem I took up as a senior in high school. It’s entitled “The Road Not Taken” and it’s written by Robert Frost.
We learned that the meaning of the term jouissance is to enjoy something that makes life worth living. It is finding pleasure in doing anything that enhances our zest for life. I remembered this poem because it’s about choosing the road less travelled with a little hesitance in the beginning but without any regrets in the end. It’s about enjoying the journey, taking time to love and live every step of the way. In the poem, as the persona is choosing which road to take, s/he only knows that one road is more travelled than the other but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s the better road. S/he has to go through it to know, to find out. Sometimes the less popular choice is the better one because not everyone has to have the same wants and needs in life. Sometimes, the harder thing to do is the best thing to do because it pushes us to find what we really love to do and who we really are. Everyone just needs to learn how to live, how to be, needs to find his/her own happiness. Life is what you make it. Whatever choice you make in anything and everything you do, you have to stick by it and let yourself enjoy the experience.
The class was left with the question “Why do you think Levinas places jouissance after il y a?” for reflection. I found the answer to this question in the poem as the persona is choosing which road to take; s/he is in a state of “in between-ness” and confusion. S/he doesn’t know which road to take, which choice to make. THERE IS (Il y a) a choice to be made, but the persona is still unsure and stuck. It is when s/he takes action and goes down a road does s/he realize the beauty of his/her decision, once s/he has reaped what s/he has sown does the “Jouissance” come into play. “Jouissance” is a reaction to “Il y a” and I think Levinas placed the terms in such order because the former is the answer to the latter.
4 December 2012
Discussed text: Levinas, "The Solitude of Being," Ethics and Infinity
Today’s lesson on jouissance reminded me of a poem I took up as a senior in high school. It’s entitled “The Road Not Taken” and it’s written by Robert Frost.
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
We learned that the meaning of the term jouissance is to enjoy something that makes life worth living. It is finding pleasure in doing anything that enhances our zest for life. I remembered this poem because it’s about choosing the road less travelled with a little hesitance in the beginning but without any regrets in the end. It’s about enjoying the journey, taking time to love and live every step of the way. In the poem, as the persona is choosing which road to take, s/he only knows that one road is more travelled than the other but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s the better road. S/he has to go through it to know, to find out. Sometimes the less popular choice is the better one because not everyone has to have the same wants and needs in life. Sometimes, the harder thing to do is the best thing to do because it pushes us to find what we really love to do and who we really are. Everyone just needs to learn how to live, how to be, needs to find his/her own happiness. Life is what you make it. Whatever choice you make in anything and everything you do, you have to stick by it and let yourself enjoy the experience.
The class was left with the question “Why do you think Levinas places jouissance after il y a?” for reflection. I found the answer to this question in the poem as the persona is choosing which road to take; s/he is in a state of “in between-ness” and confusion. S/he doesn’t know which road to take, which choice to make. THERE IS (Il y a) a choice to be made, but the persona is still unsure and stuck. It is when s/he takes action and goes down a road does s/he realize the beauty of his/her decision, once s/he has reaped what s/he has sown does the “Jouissance” come into play. “Jouissance” is a reaction to “Il y a” and I think Levinas placed the terms in such order because the former is the answer to the latter.
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
On Giving
by Eo Villegas
29 November 2012
Discussed Text: Levinas, "There Is," Ethics and Infinity
The discussion in class last Thursday made me remember Mang Roland, for those who don’t know his story here it is: http://everythinginbudget.blogspot.com/2012/08/a-better-samaritan-joes-encounter-with.html
He was a man who satisfied first his needs, in which the 5 pesos worth of rice was sufficient, and then gave everything else to others in need. His story is very touching also because no matter how much shit life threw at him he still strives to be a person for others. Who would’ve thought that after his family all died from various sicknesses, after he had to sell his house to try to treat his wife who died anyway, he still had the heart to help others. He helps in what little ways he can. This just goes to show you don’t have to be the rich Atenean who can help the kids in Africa, rather we all can help in our own little ways.
Lastly I would also like to use the poor widow’s gospel as an example. She gave the smallest donation to the Church, but at the same time it was the biggest donation. It does not matter how much you give or help, because it is all relative to the capacities of the people who are helping.
29 November 2012
Discussed Text: Levinas, "There Is," Ethics and Infinity
The discussion in class last Thursday made me remember Mang Roland, for those who don’t know his story here it is: http://everythinginbudget.blogspot.com/2012/08/a-better-samaritan-joes-encounter-with.html
He was a man who satisfied first his needs, in which the 5 pesos worth of rice was sufficient, and then gave everything else to others in need. His story is very touching also because no matter how much shit life threw at him he still strives to be a person for others. Who would’ve thought that after his family all died from various sicknesses, after he had to sell his house to try to treat his wife who died anyway, he still had the heart to help others. He helps in what little ways he can. This just goes to show you don’t have to be the rich Atenean who can help the kids in Africa, rather we all can help in our own little ways.
