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Showing posts with label philosophy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label philosophy. Show all posts
Experience. Un-ended.
Experience has always been our faithful mentor. All will agree that in more ways than one, experience has taught us things we never would have known. However, one can also raise the objection that not everyone shares the same universal experience of experience. Experiencing to each and everyone is unique, regardless of how similar they may seem. The sum total of somebody’s experience will always be in contrast to that of another. In various levels, they will never be as one.
One endeavor may be savored my many, but each has his own method of capturing flavorful moments and keeping track of them in his own bank of boundless memories, forever stowed in a pit of infinity. But despite the numerous ways of experiencing every affair of our daily lives, one thing might be common, emotion.
Somehow, in a peculiar twist of cosmic events, one experience may be shared by many, but among the many that immerse themselves in that precise encounter, at least two would share the same sentiment. This is how uncanny life is. A proficient trickster that unceasingly toys with each and every soul on this vast land and other.
Take heed nonetheless that like the experiencing of the experience, feeling the emotion of a particular incident may also vary among individuals. What makes it different from experience is the fact that it breaks the rule of exceptionality, by the very fact that any two, or more, may share the same sentiment, pain or otherwise, for a particular experience, tragic or otherwise.
What’s really funny in all our own lives is that we all have our own tragedies. Even the very man who claims to be the happiest on earth could, and even sometimes would, share how his life has gone awry at one point or another. It is an inescapable fact that tragedies are engraved in our very nature, in our own DNA for that matter. And pain is our survival mechanism. It makes an individual aware of the potential bodily, physical and metaphysical, damage and provides motivation to get away from painful stimuli and avoid them in the future.
This, ultimately, is what our every record of experience is for. Our life is, in the end, geared towards that which makes us infinitely happy, should there exists such a thing. Nirvana. Gaudium. Eternal bliss. Whatever, add into the list those that which you think is applicable.
So I ask you now.
What ARE your tragedies in life to date?
What have you learned from THOSE experiences?
Where will THEY take you now?
What have you learned from THOSE experiences?
Where will THEY take you now?
My friend, just remember that a single drop of tear can only hold so much. The world is ours to conquer. Let us not let these tragedies blind us from this irrefutable truth.
Always in love and pain,
Dick
Quote of the Day:
"The greatest good you can do for another is not just share your riches, but to reveal to him, his own." -- Benjamin Disraeli
Credits to wonenownlee for the magnificent shot.
If it can be broken, break it.
Living in a society with rules and conformity has proven to be cumbersome at times and stifling at worst. But deny it or not, these rules are the very same governing powers that allow us to live in a society that keeps us secured and sheltered. When then are we bestowed upon our rightful privilege to exercise our purest deviant nature? I still do concur that ultimate radicalism has proven ill at times as well, and deadly at worst.
Although these may actually apply to almost any set of rules and tenets, try to keep your focus on to something more definitive and concise. Choose what best applies to you at the moment.
I’ll try to keep it simple for now. For me, what I’d really want to zone in on are the loose rules on love and relationships. In the first place, no one has ever set these in stone, or more practically in writing. So I guess the very main fact that this is how our ways of love and relationships are lived by brings up its very fundamental dys-functionality.
More often than not however, people have enough guts and, to a greater degree, tenacity to bend the rules not just a little but even at times enough to break them. We do this for several reasons and for what it’s worth, they do make sense.
Allow me share some.
Experience. Here’s to trying out something out of the ordinary. Thinking out of the box as it were, and by box, you know what I mean. It is this thirst for new understanding and I guess familiarity to something that is not our norm which compels us to bend the rules and ultimately break them. This allows us to create something new, but in the end, these new creations give birth to a new set of rules which in time would be bent and broken. And thus the cycle continues with added experience on each round.
Challenge. Here’s to a more distinct color of seeking new experiences. We’ve known that these rules have existed for a reason, and more often than not, it is because they’ve been proven to work. Although some may be questionable, most aren’t. But the thrill we encounter in going against the rules provides immeasurable ecstasy. It is our challenge to discover new heights and newfound glory by taking a different route. And it is actually more of the getting there rather than the destination that really makes it all worth it.
Proof. Here’s to an even more particular flavor of seeking challenges. Given the knowledge that following a definite set of rules has proven wise, sometimes their lack of flexibility hinders our creativity and thus our ability to innovate and revolutionize. It is by breaking the rules that we prove to all that there is a different way of doing things, and it may not or, when successful, may be the best way of doing it. It is people like us – people who take risks – that make the world evolve and grow. Stagnation is not an option for us. And along with the courage and bravery that we posses is the responsibility to accept the consequences, that our decisions were made in good faith and for the right reasons.
Of course, other motives may prove appropriate or otherwise, but I leave it up to you to sharpen your senses and know when it is fitting to break to the rules and when not to.
Alright, I may have lost some of you there somewhere. But go over the list again, and try to put it in the context of love and relationships. That was what this entry was for, after all.
Quote of the Day:
“Life without a friend is death without a witness.” -- Eugene Benge
Credits to beforethecoffee for the High Speed Photography image.
Hello Mama, I Love You!
What do most people do when they’re sad? They cry. But do you know what’s even sadder than that? It’s when you cry alone.
I’ve come to realize that being away from a lot of people you care about makes you a lot less surrounded by people who care for you. That’s the irony of it; you really would have a hard time finding someone to lean on especially when no one is leaning on you as well. Well, that really is a sad story, and it really isn’t uncommon.
There is a good side to all this though. You don’t have to carry the burden of other people’s lives. And at the same time, you don’t have to trouble anyone else to carry yours as well. Although, I’ve heard of this thing called equal sharing but honestly, this doesn’t really happen, in my real life at least. One would always be ahead of the other, one would always give more and take less, one would always be better, and one would always win. What about the other? Well, I’ve also heard of this saying, “That’s life, live with it.”
No matter how you look at it, there would be no happiness without the experience of sadness. So in the Theory of Equal Exchange (goes hand in hand with The Universal Cancellation Theory) that Paelo, a friend of mine has developed (and thanks to Carlo for blogging about it), I think this would also apply. Happiness is always at the expense of someone else’s sadness, at least if not at your own expense. Well, I guess, expense is too strong a word, when what I really mean is the experience of happiness is found as an expression of opposition to the experience of sadness, whether yours or that of others.
Therefore, as my consolation, I’d like to think that whenever I feel gloomy, it’s good to know that somehow, somewhere in the vastness of our existence, there exists someone who feels the exact opposite to what I’m feeling. It’s either that or sooner or later, I’d feel the exact opposite of what I felt.
