Breaking the Law

by Patrick Cruz

Rethinking that time when I had made the choice of joining the relief efforts for the areas struck by Typhoon Yolanda, I question myself: is it really for them, or just for me?

In many cases, not just in that particular situation, that I constantly raise that question to myself. More often, I end up still remaining clueless because the issue at hand seems to be putting me in a circular track. But as Dr. Garcia discussed Levinas’ Law of the I and Law of the Other, certain things got clarified. Before going to this, the laws, Law of the I and Law of the Other, must first be understood carefully. Law of the I basically defines one who has already gone out for the other, but still chooses to return to himself purposively. All the things that this person does is always in reference to himself, where he is the center of the universe and he has already become the law. He sees things merely interconnected for his own benefit and his personal growth. He never creates ultimately meaningful relationships as he is afraid to fully set off from himself and risk for the people around him. For example, when this person lends a hand to his friend, he already thinks that his friend would start to have utang na loob to him. This person knows that someday, he should also ask a favor to him. The same case can be said when a person simply gives a help he’s most comfortable with. Every interaction with other is always seen as an opportunity for nourishment of one’s self alone, without having any concern on the other.

Totally opposite to this idea is the Law of the Other. This law defines a person who has gone out for the other and remains journeying through the mystery of the other. Here, Levinas speaks about dis-inter-ested-ness, how a person removes himself as the center of his own universe and includes other people to share his own. The person remains in the loving struggle of seeking the otherness of the other in building more meaningful relationships.


As I said earlier, certain things became clear as these ideas occupied my mind. One is that certainly, a person does things not only for himself. I might have felt the joy after I have helped, but that only comes after the choice that I made, where the affected people are much included. Another is that a person cannot fully relate with the other people by simply sharing tangential worlds with them. He must fully open himself in order to construct a bigger universe where more and more people can come in, even if he does not realize yet his growth along the way. There, I have sought for them, and not to find a place for myself. Truly, though I have not known yet to whom the efforts I exerted went to, I will always seek them and they will always remain to me.

On Choosing and Making Friends

by Christian Gallardo

Emmanuel Levinas made the distinction between the “Law of the I” and the “Law of the Other”. He stated that the pattern of the Western thought, which follows the “Law of the I”, is that the I goes to the Other but only to go back to one’s self. On the contrary, the pattern of the “Law of the Other” is that the I goes to Other and remains there. From this we can imply that the “Law of the I” goes to the Other with the intention of a gain for one’s self. It reduces the “alterity” of the Other in a way that the Other is reduced to what the functionality is for the I. Hence, its relationship is more egoistic. On the other hand, the relationship of the “Law of the Other” is altruistic and selfless, meaning, it is not based on any gain or benefits, rather, it is based on caring or being responsible for the Other which respects its uniqueness.

Upon hearing, I could not help but relate it with the aspect of choosing or making friends. When I entered High School, I was frequently advised by my parents to choose decent friends which would be a good influence to me throughout my life. I was reminded often, especially during my first year in high school, to stay away from drug addicts, cigarette smokers, students who cut classes just to hang around somewhere and the like. This reminder somehow instilled in me a thought that friends should be chosen, not made.

Furthermore, it turns out that when I entered High School, “cliques” are very common. Cliques refer to a group of people having a common interest or other features and they do not readily allow other people without such same interest or feature to join them. Hence, I encountered various “cliques”, from group of preppies, to nerds, to rock stars, to athletes and so on and forth. Furthermore, I also encountered some people who hang out with “friends” to make them stand out. And this proved to me that friends are really chosen, not made.

Although these are the type of relationships that Levinas is opposing to. One must not go out to the Other because of one’s selfish interest. One must not reduce the Other to what one wants it to be. We should not choose our friends. Instead, we should make friends. One must respect the Alterity of the Other- its uniqueness and mystery that makes life more exciting. True and good friends must respect the Alterity of each other anyway so friends must not force each other to conform and to be uniform. Rather, friends must allow each other to grow and develop “to be”.

In Life's U-Turn

by Eve Avila

NOTE: This is an article published over Rappler.

A handsome old man (the proprietor of the 3-star hotel where I stayed recently in Jodhpur, India) noticed that we were born in the same year (he saw it in the registry book) but asked how come I did not look my age. Then he was fast to say that it’s perhaps because my hair does not show as I wear a turban and I don’t have an elp. And what is that? He proceeded to demonstrate that it’s the flabby skin under the chin most commonly found among elderly women. I will be untruthful if I say I did not enjoy it when he pecked me on the cheek.

A few years before reaching the compulsory retirement age, I left my full-time job to volunteer overseas. After two years in Africa, I am back home and experiencing an identity crisis similar to a child who is in transition to becoming a teenager.