Lastly I would also like to use the poor widow’s gospel as an example. She gave the smallest donation to the Church, but at the same time it was the biggest donation. It does not matter how much you give or help, because it is all relative to the capacities of the people who are helping.
Friday, November 30, 2012
Better to Err on the Side of Caritas
by Sophie Villasfer
29 November 2012
Discussed Text: Levinas, "There Is," Ethics and Infinity
One of the most common ethical concerns was raised in class: Is it okay to give to beggars? Or will giving only contribute to the social problem?
I believe that if I have something extra, whether food or money, it is usually better to go ahead and give. As mentioned in class, it is better to err on the side of caritas (which is Latin for charity or love). In other words, it is better to be wrong because I loved, rather than being always '"right", because I did nothing in the first place. The usual counterargument is that those in need must approach the DSWD or the NGOs instead of begging. Another argument is, why won't they look for work? I think that while these points are valid, when put into the situation of to give or not to give, I cannot help but think why am I not in this person's situation? Why am I not begging in the street? Why was I born to a family that can provide for me? Why me? And at that situation I realize that I do not have the right to blame the poor as to why they are poor, nor do I have the right to rationalize the many options they have for them to escape poverty instead of bothering me. I cannot judge that it is the poor's fault that they are in that situation, because I myself did not choose to be rich, or at least provided for. In the bigger picture, I was blessed to be "thrown" into existence through a family with some means. But why? The other side of this realization is the question, why was this person "thrown" into poverty? Why do opportunities evade him? These are the questions I do not have the answers to, and yet, by being aware that my situation in society is a gift, I feel the weight of responsibility. Perhaps whatever extra I have is for another. As it was my family's responsibility to take care of me, maybe for the moment, it is my responsibility to take care of this person that demands from me. There is this person that demands from me, calls me to give, yet I do not know him. But even if I do not know him, I feel that he is one of many that I should respond to. And with this feeling of responsibility (or gratefulness, or even guilt), also comes frustration. I feel that I want to give in a way that is more efficient, more sustainable. However, at the moment I am still a student with financial limitations. Maybe someday. But today, all I have is some change in my pocket, or maybe some bread. So at that moment on the street, when I have something extra, I decide to give. While it may not solve a long term problem, I may have helped another person live another day.
29 November 2012
Discussed Text: Levinas, "There Is," Ethics and Infinity
One of the most common ethical concerns was raised in class: Is it okay to give to beggars? Or will giving only contribute to the social problem?
I believe that if I have something extra, whether food or money, it is usually better to go ahead and give. As mentioned in class, it is better to err on the side of caritas (which is Latin for charity or love). In other words, it is better to be wrong because I loved, rather than being always '"right", because I did nothing in the first place. The usual counterargument is that those in need must approach the DSWD or the NGOs instead of begging. Another argument is, why won't they look for work? I think that while these points are valid, when put into the situation of to give or not to give, I cannot help but think why am I not in this person's situation? Why am I not begging in the street? Why was I born to a family that can provide for me? Why me? And at that situation I realize that I do not have the right to blame the poor as to why they are poor, nor do I have the right to rationalize the many options they have for them to escape poverty instead of bothering me. I cannot judge that it is the poor's fault that they are in that situation, because I myself did not choose to be rich, or at least provided for. In the bigger picture, I was blessed to be "thrown" into existence through a family with some means. But why? The other side of this realization is the question, why was this person "thrown" into poverty? Why do opportunities evade him? These are the questions I do not have the answers to, and yet, by being aware that my situation in society is a gift, I feel the weight of responsibility. Perhaps whatever extra I have is for another. As it was my family's responsibility to take care of me, maybe for the moment, it is my responsibility to take care of this person that demands from me. There is this person that demands from me, calls me to give, yet I do not know him. But even if I do not know him, I feel that he is one of many that I should respond to. And with this feeling of responsibility (or gratefulness, or even guilt), also comes frustration. I feel that I want to give in a way that is more efficient, more sustainable. However, at the moment I am still a student with financial limitations. Maybe someday. But today, all I have is some change in my pocket, or maybe some bread. So at that moment on the street, when I have something extra, I decide to give. While it may not solve a long term problem, I may have helped another person live another day.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Ambition
by Dave Au
27 November 2012
Discussed Text: Levinas, "It Is There," Ethics and Infinity
Remember the time when we were kids and were asked what we wanted to be by the grown-ups, we answered them that we wanted to become either policemen/policewomen, firefighters, soldiers, doctors, engineers or even the long-shot dream of becoming a superhero? And as we wanted to save the day, make the world a better place and do a whole lot of good, we did so with wholehearted concern for the other, and as we were asked why, we said that it was the right thing to do.