But then again, I could keep on discussing this for as long as I could; but what I really just want to say is this. It’s really hard to say, “Goodbye,” when you barely said, “Hello.” And that’s what’s keeping me in pain. I could not say, “Goodbye Mama,” simply because I never said, “Hello Mama, I love you!”
Quote of the Day:
"The wounds of love can only be healed by the one who made them.”
Original: Amoris vulnus idem sanat, qui facit. -- Syrus Publilius
Thanks A Million
Day by day, the world is aging. And as it goes down this inevitable path, change accompanies it. In every possible way, we are part of that changing process be it for long-term or not. What are we doing to change the world? A lot of us don’t even stop and wonder how our actions cause such changes. But then again, thinking about how our small decisions and choices affect the whole lives of each living and non-living thing on this massive piece of rock floating casually but at the same time so precise with its every movement in the immensity of our universe, isn’t such an easy feat. So in response, I propose to think small and let the effects ripple a hundred fold with everything we do. Just like dropping a piece of rock in the middle of the lake, let each little thing we do resonate not only through space amongst persons but also transcend through time across generations.
Charismatic as it may sound; I think this is how we all should think, to leave a significant legacy that helped make the world a better place.
Alright, I’ll cut the crap. I’m not really that aggressive about changing the world. Let’s be honest, not all of us are that hard-hitting when it comes making a global, let alone nationwide, impact. But somehow it worries me that there are a lot of others like me, or perhaps even worse. I really wouldn’t say I’m the one of the totally worthless type of those ungrateful citizens or one of those totally pathetic and callously passive sloths. Right, I still have some heart and sensitivity in me, and I’m definitely sure, there are others like me. And to those who are at the lower end of the concerned-ness spectrum, I call you to make a stand for yourself, to help change the world.
Fine, perhaps going out to peaceful demonstrations is not our kind of game, yet. So let’s start something small, work our way up to more assertive and compelling acts, and leave our so-called legacy upon this lovely land we tread.
How about starting by being grateful about every little thing that comes our way? I mean, having this kind of positive disposition would tremendously change the way we look at our daily experiences and perhaps that of others. Imagine being thankful to each person that does a good deed to you, and meaning it. I just realized how we sometimes take our mom’s delicious cooking for granted, for instance. How much would it cost us to say thank you for the scrumptious meal? “Thanks mom, the meal was delicious. I really loved the tender meat.” Or whatever it is that made your meal sooo delish! Well if your mom doesn’t cook that well, then at least be thankful for being fed. Just be thankful. ;)
Earlier today, I had a haircut, and you know how hair salons have to shampoo and condition your hair first before actually trimming and styling your hair, right. Sometimes, the one giving you the shampoo and the whole conditioner treatment also throws in a head massage. And you’d want that. It’s relaxing. And it makes you feel good. It put a smile on my face, and I immediately thought of being thankful to the lady giving me the shampoo, conditioning, AND massage. Right after she was done, I instantly put on my best grateful smile and said thank you. “Thank you for the massage, I know others don’t throw in the extra service.” She just smiled, and all went well. After the stylist was through trimming and styling, they’d have to rinse my hair. Oftentimes, that’s all you really get, a simple rinse. But this time, the lady earlier threw in more shampoo, conditioner, and even a few minute head massage. And I thought to myself, for the simple smile and the act of gratitude, I got this.
So I was thinking, what more could I get and do for the world if I magnified that simple gesture?
. . .
Quote of the Day:
“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” -- William Arthur Ward
Movies' Life's Lessons
Just a few minutes ago, I watched a movie in TV. It was something about a Filipino family of today's times. I didn't really know what the title was but it's not that important for now. What struck me was how as I was watching it, thought what worth this movie had that I had to spend my precious time watching it. It would seem funny to note that on several occasions, I was somehow able to relate to it. Not that it was happening to my life today, but something in movies make me feel that everything that happens in my life has already happened to someone else before.
This brings to me to my point. I watch movies, other than for entertainment purpose, but also because it lessens the burden on me to reflect too much on what's going on with my life. It seems as though my laziness got the better of me, but on the contrary, if you do a secondary reflection, it even evoked me to reflect on the matter further, only this time, on the perspective of someone else's experience.
Ever wondered how we always want to know how the story ends? It seems to me that rather than making an ending for ourselves, it often better if someone else does it for us. And then our role comes in, as critics. We then reflect on how the ending fits or not to the whole story. Most often than not, we see the ending as how it fits to the story of the movie we are watching, which on some level, allows us to see how most people, including ourselves or not, would end something like this. But like on the level of primary reflection, we often put ourselves distant to the story we are reflecting upon. This allows us to be objective on the subject because we aren't the ones directly affected, which makes it easier for us to criticize whether it was appropriate or not. And besides, it wasn't us who made the ending anyway, someone else made it for us. We might have our own version that we would have wanted to happen, but it's their story and they have every right to end it as how they please.
Then upon further reflection, we then try to put the situation to a closer context. How then would the story end if it were us in it? Would the ending be fit for the story of our life? Now we come to the secondary reflection that allows us to look at the story at a closer and perhaps more meaningful context, at least for me. This then allows me to ponder upon whether I would have done the same if I were the one faced with that kind of situation. A lot, perhaps, would change since we are factoring in our own nuances in life.
This would be good if we do it. Most of the time, people (perhaps even me) halts upon finishing the primary reflection and leave the ending as it is. Omitting the secondary reflection from the equation would leave us with a cake half-baked. This robs us of our freedom to choose for ourselves.
Bear with me on this. Think for example if the same thing happens to us some time in the near future, we'd be seeing the whole experience in the context of the movie's story. Only this time, it's not the movie's characters who are involved but we. But if no secondary reflection has been made prior to this experience, it would be too late for us to think critically and decide without bias. Most of our decisions and actions would be patterned, along or against the movie we've watched, depending upon whether we found the ending suitable or not.
Now think, had we done the secondary reflection before hand and factored in our own nuances. Then perhaps when we face the situation this time, we'd have a whole array of arsenal to go up against the situation. The circumstances may vary but this time, several of our own characteristics have already been factored in so that the characters in the story are more like us than not.
Going back to my point, watching movies allow us to reflect upon our lives and allow us to experience something that we haven't experienced before in several occasions. This of course would only happen if we reflect deeper and place ourselves in the story itself rather than just watch it at the sidelines.