Should I be deliberate about trying not to look elderly and utter a white lie when casually asked in what year I was born? What for? Unless I make it a past-time to engage in a guessing game. In this modern world of inclusivity and equal opportunity, it has become acceptable to come-as-you are.

Feeling good

Regardless of my age, I still want to look good because it makes me feel good. When I feel good, I can make people around me feel good, too.

With age, my eyebrows are now disappearing with a speck of white hairs left. No problem. I have the time to pluck the white hairs and meticulously arch my brows. I even apply mascara now when before I thought it was a time-waster.

As I still do not have sagging upper arms (no elp), I am more emboldened to wear haltered or sleeveless tops especially during the summer months. I don’t worry about the underarm hairs because they are now maintenance-free, if not invisible, being sparse and white.

I wear a turban or a hat to protect my hair coloring which easily fades with the sun. But frankly, I think I look younger with those colorful head gears.

Carded

Accepting the truths associated with my age has indeed set me free. The first step to gaining that liberation was to apply for a senior citizens card.

A senior citizens card is far more superior than those issued by banks for their high net worth clients or international airline carriers for their frequent flyers or business and first class travelers. One is issued a senior citizens card not on the basis of how much money you have shelled-out to gain the special treatment. By simply letting nature take its course, one becomes privileged. So why not enjoy the ride?

As a senior citizen, I can jump queues almost everywhere, except when lining up for Holy Communion. I get special seats even in the cashier’s queue of a supermarket, discounts on purchases including movie house seats, restaurants, transport systems (except jeepneys, tricycles and taxis). But since my physique does not easily reveal my age, I have to brandish my senior citizens card lest I get heckled or maliciously stared at. It is wonderful to have a senior citizens card!

Annoyed

Embracing my new identify is however, not easy. I get annoyed when someone who looks older to me calls me 'ate', 'auntie', 'nanay' or 'lola'. The gall!

My tone changes to irritation when I talk to people who are wont to using “in” phrases such as “ask ko lang”, “wait lang”, “let me double-check” (even if it is the first time to check), “’Te/Kuya” (when it used to be Miss or Mister). I want to use ear plugs when I hear the word “pasensiya” profusely used in the context of "please tolerate my stupidity”.

I also have to get adjusted to the declining quality of service that I get from salespersons and call center agents.

These days, call center agents have become mere telephone operators. A far cry from the caliber of the agents some 4 to 5 years ago. Other than the deteriorating command of the English language with a universal accent, they seldom resolve phoned-in problems now. The recent trend is for them to say that they will forward your complaint to the department concerned. Are the call center agents burned-out or getting substandard training or turning out fast? Or has the business model of call centers been changed that the core service being offered (aided by the script) is just for someone to be on the line to receive calls and not solve complaints or problems?

Likewise, those behind the counters (even of reputable department stores) do not seem very knowledgeable about the products they are selling. Ask them about product features and they give you mediocre answers just to make a sale. Is this because of the trend of hiring casual or contractual salespersons who are replaced by a new batch before the end of the 6th month on the job? Do customers need to always remember “caveat emptor”? Being a senior citizen, I can only remember the times past when shopping was like an educational tour.

Beating the inevitable

If I have an issue about aging, it is the faculty of remembering. In my younger days, I often ascribed forgetfulness to being distracted, having too much on my plate or blaming my secretary. I simply have to devise ways now to combat this inevitability.

I don’t use a handbag because I am afraid to forget it. I have changed my wardrobe from office attire to T-shirts and pants with pockets. No need for a handbag when all I need to carry are my not-so-smart cell phone, a lipstick, and wallet with my senior citizens card, of course.

I don’t relish driving a car around the city anymore but I still enjoy long drives. With my 26-year old Jeep with a manual transmission, I sometimes forget what gear I am running on. At my age, my hearing is probably getting impaired that I do not hear my engine whining. But again, no problem. I have devised a method that if I am not on a top gear, I place my hand on the stick shift to remind me to watch out. It works, most of the time.

Nothing can spoil my fun though because I am now in possession of a great wealth – my own time.

I still wake up at 5:00 in the morning because by habit, I do not want to snub the beautiful sunshine by tarrying in bed. Nights and days were created for specific purposes and I look forward to what I can do best especially with my MacBook Pro.

With time in my hands, I am beginning to acquire the virtue of patience – something that I did not have in my younger days of rat race and ever-present sense of urgency. In a queue, I can wait for my turn even if it takes hours. No problem. I can easily start a small talk about trivial things. Unlike before when I need to fill the time by bringing something to read or tinkering with my Blackberry.