When did it become so complicated?
During a class discussion led by Sir Earl, Dr. Garcia's teaching assistant, a question was thrown at us: What is it to live an authentic life? Answers came flying from various seats in the lecture hall. Although most of them varied and the class was creative in coming up with their own unique answers, a recurring trend seemed to pervade no matter how well thought out the answer was. All of their answers seemed to be solely focused on the self, the I, the ME, MINE.
Coming from the lectures and discussions held during the class, I pieced together the concept of Il y a in my own opinion as a lethargy, a form of contentment, the absence of willpower, the abstinence from struggle. Further explained, it is something that hampers, an obstruction. It is something that holds us back, an indecisiveness. It is something that we create, whether unintentionally or of our own volition.
I grew up as a kid watching the series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and not a week would go by without me watching a couple of episodes. I was enthralled with how the protagonists piece together a crime just solely on the evidence and testimony, and how they strive to bring justice to both victim and perpetrator. Although I knew that the show was merely a work of fiction, I couldn't help but feel that some part of me was being spurned on by the idea of bringing justice to those who are wronged, to those who are helpless. Before I knew it, I decided on the ambition that I was to study criminology and work on a career in forensics.
But not everything goes as planned.
When I was nearing graduation from high school I was confronted by my father about my choices. He said that I should pick a course that would bring food to the table, and that I shouldn't chase a childish ambition. We argued back and forth, but after a while I eventually conceded. I put my dreams aside to study Management Economics, one his chosen courses for me.
It seems that as we grow up we are eventually faced with the conundrum of giving up our idealized, righteous ambitions for the sake of enriching ourselves and ourselves only. As we grow older, we become content with meeting only our needs, instead of helping people. We start to focus on getting what we want instead of sharing what we have with the other. We learn to distance ourselves from those persons who need our care, and we teach ourselves to become afraid of reaching out to the other. Eventually we start living a selfish and inauthentic life with our hearts closed off from the world, Il y a-ing ourselves away.
This is why we don't feel the slightest bit disturbed when we hear about the murder of a man being reported in the news. We've become so entrenched in apathy that we become desensitized. Every tragedy just feels distant, so distant that we don't even give a single thought of reflection towards it. This is worlds apart from the poem that Dr. Garcia religiously prescribes to us at the start of every meeting, that every man is part of the mainland, and each of their death diminishes our being.
So what can we do to live authentically? For one we need to get off our high horse and realize that we are not the center of the universe. We need to push down the Il y a and stop just being content with putting our own desires first. We are called upon to transcend our boundaries, to go out of our comfort zone. We are called upon to meet the needs of the other, not just our own. One concept that I learned from one of my other classes, Theology 131, is that love is a circular process. In loving the other we learn to love ourselves, and we enrich both ourselves and the other. Thus, in doing so we destroy the constraints that we have made for ourselves, and we are liberated from the ll y a. This task may not seem easy for everyone to undertake, but struggling is a natural part of our humanity, and it is this very challenge that affirms our existence.
27 November 2012
Discussed Text: Levinas, "It Is There," Ethics and Infinity
Remember the time when we were kids and were asked what we wanted to be by the grown-ups, we answered them that we wanted to become either policemen/policewomen, firefighters, soldiers, doctors, engineers or even the long-shot dream of becoming a superhero? And as we wanted to save the day, make the world a better place and do a whole lot of good, we did so with wholehearted concern for the other, and as we were asked why, we said that it was the right thing to do.
When did it become so complicated?
During a class discussion led by Sir Earl, Dr. Garcia's teaching assistant, a question was thrown at us: What is it to live an authentic life? Answers came flying from various seats in the lecture hall. Although most of them varied and the class was creative in coming up with their own unique answers, a recurring trend seemed to pervade no matter how well thought out the answer was. All of their answers seemed to be solely focused on the self, the I, the ME, MINE.
Coming from the lectures and discussions held during the class, I pieced together the concept of Il y a in my own opinion as a lethargy, a form of contentment, the absence of willpower, the abstinence from struggle. Further explained, it is something that hampers, an obstruction. It is something that holds us back, an indecisiveness. It is something that we create, whether unintentionally or of our own volition.
I grew up as a kid watching the series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and not a week would go by without me watching a couple of episodes. I was enthralled with how the protagonists piece together a crime just solely on the evidence and testimony, and how they strive to bring justice to both victim and perpetrator. Although I knew that the show was merely a work of fiction, I couldn't help but feel that some part of me was being spurned on by the idea of bringing justice to those who are wronged, to those who are helpless. Before I knew it, I decided on the ambition that I was to study criminology and work on a career in forensics.
But not everything goes as planned.