(unedited first draft)
Kamatayan at Kalayaan
Matapos aralin, suriin, at talakayin ang mga pananaw ng iba’t ibang mga palaisip kaugnay sa mga pilosopikong ideya ng “kamatayan” at “kalayaan”, marapat lamang na ating pagkabitin ang magkakawing na mga ideyang ito. Gagamitin natin ang pelikulang “Paradise Now”[1] ni Dir. Hany Abu-Assad bilang isang halimbawa ng mga konseptong ating tatalakayin. Sa pelikula, makikita natin kung paano nila binibigyang katwiran ang kanilang suicde-bombing. Kinikilala nila bilang martir ang mga taong gumagawa nito dahil ina-alay nila ang buhay nila sa ngalang ng kanilang panginoon, si Allah. Nabanggit minsan na sinabi ng isang tauhang martir na si Abu-Assam (hindi pinakita), “To fear death is to be dead.” Tinuloy ito ng nagkukuwento, “And he had no doubt that death would come soon enough without pain.” Ang mga taong tumatanggap sa tawag na maging susunod na suicide-bomber ay may malalim nang pag-unawa at pagtanggap sa kamatayan bilang isang posibilidad na hindi maiiwasan at hindi dapat katakutan.
Sa pilosopikal na persepektibo ni Martin Heidegger, umiiral ang tao sa mundo sapagkat sa mundo umiiral ang kanyang kakayahang-maging ano[2] kung kaya’t palagi siyang nakatanaw sa kanyang pagka-maaari[3]. Tayong lahat, kahit piliin man natin o hindi, ay palaging kumikilos sa ating mga posibilidad sa pag-iral. Subalit ang katotohanan ay nagkakaroon lamang tayo ng di-maubos-ubos na pagka-maaari kung tayo ay may buhay pa. Maririnig nating sasabihin ni Suha kay Said ang mga salitang ito, “There are many ways of staying alive… Resistance can take many forms.” Patunay lamang na marami ang ating mga posibilidad at mayroon palaging alternatibong maaaring piliin.
Kapag wala na tayong buhay, nawawalan din tayo ng kakayahang umiiral, at sa puntong ito humihinto ang ating kalagayang may hindi maubos-ubos na posibilidad. Tapos na ang lahat para sa atin.[4] Sapagkat habang buhay ang tao kulang siya sa kalahatan at kabuuan, at sa kamatayan natatapos ang pagkukulang na ito.[5] Sa kamatayan nakakamit ng tao ang kanyan ultimong kabuuan.
Kaya marapat lamang sa tao bilang tao ang magpakatao sa harap ng katotohanang ito bilang isang “umiiral-patungo-sa-kamatayan,” ayon sa mga salita ni Heidegger. Kailangan natin harapin ang buhay at ang ating kamatayan sa isang tunay na paraan. Ang ating pag-aanatabay sa posibilidad ng ating kamatayan ang tunay na pag-iral tungo sa kamayatan. Ang pagkakabahala, ang paggigipit sa atin ng sarili nating karanasan sa buhay ang nagdadala sa ating sa bungad ng pag-aantabay. Kailangan nating tanggapin na atin ang sarili nating kamatayan at walang ibang maaaring gumanap nito para sa atin, hindi ito maiiwasan kailanman, at ang ating kamatayaan ay maaaring maganap sa kahit anong oras, kahit ngayon.
Kaya ang nararapat sa atin bilang mga taong tunay na umiiral-patungo-sa-kamatayan ay kabisaduhin natin ang ating sarili, ang ating sariling kinalalagyan, ang ating sariling buhay. Tayo mismo ang dapat mag-antabay. Tayo lamang ang mga nilalang na may kakayahang maunawaan ang natatanging kahulugan ng ating mga posibilidad. Tayo lamang ang may kakayahang pumili ng mga nararapat nating gawin at pumili sa mga posibilidad na nailalahad sa atin ng sarili nating buhay. Sa pagtalab ng katotohanan ng kamatayan sa atin, nakikita natin ang totoong posibilidad na buuin natin ang ating sarili, bumubukas sa atin ang tunay nating mga posibilidad, at nakakayanan nating pagpilian ang mga posibilidad na ito ayon sa tunay nating inaasam sa buhay.
“Death is the ultimate individualizer,” ayon nga kay G. Pasco. Subalit kabaliktaran naman ang sinasabi sa pelikula nang magtalo sina Suha at Khaled sa sasakyan habang hinahanap si Said. “In life, there are no equals, we’re only equals in death,” ayon kay Khaled. Sasagot naman si Suha, “You were capable of killing and of dying for equality, you can find a way to be equal in life.” Dito natin makikita kung paano sila tumutungo sa kamatayan. Hindi natatakot si Khaled mamatay alang-alang sa kanyang pinaniniwalaan, subalit sa ganitong paraan, hindi niya rin napahahalagahan ang kanyang mga posibilidad sa kanyang buhay. Tanggap din naman ni Suha ang kamatayan subalit mas mahalaga ang buhay para itapon na lamang. Hindi lang naman kamatayan ang nag-iisang posibilidad, ito marahil ang ultimong posibilidad, subalit marami pang ibang di maubos-ubos na posibilidad at alternatibong maaaring piliin. Kailangan tunay ang pagtungo ng tao sa kamatayan upang maunawaan niya ito ng husto at mabibigyan niya ng saysay ang kanyang buhay at ang kanyang kalayaang pumili sa mga posibilidad niya.
Kung gayon, ang tunay na saysay ng kamatayan ay nakakamit lamang sa ating tunay na pagtungo sa kamatayan na isang pag-aantabay sa posibilidad ng sarili nating kamatayan. At sa pag-aantabay, lumilinaw sa atin ang tunay nating mga posibilidad kung kaya’t dito papasok ang ating pagiging malayang pumili ng mga posibilidad na tumungo rin sa ating tunay na mga pinapangarap sa buhay. Ang pag-aantabay ay isang bagay na gawain ng tao sa paggamit ng sarili niyang kalayaan upang piliin at tuparin ang kanyang tunay na inaasam sa buhay. Ang kamatayan, kung gayon, ay nagkakaroon lamang ng bigat at saysay sapagkat ang tao ay may kalayaan.
Ang kabalintunaan lamang sa mga martir nila ay sa lahat ng mga posibilidad na maaari nilang piliin mas pipiliin pa nilang mamatay na lamang sa pamimigitan ng suicide-bombing sapagkat naniniwala silang ito ay naayon sa kagustuhan ng kanilang panginoon; sila ay bibiyayaan at pupunta sa paraiso sa kabilang buhay. Isa itong kabalintunaan sapagkat sa pagpapatiwakal kinakapos nila ang kanilang sarili sa mga posibilidad nila. May kalaayaan pa rin silang tanggihan ang alok na iyon subalit kalayaan rin nilang tanggapin ito sapagkat ginagawa nila ito upang, sa isang paraan, buuin ang kanilang sarili sa pamamagitan ng pag-aalay ng buhay nila para sa kanilang panginoon, na magbibigay sa kanila ng matinding kagalakan at nang masasabi nilang naihandog nila ang buhay nila para sa kanilang ipinaglalaban.