I have shelved my management and finance books; they belonged to my past life. Instead, I find constant guidance from Koheleth’s Ecclesiastes, Victor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning, Louis Fisher’s Gandhi, and John Ruskin’s Unto the Last.

According to Ruskin, “there is no wealth but Life, including its powers of love, of joy and of admiration. The man is richest who, having perfected the functions of his own life to the utmost, has also the widest helpful influence, both personal, and by means of his possessions, over the lives of others.”

And when all is said and done, I hope that my children might have learned early enough from my experience.

The Precariousness of Presence

by Lyka Gonzalez

One could probably liken watching his or her favorite band or artist perform live to the spectacle of arriving in a city one has longed to explore. For one thing, the experience is magical. It’s magic: Intoxicating.

An instantaneous roar fills the arena upon the sound of the band’s opening song. The thundering energy of the crowd races your heart along with the tiny strands of hair in your body. Suddenly, you are in a moment of disbelief. The songs you used to continually listen to from your computer, radio, iPod or record player you are now hearing live. You are caught in this dreamlike state until a 9.5-inch tablet is raised before you virtually blocking your view.

Concert-goers often end up drowning in a sea of smartphones and tablets as other attendees exhaust their efforts in getting a recording of the event for themselves. What are their intentions behind this? Perhaps they intend to have a memento they can look back to from time to time. Perhaps they intend to post it on their Instagram and Facebook account afterwards. Would it not be more satisfying to look back on a lasting memory of the experience rather than trying to “relive” the performance on the screen? Is a digital recording really what you are paying for in that event? Whichever the reason, what is common between the two is how absent they makes us in the present.

Though aimed at improving the quality of life, technology makes its primary goal questionable today. In a society with growing number of social media platforms and constant advancement of technology, we unconsciously allow ourselves to be too forward-looking. We preoccupy ourselves with what we can look back to later on and what we will post afterwards that we fail to just be and experience the now. The digital age tries to connect us more with one another and perhaps with ourselves as well, but it has also enforced us to be overdependent on technology. The mindset we have grown to have and the dependency it has caused make us even more disconnected with each other and with the present. It puts genuine relationships and lasting experiences (pagsasamahan) into uncertainty. Instead of making us more in tune with ourselves and with each other, technology has distracted from lived experiences that make life more meaningful. As with all things, learning to live the experience begins in the littlest of changes. Often, it starts with a self-reminder. By calling your impulses to attention, you make yourself more mindful of your actions and opens your mind to other options. You become aware of yourself and your surroundings. Then, it continues in letting go. Being present and being in the present also start by simply putting that gadget down. Let go of your temporal inhibitions about what to save or “Share” afterwards. Shake those worries off. Listen to the music around you. Watch the lights dance before you. Immerse yourself in the vibrations of the crowd--of the moment.

Sing. Dance. Scream. Jump. Cry.

Just live it.

The Face Stamp: Self-Exploration or Narcissism? Self-Esteem or Cynical?

by Denise Tan

Selfies are the new medium of making the “self” accessibly known to the world. With the rise of technology, it’s no surprise how almost everyone are so into this bandwagon of “self-expression”.
But the question remains, is it something psychologically termed to be a form of self-exploration? Is it something of worth in terms of raising our self-esteem? Or is it deemed to be some horrifying cynical way of one’s narcissistic self-projection?

Psychologists say that the selfie movement elicits a feeling of independence from an individual. It makes us in control, as we are able to manipulate the image we are projecting to the world at large. It makes us be, in the long run, “better”. Added to this, some even say, that selfies can be used as a medium in addressing self-perceptions. It aids in a way of molding one’s sense of self to the world. It is a catalyzed form of constant connection and reconnection.

However, in a philosophical light, selfies can be discussed in these two views.

(1) Could selfies be just a medium for the “I” to project its dominance?
Backtracking to the wise philosophical teaching of Levinas, he talked about the domination of I, in the Law of the I. Sure, individuals who invest in selfies say it’s for self-projection. Some even say they are capturing moments of selfies to be able to concretize connection and fully share this to others, and to the world at large. This would then mean it’s something mutual, something beneficial. But are we really investing it only for connection and sharing purposes for others? In retrospect, selfiesrevolve around the idea of egonomy. We concretize the parts we feel uncertain in ourselves, and indirectly seek attention or affirmation from the people around us.

(2) Could selfies be a way of escape? Could it be ones way of instant gratification?
Levinas also talked about the sinking feeling of il y a—the feeling of uncertainty, fear, horror, disturbance, disaster. He talked about how one experiences a state of il y a before one emerges to Being (Heidegger). Hence, would it be possible that man has found a way to “skip” this state of ilya, and thrown oneself into living that sense of Being?