When I was nearing graduation from high school I was confronted by my father about my choices. He said that I should pick a course that would bring food to the table, and that I shouldn't chase a childish ambition. We argued back and forth, but after a while I eventually conceded. I put my dreams aside to study Management Economics, one his chosen courses for me.
It seems that as we grow up we are eventually faced with the conundrum of giving up our idealized, righteous ambitions for the sake of enriching ourselves and ourselves only. As we grow older, we become content with meeting only our needs, instead of helping people. We start to focus on getting what we want instead of sharing what we have with the other. We learn to distance ourselves from those persons who need our care, and we teach ourselves to become afraid of reaching out to the other. Eventually we start living a selfish and inauthentic life with our hearts closed off from the world, Il y a-ing ourselves away.
This is why we don't feel the slightest bit disturbed when we hear about the murder of a man being reported in the news. We've become so entrenched in apathy that we become desensitized. Every tragedy just feels distant, so distant that we don't even give a single thought of reflection towards it. This is worlds apart from the poem that Dr. Garcia religiously prescribes to us at the start of every meeting, that every man is part of the mainland, and each of their death diminishes our being.
So what can we do to live authentically? For one we need to get off our high horse and realize that we are not the center of the universe. We need to push down the Il y a and stop just being content with putting our own desires first. We are called upon to transcend our boundaries, to go out of our comfort zone. We are called upon to meet the needs of the other, not just our own. One concept that I learned from one of my other classes, Theology 131, is that love is a circular process. In loving the other we learn to love ourselves, and we enrich both ourselves and the other. Thus, in doing so we destroy the constraints that we have made for ourselves, and we are liberated from the ll y a. This task may not seem easy for everyone to undertake, but struggling is a natural part of our humanity, and it is this very challenge that affirms our existence.
Grey
by Agassi Adre
Yes and No.
Funny words, those two; small, yet heavy. Simple, yet complex. Also, they are the easiest translatable words in the world. This linguistic quality is unique. Before I actually start, I'd like to develop on this linguistic quality, as it will be important later.
In linguistics, languages develop from a need to convey ideas, and differing languages show different interpretations of ideas. By extension, if an idea does not exist in a culture or it is not important, that culture does not develop a code or word for it, hence the lack of the word 'snow' in Tagalog or 'mamihlapinatapei*' in English. Which then leads linguists, writers, and wordsmiths to either attempt to translate or borrow words from other languages. But the words 'Yes' and 'No' exist throughout every culture, in every language. Hence, we can conclude that, to all human beings, 'yes' and 'no', as ideas, exist and are important.
And so, I begin formally.
We discussed the idea of 'yes' and 'no' and their value as an affirmation of our values and character, as well as an affirmation of our self, of our being and Being. It was well established, I suppose, that when posed the question of answering 'no' as being a bad thing, that the agreement is it is not. On the contrary, saying 'no' is another way of affirming ourselves, of our being and Being, even if the dictionaries define 'no' as a word to, in this context, denote denial. I took away from the lecture this notion that maybe the word 'no' maybe a stronger affirmation of being and Being than saying 'yes'.
We throw around those two words a lot in our lives that we tend to experience jamais vu** with them, where they lose their inherent value, and we forget that those small words are capable of defining and affirming who we are as a person. And I think we ought to remember that characteristic, even if it is not a conscious remembrance. Remembering that particular characteristic of those words can allow us, in my opinion, understand better who and what we are and who and what we are not.
This shared characteristic between those two words debunk the idea that 'yes' and 'no' are a dichotomy, two sides to a coin. On the contrary, and as was established in class, is that those words are rather like scissors; which we use to cut off other options, other choices. This shared characteristic also transcends cultures. Every culture, every human being, understands the idea behind the words 'yes' and 'no'. This means that there is a universal value to these words, and every culture holds importance to them, because beyond borders, beyond barriers, beyond languages, a need to affirm oneself and to mark a self-distinction from the il y a exists for all. We need those words to affirm ourselves, to distinguish ourselves, to mark us as unique.
In our quest to distinguish ourselves, we pick out the things that we are and cut off those that we are not. Prudence and discernment are needed, as we find out, the longer we are on this quest, the harder it is to see things as black and white, for all eventually become shades of grey.
*mamihlapinatapei or mamihlapinatapai – From the Yaghan language of Tierra del Fuego in southern Argentina, meaning 'a look shared by 2 people, each wishing that the other will offer something they both desire but are unwilling to offer or suggest themselves'. Think the state of mutual understanding between couples; a state after dating and before a steady relationship.
** jamais vu – French for 'never seen'. Considered to be the opposite of deja vu (already seen). It is the feeling of doing, saying, or experiencing something repeatedly that they lose meaning or value. Example: Say 'apple' repeatedly. After a while, if you don't become crazy, you suddenly have no idea what 'apple' means.
