How do we begin to think about the world?

Even before we were born there are already prior implications about the world and these were broaden when we entered our college. There are a lot of theories, ideologies and alike around us, therefore, which is which? Which ideology should we believe? Today, we no longer know what is true or what is not and the fact that we are easily lured to whatever is given to us. Also, with this we are overwhelm with the fact that everything are made easy for our own use and thus we no longer want to bother ourselves with thing that we do not want to associate ourselves with.

As we emerge in the century of globalization we are slowly declining to our sense of living. In spite the fact that the technologies we have now makes things faster and convenient for us we are trying things to be inconvenient with the world. We have already experienced a lot of calamities and for me this implies a threat that the good old world we have is facing its end faster than it was calculated. We should now stop or slow down in reaching the peak because once we get there it is already the start of our fall. We should remind ourselves what to priorities and this is to assure that there is enough resources left for everyone. This means we must learn to save and take good care of what we have right now (nature) or else little do we know there will no longer left even just a single one.

Why do we obey?

"Government is for the people, by the people and of the people" I guess this quote is no longer new to us we have heard and probably quoted this a number of times. But what does this really mean? Ever since, we were already opened to the fact that there are certain rules that we should obey and with it are people that we should take in consideration and eventually obey as well. And so with this, the question Why do we obey? comes into the scene.

I have also questioned my self why dis i obey? After some time I realized that obedience came from fear. I guess people are afraid to make their own decision and they would rather be free-riders along the way. This comes with the fact that some people don't know anything about the things they should and so they end up obeying what is said to them. Like in the government, they say that this and that rules/regulations will make our economy/lives better,and because we believe them for the reason that we don't anything about the heck they're saying we simply obey. Because they rule us, we think that they know what they are doing and they want what is best for our country. In short, obedience may be an outcome of fear and ignorance. However, obedience can also come from trust and beliefs. If one person is knowledgeable and still obeys then this tells us that what he obeys in is something worth it.

Should we or should we not obey the government? I guess the answer to the question depends on the situation. If there are reasons for the people not to obey a government then we shouldn't but if we should then by all means let us give our trust to the government. I have jotted down some factors to consider if we must obey our government. First, to obey the government the government must be unite, and when i use the term government it means all people within the state. Second, we obey the government if its concern is for the benefit and welfare of all and lastly, we obey the government if they listen to each other.

We no longer share the willigness to be one. We can never have a government that we can obey whole-heartedly because our realtionship with our fellow filipinos vanished together with colonization and globalization.

Does colonialism and slavery belongs in the past?

Our country is just one of the nation in our world that experienced thorough colonialism, being a colony of Spain for more than 300 years and lesser years from U.S and at around 3 years from Japan we can certainly tell that we are no longer new to this event. Even this scenario has been happened years ago, can we really tell that colonialism belongs to the past?

If we talk about the colonialism we expereinced before i say that it no longer exist and it really does belongs to the past. But as times goes by colonialism transforemd into a new identity and barely i can identify it as globalization. Colonialism as described by Kate manzo is a "direct political control of a perople by a foreign sate" (berntein, Hewiit and Thomas 1992: 168) as "the control by one group over another inhibiting a separate territory" (De Alva 1995: 262). And with colonialism, slavery is more or else inter-related because just by the definition of colonialism it implicates over ruling/dictatorship.

As of now, we may have not experienced DIRECT colonialism but as we open up ourselves to the world and our nation's decisions in policy making is always influenced by our relationship with other countries i can surely say that colonialism doesn't really belongs to the past, because it still exist in our present time. As for slavery, even though there are no longer direct brutal slavery happening in the world just like before, there are still slavery in the sense of oppressing the workers and not giving them proper benefits and wages.

It is really ideal to think that colonialism and slavery have already belonged to the past. It will be an ideal society if I may add. However, in our world of globalization these words may already be too strong to use but honestly and sadly speaking are still existing. However, I believe that this may be abolished if people have already learned to accept that power and superiority must no longer be prioritize and that everyone deserves equal chances and rights.

How is the world organized economically?

Mercantilism point out that whoever (state) has the power on economy is the most powerful. Being a hegemon (most powerful state) does not mean that you should have conquered the most nation-state but you portray a well maintained high economy. The world is organized into their economic status. States that are included in the G7 (Great 7) are considered the powerful states in the world and for those like the Philippines are categorizes as third world (underdeveloped).