What if selfies is a medium to bypass this? But please, don’t get me wrong. I still think that selfiesare far from the real experienceof actually living the essence and realness of Be-ing itself. However, it makes me think on the lines of “what if”. What if people categorize the movement of selfies as them already reaching that state of “Being”? What if by getting that attention, by making the uncertainties of themselves become certain, they are able to project themselves to the world better? But that’s where the problem mainly lies. They are doing this for self-gratification. They are doing this to invest in the “instant”. They are doing this all for the immediate moment. They are escaping that state of progression into Being. They are running from their experience of il y a.

In terms of self-image, il y a could represent those moments where in we’re unsure of ourselves. We are unsure of our image. We are unsure if our worth’s enough. We are unsure of our look. We are unsure of our confidence. We are unsure of who we are mainly—our placement in the world, our standing. But that’s just the beauty of it—the uncertainty, the dark moments, the indeterminacies.We have get through them, because it is where we grow. We energize. We exude.
After all,it is only in darkness, that we discover our light.

Well, whatever opinion one has on selfies, to each his own. But just always know how to capitalize on it with the right intentions. Selfies has his own perks. It’s a given. But just don’t let it eat you up—whole.

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To cap off this blogpost, here’s a funny article on how far one can revolutionize the selfie life.

Snap away!(?)

Projecting The Self

by Kat Altomonte



Although I didn’t have the chance to say this in class this morning, I really didn’t agree on selfies being a negative habit or a waste of time. When I take a selfie, it is my way of projecting and marketing my self to the world. Each selfie I take, whether it be with family, with friends, or my doggie, is my way of sharing a part of myself to you.

It makes sense to me why selfies get more likes on Facebook and Instagram than the picture of pretty sunset does. It makes sense to me why selfies became so popular and why it is such an important aspect of our online identities. People are attracted to images of who you are. They give you their attention and give you the recognition that you want. Being able to capture the attention of so many people means that it is what people are actually looking for.


Selfies have the power of showing what you are passionate about: travel, food, art, music, whatever! There is opportunity in being able to both capture and create moments in a creative manner. Indeed, selfies do come across as narcissistic but they do have a personal element to it. But in this technological age and in the kind of society that operates today, they can be a means to share a snapshot of who you truly are what you love. Selfies are more than an act of vanity, they are a projection of the self.

A Big Adventure with the Little Prince

by Char Syliangco

I first read The Little Prince when I was 12. It was the oddest story for me back then – from the mysterious boa constrictor drawing to the huge guys stepping on small planets. Nothing in the story made sense to me, and it made me wonder why my teacher kept talking about this book like it was holy. A few years later, I randomly found my copy and read it. And then a few years after that again. What’s interesting about it is everytime I get to read it, it’s like I am able to unlock a new message. The book is like a mystery, and the only way to solve it is through age and time.

This is why I have come to love The Little Prince. It is a book that takes us to other worlds. We learn so much from it without leaving our seats; it is the prince who travels for us. He brings us to so many different planets, introduces us to a versatile bunch of people (even animals), and more importantly, he teaches us how to love.

Just in case you haven’t read it: the prince falls in love with a rose. The rose is unique; it was the first of its kind to sprout on the prince’s planet. Realizing that it was not harmful, he chose to take care of it despite her obvious vanity. The rose demanded to be treated with care because she was one of a kind. He took time to water it, protect her from harm, and cover her with a glass globe. But when the prince found out that roses were common in another world, he got hurt and decided to flee. In his journey, he learned that the rose was still one of a kind because it is the only plant he took care of. Also, he found out that the rose will not live forever. He hurried home to his planet upon discovering this.

The problem with us people is that we get too caught up in other people’s flaws that we fail to remember their strengths. There are times that we realize a friend/loved one of ours may be too loud, too sensitive, too irritating, what-have-you. Or maybe this friend might have even hurt us in some way. It is so easy to just hate on them or even stray away from them. But if we truly love this person, we would always choose to see past it. Our job is to point out their mistakes and be patient while they grow to be better people. With this, John Green’s quote comes to mind: “I don’t know a perfect person. I only know flawed people who are still worth loving.” Flaws are only on the surface. Deep down, every person has a kind heart. And that is why we should look with our hearts too, and not with our eyes.


I thank The Little Prince for being my cheat sheet to life. It is true that we need to experience things to fully understand it, but I think the book is an experience in itself. The story, no matter how bizarre the setting is, is based on real-life experiences and insights. In it, I learned how to appreciate each other more. The key is to never give up easily because we might be throwing our happiness away. There is beauty in our own roses despite its thorns.