Ngayon ay kailangan na nating talakayin ang konsepto ng kalayaan ayon sa isang pilosopikal na perspektibo, upang lubusang maunawaan ang bigat at saysay ng kamatayang napag-usapan pa lamang. Ayon kay John F Kavanaugh, ang tao ay umiiral na may kalayaang-sumasabalangkas. Ito ay umaayon sa pananaw ni Abraham Maslow na isang taong dalubhasa sa agham ng isip, na ang pagiging tao ay ang pagiging malay na siya ay nasa loob ng mga istrukturang pilit humubog sa kanyang pagkatao subalit siya ay mayroong pagka-maaaring humuhulagpos sa mga istrukturang ito upang magtanong, magmuni, at humubog ng sarili.[6] Ang pananaw na ito ay tila isang pagsasama ng lubusang magka-ibang pananaw nina B.F. Skinner at Jean-Paul Sartre. Ayon kay Skinner, ang tao ay lubusang hindi malaya sa halip ang tao, ang kanyang kagawian, ugali at pagkatao ay tiyak at naitatakda ng mga balangkas ng lipunan, kultura, pamilya, relihiyon at marami pang mga bagay na hindi naman niya pinili ng kusa. Ang natatanging pagkatinapon ng tao, sa pananaw ni Skinner ang tanging bagay na nagtatakda at ang dahilan ng kanyang ginagawa sa ngayon at ito rin marahil ang magiging sanhi ng mga gagawin niya sa hinaharap. Sa kabilang dako naman, ayon sa ateistang pananaw ni Sartre, ang tao ay lubusang malaya sapagkat naniniwala siyang walang Diyos na nagtatakda ng tunay na layon ng pagkatao ng tao. Sa pananaw ni Sarte, ang tao ay malayang hubugin ang sarili niyang buhay at pagkatao ayon sa kanyang kagustuhan nang walang anumang hadlang sa kanyang lubusang pagka-maaari: “Man is nothing else but what he makes of himself.”[7] Kaugnay sa pananaw ni Heidegger, ang tao ay nauuna sa sarili kung saan siya ay may kamalayan at may kakayahang makita ang sarili bilang umiiral sa hinaharap.[8]
Ang dalawang punto de vista nina Skinner at Sartre ay parehong may sinasabing katotohanan, subalit sa ating penomenolohikal na karanasan, mahirap paniwalaang ang tao ay lubusang hindi malaya o kung hindi man ay lubusang malaya naman. Kung papanig tayo sa pananaw ni Skinner, hindi natin masasagot ang tanong kung bakit tayo nakakapagtanong at nakakapagmuni ukol sa mga bagay-bagay sa buhay. At alam nating lahat, na kahit papaano, lahat ng tao ay nakakaranas ng kalayaang pumili at magbiga ng opinion at kumento ukol sa mga bagay na ating ginagawa at nararanasan. Sa isang totoong paraan, ang tao ay hindi lamang nakakahon sa loob isang balangkas; kung saan wala siyang maaaring gawin kundi sundin ang mga batas na sinasabi ng kahong iyon sapagkat walang siyang kakayahang suwayihn, baguhin o piliin ang mga batas na iyon.
Kung papanig naman tayo sa pananaw ni Sartre na tao ang naglalahad ng sarili niyang bukal na pinagmumulan ng sarili niyang motibo, dahilan at siya ring nagtatakda ng sarili niyang wakas, hindi natin masasagot kung bakit may nagagawa ang mga lalaki na hindi kayang gawin ng mga babae, kung bakit may mga bagay na likas sa mga taong taga-Tausug at hindi likas sa mga taong taga-America. Sa isang totoong paraan, ang napakalawak na kalayaan ng tao, kahit papaano, ay nalilimitahan pa rin ng mga bagay sa pumapalibot sa kanya. Ang tao ay malaya, subalit hindi siya lubusang malaya dahil may mga realidad na kailangan niyang harapin at tanggapin na hanggang dito lang ang kanyang naaabot. Oo, kaya niya itong palawigin at palawakin subalit, ang tao, bilang sumasakatawan at sumasadaigdig ay isang nilalang na may limitasyon kahit ito ay may tinataglay na napakaraming posibilidad. Sa totoong paraan, ang tao ay hindi Diyos.Sa pelikula, madalas natin maririnig na tumutukoy ang mga tauhan kay Allah, bilang tagapagtakda ng lahat. Madalas nilang sasabihin, “If Allah wills it,” o “It is the will of Allah.” Dito natin makikita ang punto ni Sartre na isang pagkakasalungatan ang pagiging malaya sa pagkakaroon ng paniniwala sa Diyos. Kung susuriin natin, tila tinatanggap nila na lahat ang nangyari, nangyayari, at mangyayari ay ayon sa kugustuhan ng kanilang panginoon. Sa unang pagtingin, maaari nating itanong, “Nasaan ang kalayaan dito?” Sasagutin naman tayo ni Skinner na, “Mismo, wala!” Subalit kung Kavanaugh naman ang kikilatis ng karanasang ito, sasabihin niyang kalayaan naman nilang tanggapin o tanggihan ang mga nangyayaring ito, at may kalayaan pa rin silang baguhin ang mga ito. Si Suha ang patunay dito. Isa nga siyang Palestino, naniniwala sa Diyos subalit dahil lumaki siya sa ibang lugar, nagkaroon siya ng bagong pananaw ukol sa mga karanasan ng mga kababayan niya. Natuto siyang magtanong at mag-isip ng alternatibo; iba pang posibilidad. Makikita natin kung paano hinuhubog ng lipunan ang kamalayan ng tao at dito na papasok ang balangkas na tinutukoy ni Skinner, subalit kalayaan pa rin ng mga tao ang paniwalaan ito o hindi. Nasasakanila ang kalayaang baguhin ito kung nararapat. At ang kalayaang ito ay yaong tinutukoy ni Sartre.