Yes and No.
Funny words, those two; small, yet heavy. Simple, yet complex. Also, they are the easiest translatable words in the world. This linguistic quality is unique. Before I actually start, I'd like to develop on this linguistic quality, as it will be important later.
In linguistics, languages develop from a need to convey ideas, and differing languages show different interpretations of ideas. By extension, if an idea does not exist in a culture or it is not important, that culture does not develop a code or word for it, hence the lack of the word 'snow' in Tagalog or 'mamihlapinatapei*' in English. Which then leads linguists, writers, and wordsmiths to either attempt to translate or borrow words from other languages. But the words 'Yes' and 'No' exist throughout every culture, in every language. Hence, we can conclude that, to all human beings, 'yes' and 'no', as ideas, exist and are important.
And so, I begin formally.
We discussed the idea of 'yes' and 'no' and their value as an affirmation of our values and character, as well as an affirmation of our self, of our being and Being. It was well established, I suppose, that when posed the question of answering 'no' as being a bad thing, that the agreement is it is not. On the contrary, saying 'no' is another way of affirming ourselves, of our being and Being, even if the dictionaries define 'no' as a word to, in this context, denote denial. I took away from the lecture this notion that maybe the word 'no' maybe a stronger affirmation of being and Being than saying 'yes'.
We throw around those two words a lot in our lives that we tend to experience jamais vu** with them, where they lose their inherent value, and we forget that those small words are capable of defining and affirming who we are as a person. And I think we ought to remember that characteristic, even if it is not a conscious remembrance. Remembering that particular characteristic of those words can allow us, in my opinion, understand better who and what we are and who and what we are not.
This shared characteristic between those two words debunk the idea that 'yes' and 'no' are a dichotomy, two sides to a coin. On the contrary, and as was established in class, is that those words are rather like scissors; which we use to cut off other options, other choices. This shared characteristic also transcends cultures. Every culture, every human being, understands the idea behind the words 'yes' and 'no'. This means that there is a universal value to these words, and every culture holds importance to them, because beyond borders, beyond barriers, beyond languages, a need to affirm oneself and to mark a self-distinction from the il y a exists for all. We need those words to affirm ourselves, to distinguish ourselves, to mark us as unique.
In our quest to distinguish ourselves, we pick out the things that we are and cut off those that we are not. Prudence and discernment are needed, as we find out, the longer we are on this quest, the harder it is to see things as black and white, for all eventually become shades of grey.
*mamihlapinatapei or mamihlapinatapai – From the Yaghan language of Tierra del Fuego in southern Argentina, meaning 'a look shared by 2 people, each wishing that the other will offer something they both desire but are unwilling to offer or suggest themselves'. Think the state of mutual understanding between couples; a state after dating and before a steady relationship.
** jamais vu – French for 'never seen'. Considered to be the opposite of deja vu (already seen). It is the feeling of doing, saying, or experiencing something repeatedly that they lose meaning or value. Example: Say 'apple' repeatedly. After a while, if you don't become crazy, you suddenly have no idea what 'apple' means.
Monday, November 26, 2012
Caught In The Middle
by Lica Lee
I’ll be completely honest and say that though philosophy is quite interesting, sometimes, I feel like it seems to hate me. I find a lot of things subjects in school pretty interesting, but none of them seems to dislike me the way philosophy does. For example, I find accounting a pretty interesting subject (yes, I find it quite interesting so sue me haha), so when I push myself to study, I seem to understand things eventually. But that is sadly not the case in philosophy. Though I push myself to keep reading, listening in class and studying, I still find it ridiculously challenging to grasp the concepts sometimes.
But there are certain concepts that seem more graspable. Last Thursday, we talked about il y a. Now this is something I found amazingly easier to grasp, easier to understand. If I am not mistaken, this seems to be the middle ground, that moment when you are “caught in the middle”, that moment when you ask, “should I or should I not?” or “is it or isn’t it?” Maybe I found this one easier to grasp simply because it is so easy to relate to. I realized that maybe I have been stuck in il y a for way too long. In this very moment that I am writing, I am actually trying to fight and overcome this state of il y a. Yes, I love to write, but I guess I never actually wrote anything for this class blog ever. Why not? It is probably out of fear. Will I get judged? Yeah, I probably will, but why should I still write anyway? Because it is my passion and I have something to say. Isn’t that enough of a reason? Simply because I can and I want to. And when I finish writing this, I have to overcome yet another state of il y a. Should I send it or is it enough that I have poured out what I need to say by typing this down? Well, if you happen to read this, then I guess I overcame this state of il y a as well. I defeated that fear.
