[The word Face with capitalized F refers to what Levinas calls the Face, while the word face with small f refers to dignity.]
From grade one to third year, I was never late for class. One day in fourth year, I was late for class for a few minutes for the first time. At that time, I thought of not going to class anymore. I even thought of killing myself. At that time, being late is extremely hard to accept for me. The whole world seems to be crashing for me. After a few minutes of intense internal turmoil, I decided to go to class, because I do not want to lose more.
Last time, I was late for our philosophy class. Upon reaching the door of our philosophy class, the uprightness of the enormous solid door literally stopped me. I then tried to think of ways on how to enter our philosophy class without everyone noticing me. Since the door squeaks, I really have no way not to let everyone notice my lateness. After I doubted for a few seconds, I entered our philosophy class with my body bent. Compared to the intense feeling of shame that I felt on my first late experience, I have only a slight feeling of shame when I was late for our philosophy class. I suddenly thought of how funny I was on my first late experience. Since our lesson at those times was about the Face, I suddenly saw connections between being late and the Face.
We can see people as the Face by not reducing people into just their characteristics, thoughts and actions. In other words, people are people, because they are people and not because of certain characteristics, thoughts and actions. Relating the Face to being late, people must not be reduced to non-Face, just because of being late. Applying this to general situations, people must not be reduced to non-Face, just because of certain mistakes. Sometimes, we deny ourselves what Levinas calls Responsibility for the Other, because of our certain mistakes.
For instance, in my first late experience, I preferred not to go to class, because being late is losing face, while being absent is having face by having no face. (The phrase no face means being absent.) Come to think of it, that is not true. When I am absent, I am having no face. Think about the effort exerted by my teachers in teachings the lessons. Think about bothering my classmates in asking about home works. Think about explaining my absence to the people concerned. Besides, when I am absent, I am also having no Face. I deny myself to be treated as Face, because I accept others to treat me based on my characteristics and mistakes. I also deny myself what Levinas calls Responsibility for the Other, because of my absence. Connecting this to our succeeding lessons, it is because of responsibility that makes us to choose to respond to others even if we are not perfect. Sometimes, even simple presence is already having responsibility for the others.
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