Ang penomenolohikal na perspektibo ni Kavanaugh at Maslow ang siyang pinakamatunog na pag-unawa sa konsepto ng kalayaan ng tao at sa kanyang di maubos-ubos na posibilidad. Sinasabi pa rin natin na ang tao ay may di maubos-ubos na posibilidad kahit sumasabalangkas pa rin ang kanyang kalayaan dahil ang mga posibilidad niyang ito ay, totoo naman, hindi niya mauubos at magagawa lahat sapagkat sa loob ng balangkas ng pagkatao niya, malawak pa rin ang kanyang pagka-maaari. At sa nauunawan natin sa mga naunang pagninilay ukol sa pagkatao ng tao, ang tao ay may kakahayan pa rin namang lampasan ang kanyang sarili, gaya ng paglampas niya sa kanyang abot-tanaw ukol sa ultimong realidad at ultimong katotohanan, mga kabalintunaang palagi nating isinasa-isip kapag tayo ay namimilosopiya.
Sa harap ng mga posibilidad at pagka-maaari ng tao bilang tao, ang kanyang tinataglay na kalayaang-sumasabalangkas ay isang biyayang nakakabahala at nakakatakot din. Mabigat ang responsibilidad natin bilang mga nilalang na may kalayaan sapagkat walang ibang tao ang maaaring gumanap sa sarili nating pagka-malaya at sa lahat ng ating pipiliing desisyon, kailangang kaya natin itong panagutan dahil bilang tao tayo ay may pananagutan sa sarili nating kilos, asal at gawa.[9] Tayo lamang ang tanging maaaring mabuhay para sa sarili natin. At sa parehong paraan, tayo din lamang ang maaaring mamatay para sa sarili natin.
Kung tunay ang ating pagtungo sa kamatayan, mas mabibigyan natin ng halaga ang ating taglay na kalayaan sapagkat mag-aantabay tayo. Lahat ng ating gagawin ay dapat naayon sa ating ninanais at yaong kaya nating panagutan at panindigan. Lahat ng pipiliin natin sa lahat ng maaari nating piliin ay yaong mga bagay na mahalaga sa atin sapagkat hindi natin alam kung kailan tayo darating sa pagkakataong hihinto ang kalagayan nating ito na may di maubos-ubos na posibilidad. Kailangan nating tandaan na ang kamatayan ay yaong ultimong posibilidad sa lahat ng mga posibilidad. Kaya ang kalayaan natin ay nabibigyang saysay sa kamatayan sapagkat ang mga ginagawa natin ngayon ay pagtupad sa mga posbilidad natin bilang tao nang sa gayon ay ating makamit ang ating ultimong kabuuan, ang “ako na hindi pa ako,” at pagganap sa “hindi pa akong ako.”Ito ang ugnayan ng dalawang ideyang ito, na may bigat at saysay ang kamatayan dahil ang tao ay may kalayaan at ang kamatayan naman ay may saysay lamang dahil sa ito’y binabalangkas ng kamatayan.
[1] Paradise Now. Directed by Hany Abu-Assad. Performed by Ali Suliman, Lubna Azabal Kais Nashif. 2005.
[2] Dy, Manuel B. Jr. “Kamayatan ayon kay Martin Heidegger.” From Philosophy of Man I Readings (selected by Marc Oliver Pasco), 162.
[3] Ibid., 163.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Ibid., 165.
[6] Kavanaugh, John F. S.J. “Human Freedom.” In Philosophy of Man: Selected Readings, Manuel B. Dy Jr., (Quezon City: Goodwill Trading Company, 1986), 158.
[7] Sartre, Jean-Paul. Existentialism and Human Emotion. (New Jersey: Citadel Press. 1984), 122.
[8] Ibid.
[9] Johann, Robert. “The Way to Freedom.” In Philosophy of Man: Selected Readings, Manuel B. Dy Jr. (Quezon City: Good will Trading Company, 1986), 184.
Ang Pilosopiya ng Pag-iral
Sa Likod ng Pelikulang
Jarhead
sa direksyon ni Sam Mendes
“A man fires a rifle for many years, and he goes to war. And afterward he turns the rifle in at the armory, and he believes he's finished with the rifle. But no matter what else he might do with his hands, love a woman, build a house, change his son's diaper; his hands remember the rifle.” – Anothony “Swoff” Swofford (Jake Gyllenhaal)
Ito ang mga salitang maririnig sa simula ng pelikulang “Jarhead.” Sang-ayon sa pananaw ni Kerazim Kohak, ang mga salitang ito ang sumasalamin sa pagbubuklod ng kawal at ng kanyang baril. Isa itong samahang nabubuo sapagkat ayon kay Kohak, ang tao, na may bukod-tanging katangian bilang isang puntong-tagpuan ng magkasalikop na dimensyon ng katalagahan at ng walang-hanggan, ay may kakayahang makatunog sa saysay ng walang-hangang kahalagahan ng mga bagay na may hangganan, at dahil dito ay nakakayanan niyang pangibabawan ang hangganan ng bagay na ito nang sa gayon ay lumalampas ang halaga nito tungo sa kawalang-hanggan. Sa simula pa lamang, naipapakita na na kahit anuman ang maaaring gawin ng kawal na ito gamit ang kanyang kamay, ay maaalala’t maaalala pa rin niya ang ripleng kanyang ginamit at inangkin bilang bahagi na ng kanyang sarili dahil mayroon silang pinagsamahan nabuo at napagyaman ng panahon; simula sa pagsasanay patungo sa digmaan hanggang sa uwian. Ayon nga sa sabi nila, “This is my rifle. There are many like it but this one is mine. Without my rifle, I am nothing. Without me, my rifle is nothing.”
Kaagad naman itong susundan ng mga eksena ng pagsasanay ng bidang si Anthony Swofford kasama ang kanyang mga kasamahan sa ilalim ng pamumuno ni Staff Sgt. Sykes. Dito naman madalas naipapakita ang buong batalyon ng mga nagsasanay na mga kawal. Kahawig sa karanasan ni Antione Roquentin na naisalaysay niya sa kanyang tala-arawan na Nausea (isang nobelang gawa ni Jean-Paul Sartre), nawawala sila sa kanikanilang mga sariling pagkakakilanlan. Sa mga eksenang ito tumitingkad ang magkakaparehong hubog ng kanilang mga katawan, magkakaparehong uniporme, at magkakaparehong gupit ng buhok, na kung titingnan sa malayo ay nalulusaw ang kanilang identidad at nagmumukhang iisa silang lahat na makakahalo sa iisang pagkakalahok, kagaya ng pagtingin ni Antione Roquentin sa pag-iral nang siya ay namulat nang ito ay nagsimulang maglantad sa kanyang harapan.
Sa mga eksena ng kanilang pagsasanay naipapakita ang kanilang pagiging “in the way” sa isa’t isa. In the way. Sa lupang kanilang tinatakbuhan at ginagapangan, sa mga damuhang kanilang pinagtataguan, o hindi kaya ay sa mga asintahang in the way sa ripleng kanilang ginagamit.