But something in the back of my mind is still bothering me. Most examples I have heard in class, read on other blog posts and even the ones I gave here pretty much have the same idea. By choosing to just do it, in a way, we overcome this fear, we consider ourselves to have won the battle. But should this always be the case? What if in that state of il y a, we chose to stay silent? What if we chose to not do it? Does that mean we have lost against this fear that probably causes this state of il y a? How about in this example? Say, you have strong feelings for someone. You are sure, this is what they call love and you have found it. But there is just one problem. You know he/she has someone else. So you are in this state of il y a. You are caught in the middle. Should you tell him/her or not? If you do, you MIGHT just get your fairytale ending, but at the expense of someone else. If you don’t, does that mean you are not strong enough because you chose not to do it? (If you don’t understand the example I gave just now, listen to this song, which perfectly describes that story I just gave.)
With cases like these, is it always right to just do it then? Or is choosing not to do it the right thing to do sometimes?
I’ll be completely honest and say that though philosophy is quite interesting, sometimes, I feel like it seems to hate me. I find a lot of things subjects in school pretty interesting, but none of them seems to dislike me the way philosophy does. For example, I find accounting a pretty interesting subject (yes, I find it quite interesting so sue me haha), so when I push myself to study, I seem to understand things eventually. But that is sadly not the case in philosophy. Though I push myself to keep reading, listening in class and studying, I still find it ridiculously challenging to grasp the concepts sometimes.
But there are certain concepts that seem more graspable. Last Thursday, we talked about il y a. Now this is something I found amazingly easier to grasp, easier to understand. If I am not mistaken, this seems to be the middle ground, that moment when you are “caught in the middle”, that moment when you ask, “should I or should I not?” or “is it or isn’t it?” Maybe I found this one easier to grasp simply because it is so easy to relate to. I realized that maybe I have been stuck in il y a for way too long. In this very moment that I am writing, I am actually trying to fight and overcome this state of il y a. Yes, I love to write, but I guess I never actually wrote anything for this class blog ever. Why not? It is probably out of fear. Will I get judged? Yeah, I probably will, but why should I still write anyway? Because it is my passion and I have something to say. Isn’t that enough of a reason? Simply because I can and I want to. And when I finish writing this, I have to overcome yet another state of il y a. Should I send it or is it enough that I have poured out what I need to say by typing this down? Well, if you happen to read this, then I guess I overcame this state of il y a as well. I defeated that fear.
But something in the back of my mind is still bothering me. Most examples I have heard in class, read on other blog posts and even the ones I gave here pretty much have the same idea. By choosing to just do it, in a way, we overcome this fear, we consider ourselves to have won the battle. But should this always be the case? What if in that state of il y a, we chose to stay silent? What if we chose to not do it? Does that mean we have lost against this fear that probably causes this state of il y a? How about in this example? Say, you have strong feelings for someone. You are sure, this is what they call love and you have found it. But there is just one problem. You know he/she has someone else. So you are in this state of il y a. You are caught in the middle. Should you tell him/her or not? If you do, you MIGHT just get your fairytale ending, but at the expense of someone else. If you don’t, does that mean you are not strong enough because you chose not to do it? (If you don’t understand the example I gave just now, listen to this song, which perfectly describes that story I just gave.)
Friday, November 23, 2012
Routines
by Paul Amistoso
22 November 2012
Discussed text: Levinas, "There Is, Ethics and Infinity
You are woken up by your annoyingly effective alarm clock. You roll over to one side of the bed and reach for the snooze button. Five minutes later, you get up, brush your teeth, wash your face, and proceed to cooking breakfast. Once that’s done with, you take a shower, brush your teeth, and take a look at your face through the mirror. It looks the same as always. You go to school and come back home a few hours after. On some days, you go out with friends. On other days, you spend time with your girlfriend in your room. At the end of the day, you take a shower, brush your teeth, and take a look at your face through the mirror. It looks the same as always.
This may seem eerily familiar for some of you but for the longest time, this was how I lived, day in and day out, in my quiet apartment room. I’ve always been the type of person who prefers having a routine. After all, having a routine is safe and prevents you from having to go through burdensome things. I preferred simply drifting along, always trying not to disturb the flow of things. I was content.
Of course, a routine can only be maintained if all the elements that comprise it keep running. As soon as my relationship with one person ended, I got lost. A very big aspect of my everyday life had disappeared. In an effort to distract myself from how I was feeling, I decided to keep busy. I accepted work here and there. I took up projects here and there. I went to places I’ve never had the time to go to back then. I finally spent time with friends whose invitations I’ve always declined back then. In the past few weeks, I’ve met more people than I have ever had in the past year. Before I knew it, I was having so much fun that the reason I started doing all of those things no longer seemed relevant. I found one thing strange, however. With the way things are going right now, I am far from content. Every minute, I’m itching to do something new and to go places I have yet to see. I am discontented, I am dissatisfied, and yet, I am happy.