Nang magsimula Operation Desert Shield, sila ay ipinadala sa disyerto ng Saudi Arabia, isang lugar na bago at hindi pamilyar sa kanila, kaya kinailangan nila itong kilalanin, at sila man din ay kailangan ding masanay sa ganitong panibagong pook. Kailangan nilang uminon ng maraming tubig sapagkat napakainit sa lugar na ito, hindi kagaya ng nakasanayan nila. Kailangan nilang magsanay sa ganitong uri ng panahon at klima, habang binabantayan nila ang mga langis ng lugar na iyon. Kung titingnan natin ito sa pananaw ni Kohak, ito marahil ang pag-aangkin sa pook at yaman nito bilang isang pag-aari lamang. Hindi nabibigyang halaga ang responsibilidad ng tao na pagyamanin ang samahan nila at ng kalikasan. Ginagawa nila ang mga gawaing ito hindi dahil nais nilang manirahan o alagaan ang lugar na iyon kundi bantayan lamang ang likas na yaman doon nang hindi manakaw ng kalaban. Ang ganito uri ng pag-iisip ay taliwas sa mabuting pag-iral ng tao sa mundo. Subalit ipinapakita ng pelikula na sa mundo ng digmaan, sa simula ay nawawalan ng saysay ang ganoong relasyon ng sundalo sa mundong kanyang kinalalagyan. Kung hindi nila matutunang mahalin ang mga bagay na nangyayari sa kanilang dinadayuhan, ay mawawala lamang ang saysay nito pagkaraan ng panahon. Kaya kailangan din linangin at pagyamanin ng mga sundalo ang relasyon nila sa kanilang kainalalagyan, gayon din sa pagbubuklod nila sa isa’t isa.
Ngunit kung, titingnan naman natin ang Operation Desert Shield sa pananaw ni Sartre, napapakitang absurdo ang operasyong ito. Nagsasanay sila para kalabanin ang mga kalaban na hindi nila alam kung kalian sasalakay. Tumatakbo sila sa ilalim ng sikat ng mainit na araw na naka-uniporme nang napakakapal. Pumapatrolya sila sa disyertong wala namang laman, na mistulang may mga kalaban sa malapit at minsan ay umaarte silang kunwaring inaatake. Nagtatapon sila ng mga granada sa wala, at tumitira sa wala. Nag-aabang sila sa mga kalaban na hindi na hindi nila alam kung kalian darating.
Simula dito ay naramdaman ko na rin ang pagiging absurdo ng buong kaganapan. Sa pagdaan ng mga araw na naging ilang buwan na rin ay nakakasuka ang paghihintay ng mga kalaban na hindi naman nila matukoy kung darating ba o hindi. Halong pangamba at pag-aalinlangan ang aking naramdaman. Naalibadbaran ako sa walang katiyakan ng mga maaring maganap. Nasa gitna ng disyerto ang mga sundalong ito, sa gitna ng kawalan. Hindi nila matiyak kung ano ang susunod na maaring mangyari. Kung titingnan ang pelikulang “Jarhead” sa pananaw ni Sartre, gaya ng pag-iral, ang pagiging isang jarhead din ay absurdo.
Subalit hindi ko rin maipagkakaila, na ang mga pananaw ni Kohak ay mas lumilitaw at mas sumasalamin ng mga kaganapan sa pelikulang ito. Ayon kay Kohak, makatwiran ang pag-iral ng tao. At sa pananaw ko, ang pagiging isang sundalo ay makatwiran din kahit malabo ang mundo ng digmaan at kaguluhan. Nailalarawan ng pagiging jarhead ang pagiging puntong-tagpuan ng tao sa mundo ng katalagahan at ng mundo ng walang-hanggan. May kakahayang makakutob ang mga sundalong ito ng mga mabubuti, makatotohanan at makatarungan, kung kaya’t alam nilang pumili ng mga bagay na mahalaga sa kanila ayon sa dimensyon ng katalagahan, kahit na walang-hangganan ang halaga ng lahat ng mga bagay sa dimensyon ng walang-katapusan.
Naniniwala tayong ang tao ang tanging nilalang na nakikisangkot sa pag-iral ng sang-umiiral, at hindi lamang bastang pakikisangkot ang ginagawa ng tao, sapagkat makahulugan ang pakikisangkot nito sa mundong nagpaparamdam. Nakikita ng tao ang walang-hanggang halaga ng mga bagay na may hangganan. Kung kaya nakakakutob siya sa moralidad ng mga bagay at gawain sapagkat may angkin siyang kakayahang makatunog nito. Ang mga katanungan tungkol sa moralidad ng mga gawain ng mga sunadalo ay walang katapusan. Ang mga sundalong ito ay palagi ring nagmumuni-muni tungkol sa kanilang mga ginagawa. Isa itong napakahirap na gawain sapagkat kinikilala nila na lahat ng bagay ay may angking walang-hangang halaga sa punto de vista ng walang-hanggan. Kaya kung walang dimensyon ng katalagahang nauukol sa panahon, napakahirap ng pagpili ng mga dapat gawin, sapagkat ang lahat ay magkakapantay ng halaga. Sa dimensyon ng katalagahan, nagkakaroon ng kaukulang kahalagahan ang mga bagay.
Sa isang digmaan, kailangan ng sundalong pumatay ng kalaban, kundi siya ang papatayin nito. Sa mundo ng katalagahan mahalagang pumatay ang sundalo ng kalaban, subalit alam niyang ang buhay ng taong kanyang pinatay ay magiging isang trahedya sa mundo ng walang-katapusan. Subalit sa pelikula, hindi nagkaroon ng pagkakataong pumatay ang ating bida. Na kung titingnan natin, ay yaon sana ang oras ng kanyang dakilang karangalan, ang makapatumba ng isang kalabang may mataas ang ranggo.
Kung ranggo naman ang paguusapan, makikita nating ang mga sundalo ay may iba-ibang ranggo. Pinapakita lamang nito na may kaukulang kaibahan ng halaga ang mga sundalo ayon sa kanilang ranggo sa order of time. Subalit sa order of eternity, lahat ng mga subdalo ay magkakapantay ng halaga, kahalagahang walang-katapusan. Kaya sa isang digmaan, ang may mataas na ranggo ang pinapahalagahang sagipin ngunit ang kamatayan naman ng may mababang ranggo ay isang trahedya pa rin.
Sa huli, sinasalamin pa lalo ang pananaw ni Kohak sa pelikula sa muling pagbanggit ng mga katagang binanggit sa simula ng palabas. At dinagdagan niya ito:
…[H]e will always remain a jarhead. And all the jarheads killing and dying, they will always be me. We are still in the desert.
Sa mga salitang ito, tumitingkad ang pagbubuklod ng sundalong ito sa disyertong kanyang pinuntahan, sa mga taong kanyang nakasama, at hindi lamang sa baril na kanyang tinuring na bahagi ng kanyang pagiging jarhead. Pinatunyan ng pelikula na ang sundalo, gaya ng tao, ay may angking kakayahang makutuban, kilalanin, linangin, pagyamanin at mahalin ang mga bakas ng walang-hanggan halaga ng kanyang karanasan sa digmaan sa disyerto kasama ang kanyang pinuno, ang kanyang mga kapwa sundalo, at ang kanyang riple. Hindi lamang nananatiling pag-aari ang mga ito, kundi lumalampas ang halaga ng mga ito sa dimensyon ng walang-katapusan. At kahit na mamatay o mawala man ang mga ito sa takdang panahon, sapagkat napatingkad na niya ang halaga ng mga ito, ay hindi sila mamamatay o mawawala at sa halip ay mananatili sila sa mundo ng walang-hangan.
On Waiting
“It’s amazing how often we miss our chances. It’s tragic how often we don’t see what’s in front of us. It’s unfortunate that we don’t get to see what might have been if we had altered our perceptions just a tiny little bit when making drastic life decisions. It’s all a big cosmic joke and yet we still sit around and idly question what led us to where we are.”
I got this from a Collin Souter, a film critic. I just finished watching ‘The Lake House’ a romantic movie about… Well, I guess you know how the story goes.
Would my life be different now if I had chosen a different course? Should I have stuck with my plan of moving out in 2005? If I had the nerve to ask you out a few more months ago, would I have watched this movie with you instead of seeing it by myself? I’ll never know and most likely I’ll never have some bizarre cosmic opportunity to find out.
“But that’s okay. I can continue to live my life and continue making choices as I see fit to make them;” still quoting from the critic, although I made some changes to suit the context, hehe… me bad, I know…
Anyway, after watching this movie, my concepts about waiting were reinforced. It must have been hard for both of them, having a time difference of two years. The guy was practically waiting for a total of four years. That’s a lot of time. But he made it through; they made it through. And it’s amazing how people take that chance and in the end see how great their leap had become. But it’s also frightening, I know, being unable to see where it will end.
It’s not always a happy ending. It’s not some kind of fairy tale we’re in that everything ends happily ever after; although here’s what I have in mind… “Who says it has to ever end?” I know love may seem like a fantasy where the pleasant feelings reside along with the unpleasant ones that are almost always overcome; but in truth love is beyond that. We create it, we let it happen. It’s there; it grows, if we just allow it, it doesn’t have to end.
I know I always keep on saying this, but waiting really holds everything together. I now realize how important patience is. Perhaps of all virtues, I may like this one better among others. We really can’t expect things to go as how we planned them. We all know that, but we can wait for it to happen. We might have doubts about it ever happening, but I always think of something to counter those doubts. I know that if ever it won’t ever happen, I’m pretty sure something better will. So in the end, there is really nothing to be afraid of. It’s just a matter of waiting.
I guess life is all about waiting. Everything we do always involves waiting; waiting for the sun to rise, waiting for the food to cook, waiting for the bus to arrive, waiting for lunch break, heck even instant noodles need 3 minutes of waiting. I’m waiting for college to be finished. I’m waiting for my next birthday. I’m waiting for a friend to return. I’m waiting for us to be together. I’m waiting for a chance to go abroad. I’m waiting for a lot of things. I know, some may not come on time, but it will, eventually. I just have to be patient. It isn’t easy; nothing really is, if you think about it.
But no matter how eternal waiting is, decisions will always have to be made. We make the choice now, but we may have to wait for the consequences, we may have to wait for the effects. As long as the choice is made, everything will eventually fall into place. We just have to be decided and pursue the choice we made. And we must never lose sight of that dream. It would just be a matter of time before it will be fulfilled. Just keep on waiting, I know I am.
All Things Hidden Are Meant To Be Found
Like old tales with pirates in it, the story most often involves a treasure chest hidden in some deserted island. Some great pioneering buccaneer always keeps his most precious items stacked in some place that only he and his most trusted personnel know. And most often, a map is always made.
From what I perceive, it is a subconscious way of saying that the pirate wants his treasure to be found. If he had wanted his cherished items to himself, then he would have just kept it to himself. He knows where he hides it, why would he need a map? If he is a forgetful person, then why does he have to hide it, not only from others but also from himself? Why does he have to bury it in an island far from civilization? Why does he have to bury it in the first place when he could have just spent it and made his life bliss?
He hides it, but subconsciously he wants it to be found. Perhaps not today; maybe later. He hides it perhaps so that he can save it for the future. He hides it perhaps because it would be of great use later on. One thing is certain, he hides for a reason.
But the more he hides it, the more curious the others become. It makes sense, because it is in man’s nature to be curious. It is our nature to unveil all mystery. It is innate in us to uncover everything that is not yet exposed, to discover what is still unknown, and to explore what is still unclear.
When there is something that strikes man as weird, unnatural, and out of the ordinary, he exerts all effort to make it normal, to make it seem logical, and to make it become rational. To man, there is a reason for everything, and everything exists for a reason. Everything has a purpose; otherwise, it doesn’t have to exist. Everything has a meaning, otherwise, it wouldn’t have occurred, it wouldn’t have happened.
But come to think of it, in the same way as man attempts to discover, it is in his nature to hide things as well. I guess this explains why the pirates hide their loot. These people don’t just hide things because they just want to, but they do so because it is in there nature to do so; while subconsciously wanting it to be found.
Thus we see that every human has this tendency to do something and mean another. And amazingly, through the course of time, man has become skilled at this. Man has his way of saying things in various ways which only an equally skilled being can understand. Expressions of his joy, sorrow, anger, hate, love are distinctly conveyed amongst each other. Each human has his own way of showing it and likewise his own way of hiding it. The funny thing here is that by hiding it, he wants it be put across.
Therefore because of this complex structure, man has cleverly been equipped with the appropriate sense of ingenuity. He detects what needs to be detected. He reads everything scrupulously from the very first word to the very last action the other expresses. This is the vague structure of human communication, the ultimate hide-and-seek. But because of this, man has been very creative. And because of this, human interaction has never been more exciting
However, seeking the true message is not as easy as some say. It needs time and practice for it to be maximized. In the same way, being subtle about things is a skill that needs to be exercised and enhanced. Hiding things and leaving clues take cleverness and intellect. Finding these clues and interpreting those needs even more.