Surprisingly, I found my answer when Dr. Garcia started talking about il y a. As far as I could remember with my lousy attention span, he defined il y a as a lethargy, a lack of activity, and a lack of initiative. He described it as simply prodding along with no goal, no “star”, and no direction. Come to think of it, he used many words to paint what il y a is but the words that struck me the most were “lost” and “contentment”. How I felt finally made sense when he definitively said that contentment is not necessarily equal to happiness.
I was definitely content with how things were going back then. However, there was something at the back of my mind that bugged me from time to time. I had always brushed it off, ignoring it, and keeping it there, at the back of my head. Now, however, it all makes – I was unhappy. It’s ridiculous how it took me all this time to realize it. Perhaps, I may have already realized it long ago but was simply too afraid, simply too hesitant, and simply too comfortable. I was too comfortable with “il y a-ing” that I ignored my own unhappiness.
This may be what Dr. Garcia has always meant when he prays with the class, “Disturb us, O Lord”. As he had said earlier, perhaps the biggest temptation of man is the desire to not be disturbed. Perhaps, great disturbances are actually opportunities for us to get out of il y a, to get out of our routines, to get out of our contentment.
With that, I leave you a song that basically sums up what getting out of il y a is all about.
22 November 2012
Discussed text: Levinas, "There Is, Ethics and Infinity
You are woken up by your annoyingly effective alarm clock. You roll over to one side of the bed and reach for the snooze button. Five minutes later, you get up, brush your teeth, wash your face, and proceed to cooking breakfast. Once that’s done with, you take a shower, brush your teeth, and take a look at your face through the mirror. It looks the same as always. You go to school and come back home a few hours after. On some days, you go out with friends. On other days, you spend time with your girlfriend in your room. At the end of the day, you take a shower, brush your teeth, and take a look at your face through the mirror. It looks the same as always.
This may seem eerily familiar for some of you but for the longest time, this was how I lived, day in and day out, in my quiet apartment room. I’ve always been the type of person who prefers having a routine. After all, having a routine is safe and prevents you from having to go through burdensome things. I preferred simply drifting along, always trying not to disturb the flow of things. I was content.
Of course, a routine can only be maintained if all the elements that comprise it keep running. As soon as my relationship with one person ended, I got lost. A very big aspect of my everyday life had disappeared. In an effort to distract myself from how I was feeling, I decided to keep busy. I accepted work here and there. I took up projects here and there. I went to places I’ve never had the time to go to back then. I finally spent time with friends whose invitations I’ve always declined back then. In the past few weeks, I’ve met more people than I have ever had in the past year. Before I knew it, I was having so much fun that the reason I started doing all of those things no longer seemed relevant. I found one thing strange, however. With the way things are going right now, I am far from content. Every minute, I’m itching to do something new and to go places I have yet to see. I am discontented, I am dissatisfied, and yet, I am happy.
Surprisingly, I found my answer when Dr. Garcia started talking about il y a. As far as I could remember with my lousy attention span, he defined il y a as a lethargy, a lack of activity, and a lack of initiative. He described it as simply prodding along with no goal, no “star”, and no direction. Come to think of it, he used many words to paint what il y a is but the words that struck me the most were “lost” and “contentment”. How I felt finally made sense when he definitively said that contentment is not necessarily equal to happiness.
I was definitely content with how things were going back then. However, there was something at the back of my mind that bugged me from time to time. I had always brushed it off, ignoring it, and keeping it there, at the back of my head. Now, however, it all makes – I was unhappy. It’s ridiculous how it took me all this time to realize it. Perhaps, I may have already realized it long ago but was simply too afraid, simply too hesitant, and simply too comfortable. I was too comfortable with “il y a-ing” that I ignored my own unhappiness.
This may be what Dr. Garcia has always meant when he prays with the class, “Disturb us, O Lord”. As he had said earlier, perhaps the biggest temptation of man is the desire to not be disturbed. Perhaps, great disturbances are actually opportunities for us to get out of il y a, to get out of our routines, to get out of our contentment.
With that, I leave you a song that basically sums up what getting out of il y a is all about.
There Is
by Avery Wong
22 November 2012
Discussed Text: Levinas, "There Is," Ethics and Infinity
I woke up this morning feeling extra lazy to go school. I was tempted to cut Philo today just because it is my only class. I could’ve spent my morning sleeping like a baby sloth comfortable in my own little bed, but no, I had to wake up early to attend Dr. Garcia’s class. If I had slept like that baby sloth though, I would have probably miss out on “Il y a” and enjoy the morning with the satisfaction of waking up late but later suffer at night just staring at an empty word file, “Il y a”-ing and blaming myself for not going to today’s lecture.