But like everything else in this world, this ‘game’ has its limit. There is a limit as to how much information is needed to be found. There is a limit as to how deep the mystery is to be uncovered. I believe that all things hidden are meant to be found, but they must be discovered at the right moment. Some things are better left hidden at least for some time. A time will come for that thing to be unveiled. Thus the critical thing here is determining when the perfect moment is for its revelation.
Perhaps, the hide-and-seek structure is merely a venue for developing man’s skill of knowing the precise moment of revealing things. Therefore in human communication, three things should be kept in mind; (1) value, (2) delivery and (3) timing; because these three things are the key to sending the message with the perfect impact and faultless precision. Without depth and sincerity, the message becomes fake. Without confidence and subtleness, the message becomes weak. Expressed at the wrong time, the message loses its significance.
Thus all we need to remember is learn to hide things while leaving traces of evidence, and learn when to reveal them. Be subtle, learn to keep things invisible, but always remember to leave clues. These traces are the things that give them hints and guide them to the right idea. Revelation is needed for proper confirmation and appropriate declaration. Things hidden are meant to be found… at the exact moment.
R.E.J.E.C.T.I.O.N.
There is this popular belief that rejection is an all too common circumstance that everyone faces. Well, perhaps not in my case -- rejection is something I have to avoid. Ever since I was a kid, I had to prove to everybody that I was worth something. I was brought up to a life that had to have awe-inspiring achievements to be cherished. I had to excel… I had to be somebody…I had to be accepted.
I guess there is nothing wrong with that. Aiming for the best… putting everything you’ve got in every endeavor… pushing yourself to its very limits just to get there or at least have a feel of what “there” might be. I’m not blaming anybody or ranting about being tired and all… In fact I am quite happy with it. Having the discipline to reach for what might seem unreachable is not a very common trait that every person possesses. I do not quit when faced with challenges, I find a way to overcome the immeasurable gap between me and my dreams. I seldom compromise, but I never let every unsuccessful attempts get me down. Well, maybe they allow me to rethink my position and reweigh the costs, but the end result is I simply aim for victory.
Unknown to most people, one of the most negative traits I have is the fear of rejection. It’s like a major downer for me (among others). This does not necessarily mean that I am a spoiled brat always getting my way in everything. This just simply tells that as much as possible, all things I do must be acceptable or that should the majority approve of it. Perhaps the only exceptions to this are my questioned principles and beliefs. Yeah, I have a very high regard for what I believe in. I stick to what my convictions are, although I am open to possibilities. Also, I always say that I really don’t care what other people say, which mostly likely is always the case. However, being an outcast dreads me… or worse, being a reject.
Therefore, having known, I had to come up with measures to counter this fear. Unconsciously, I guess I have been doing it. Perhaps, it took me only now to realize that what I have been dong does not in any way alleviate the situation; rather, it just delay the effects. It’ like what I have been doing is like: “I can’t face them now; maybe I’ll just have to face them later or even better, I might just have forget about them.”
Where does this lead to anyway. Avoiding the feeling of rejection is a very cowardly character. It’s like contradicting what being the Immortal-Skirmisher is all about. I just have to say in my defense that it does feel better not being rejected or at least think that everybody accepts me. But I had to wake up, someday – to face reality. I am not really sure if I fully understand this reality, but I am trying my best.
* * * * *
In the end, I just have to apologize to a friend. I don’t know if you’re reading this. Just in case someone reads this, please tell her that it was so stupid of me to stay distant from her after what we’ve been through.
I have been very cold and I know it wasn’t right. I’m terribly sorry… and I miss you. I would want us to be even closer than before, but I don’t know if you are still willing. I guess it would really feel awkward but we could wok on it. I’m really sorry… I did those things to make myself at ease. It’s wasn’t easy for me to be in that situation. I just had to accept it sooner; especially now that you are leaving. I still like you.
* * * * *
But honestly, as long as I can hold on to this, I wouldn’t have to face this fear (right now) for now… If I don’t have to, I won’t… But when the time comes, which I know will, then I’d just have to be prepared.
The Immortal-Skirmisher
…Never quits…
A very noble thought… The heroism within him stems not from his brawns rather elegantly emanates from his will to achieve. The Immortal-Skirmisher is not the most daring but is neither a coward. His bravery is founded on wisdom and strengthened by faith. A noble warrior of truth yet deals with an internal battle to find truth within him as well. Fighting for what he believes is right and rational and guided by his unclouded principle, he never stands back. He is always determined; knows what he wants. Thus something denied of attention [by the Immortal-Skirmisher] does not necessarily mean it having no great significance to him. For the Immortal-Skirmisher things do matter, it’s just a question of how to much it does.
The Immortal-Skirmisher is brave but not foolish. For the brave does not strike aimlessly head on nor does the wise act without reason. Everything has been decided beforehand. Every endeavor has been carefully planned. The only curious thing is the fact that the Immortal-Skirmisher is bold to some extent. Not the risky gambler but the playful son of fate. He does not test fate rather he plays with his options, making sure that every choice is the best such that anything that could happen will not in any way harm him and others around him. Every decision has been carefully weighed in such a way that all possibilities have been checked and balanced. External consequences would then be a matter of chance.
Thus for someone who sees everything as a battle, an unending struggle, the Immortal-Skirmisher exhausts everything he has to fulfill his dreams. However, despite the name, he is not eternal. The Immortal-Skirmisher also needs a rest. Occasional breaks are necessary to cure and heal wounds, treat injuries and recover from intense feats.
The Immortal-Skirmisher rests, but he does not quit. He knows nothing but victory. This might be the best attribute the Immortal-Skirmisher possesses -- the ability to seek triumph at the pit of a fall. Starting a new climb to reach the heavens, he would learn from every unseemly turn. A fall is a fall, nothing more. It does not equate to defeat, nor does it define weakness. In the end, the Immortal-Skirmisher is nothing more than an optimistic warrior, carrying on his journey to ultimate success.
The Immortal-Skirmisher is the honorable fighter, seeking success but hopelessly avoiding adversaries. But this is reality, he meets allies, he meets foes. This has always been how it went and how it will always go. The Immortal-Skirmisher has been dealing with this reality for the longest time. It is impossible not to find a worthy opponent. There will always be a rival.
The Immortal-Skirmisher’s whole existence is a lifelong war. Every battle is a step towards the goal. Every win is a fleeting sensation that should never be dwelt in. Every fall is lesson to be learned and forever kept for utmost growth and enhanced development.
The Immortal-Skirmisher is me.
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