The first thing that came to my head when I heard “Il y a” was: “il-what?”.Levinas sounded like an African-American-Swedish rapper trying to compliment another man’s rap. “Your rap is ill,ya?” Jokes aside, to be honest, I’m not exactly sure what the “There Is” means. Levinas said that “Il y a” is not something nor is it nothing. So what is it then? After hearing all the examples in class, I’m lead to think that this tricky word, is closely related to, correct me if I’m wrong, a state/situation/position. It is not something nor is it nothingness.
It’s hard to explain it. All I can do with my limited understanding is to help give more examples to point towards “There Is”.
“There Is”is when there’s a restlessness to become more, but at the same time the dread to be a definite being. It is that middle ground, where you haven’t gone out, but another part of you wants to.Maybe most of you have this feeling of wanting to know someone but somehow you don’t want to.Maybe it’s a crush. Maybe more than 1. Or it could be that wanting to know someone just because you see that person every day. You know that feeling of seeing a person you know by face but don’t know very well, look right back feeling the same thing? Yup, “Il y a”. At that moment, you don’t know exactly what to do. A part of you wants to step out and know them or at least say “hi”, but another part of you will pull you back. That same thing happens to the other person and both of you just look away. Wondering what happened and the next moment shrug it off as if nothing did.
It could also be that moment when you have this vague image of a better self, a more creative self, but when opportunities arise, a part of you just pulls you back and you miss that opportunity. I had a lot of those Il y a moments, when I was (and still am) in a dread to perform for people, but deep inside I have this eagerness, this wanting to affect them in some way with my music.
It could also be that we try to be all but end up mastering nothing at all.That dread of not wanting to be because you might close other doors.Or even that dread of wanting to be. Half of you wants to be while the other half holds you down and reminds you that becoming entails the responsibilities that go with it. Take for example a friend asking his buddy: “Kayo na ba?..Not yet official, bakit?” when in fact that buddy of his is actually doing things not even traditional couples do that early in the relationship. You know what I mean.
All these things could be “Il y a”. Maybe some might simplify it as a “fear of”. It could be a fear of embarrassment, a fear of rejection, a fear of failure, or maybe a fear of commitment. But I think “Il y a” is more than fear or anxiety. Insomnia, according to Levinas, is an example of the “There Is” where no fear or anxiety is involved. One wants to sleep but cannot sleep. It is not the person’s own doing that he can’t sleep, nor is it not entirely his doing.There is something (but it is not really a thing nor is it nothing) that affects or is affected.
I stopped and thought to myself: “Would there even be a consideration of not wanting to be if there was no consideration of the reaction of the other?” One would most probably recite in class or talk to the teacher as if he/she is the only one in that class without others judging his answers if there were considerations of the other students. He/she would definitely BE reciting in class. So in short, I’m telling myself to not mind other people, but still, it’s hard not minding them.
The next thing to ask, I guess, is how to stand out and Exist and, not be a baby sloth (even if they’re so fuzzy and cute).So here are some of my thoughts, hope they helped or entertained you in some way.
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Carpe Diem
by Abi Go
Before I begin, I have to warn you that I am currently driven by emotions and I am barely looking at the screen as I type. If you are the kind of person who cringes at another person’s display of emotions, then maybe it would be wise to close the window and I would not mind if you do so. I wouldn’t know anyway.
I rarely write, and I write only when I have to, or when I am utterly inspired and happy which is even rarer. So thank goodness because that is why I am writing right now. It is funny how emotions could be so fickle and how I could go from thinking that today would be as sad as yesterday to believing that today is so breathtakingly beautiful that I wonder why I thought otherwise.
In my case, not wanting to get out of bed is perfectly normal, but not wanting to go to school is … alarming. Nevertheless, that was exactly how I started my day. I was dragging my feet around and taking my time, and as a result, I left home later than usual. I thought for sure that I would be late, but for once, I could not find it in me to care. However, things do not always happen as you expect them to happen. I arrived ten minutes early.
And then we were talking about il y a, and we were plunged into darkness and brought out of it. Something in me was awakened, something I could not identify, but it is there, and there it is. My hand was shaking when I raised it, yet still I was unusually determined, so I kept it in the air and refused to retreat. Odd enough, I am not the type to recite, because every single time I do, my whole being shakes.
Maybe it wants to be free, but is afraid to be?
Today, I recited twice and I cannot explain how it happened. It just made sense. And like Nike, I just did it. When I began to think about it, I went from gradual realization to startling awareness … that I have been in il y a all along. That thing in me is wide-awake and eager to tear me into two and come out of me. It became a need for me to speak up. Stand out.
And exist.
So I did. And I felt free, happy, and more alive than yesterday. The experience was so very ordinary when taken at face value, but it had been extraordinarily humbling and rejuvenating for me. Maybe I am being overly dramatic, or maybe it is just coffee talking, but I could not care less.
Life is not to be postponed. Step out of yourself and stand out today.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)