Although, the US showed its hegemony for a long time now. It is in a way loosing it touch on the game. As we all know US is currently experiencing recession in their country, and the title of being the most powerful country is likely for them to lose. In line with this, everyone thought the land of the rising sun, was the one to takes its place whenever it ever lose track on its economy however, Japan now is starting to experience the unfaithful destiny of US. It could not have happened in the US (Bush admin.) in the first place if didn't over reacted on the war against bin laden. Bush thought the war is the answer to all problem ( but its not). Now, US is roughly has a debt of around Trillion US dollar.

As of now, all great countries are focusing their attention to the sleeping giant as it starts to awake and probably become the next hegemon of our world.

How do religious beliefs affects the politics?

"Separation of Church and State"-Thomas Jefferson.

The topic on if how does religious beliefs affects the polictics have one way or the other experienced by all states. Taking the Philippines for example, we have been colonized by the spaniards for more than 300 years and during those time the church has a big say on how polocies should be done as they quoted "this is should be done". Religous groups (specifically the Christians) then have greater power than the political leaders. They are coined as the back bone of the government. But why is that? We all know that religion and politics are very much different from each other. In my own definition the Church is there to organize and secure to spread the word of what they call God and as for the politics they are there to organize and lead a nation.

Religious belief has a great impact on people, they are united by this common belief beleiving that it is all for the glory of God. Also, we can see that all religious groups unites as one and one way or the other shares the common belief. In able for the politics to gain the heart and thrust of the people they try to "court" their way on it. They support certain religious groups (that has majority of the population) to have a larger count to public.

Example of such would be the issue of Reproductive Health Bill that may actually help our poor country face the globalize world, however because of certain beliefs that only God and God himself can decide on whether or not a couple have a child.

It all boils down on who's perception should excel over the others. What I am saying is that, everyone has certain beleifs that they have and all of them wants this certain belief to maximize the scene. If I can term it as such, I would say that this religoius and plitics issue has been going around since we don't even remember when.

Photofrom:http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_5EXjOigQW0/Sr2oZ1TZqaI/AAAAAAAAAog/is0fCUZ_hq4/s320/church_&_state.jpg

How is the internet changing the way of life? (Master Lecture)

I started using the internet when I was still in Grade 6, I was thankful since internet came to my life. I was able to experienced using books, retyping each word using a type writer and do everything as ancient as possible (province life). Then internet came and it made my life easier. I was able to do my homework in shorter hours than before and I was able to learn a lot of things that our library cannot suffice.

However, when I started engaging into social sites. I have gained enemies one way our the other (I was childish before). I can even portray someone that I am not in the internet if I would like to. I have also, worsen someone's life just by using the internet.

As of today, the internet can do more things both better and worse than before. Internet can be a factor that weakens personal security. Tough we an learn a lot with the use of the internet, there are things that are bound to be kept for the safety of others.

Also, the way looking for a partner have also changed, before the males tend to go the female's house to court her or at least to sir her (for those who does not practice courtship) but today, there is what we call online dating, and some even marry each other even if they haven't seen each other in person. You can also shop in the internet, by just having your credit card number with you can buy anything around the world without going there personally.

The generation nowadays, as early as 3 years old even learn to use the computer before even memorizing the abc. The internet have thought as indeed a lot of knowledge but it also thought us how to be lazy and dependent so much on it. It thought us how to prevent from socializing personally and act as normal individuals that generations before us had. Have you ever thought life without it nowadays? I think not.

Good or Evil? (Master Lecture)

I've been asked this question a couple of times and I had answered it on different views as well. After reading Sun Tzu's Art of War I am already convinced that human beings are naturally evil. I may sound a bit morbid, but come to think of it people from the past kill each other for survival. There are a lot of fearful and horrifying things human beings can do.

Example of this would be a soldier who has been in the war for 10 years deprived of the things he used to have. After the war the soldier tend to change his/her attitude and becomes grumpy, always mad (evil like attitude). Others say this is becuase of the psychological change or rather the traumatice experience war gave but this just brought out the real personality of the person's human being.

I guess the reason why there are people who tend to be good is that they have found the sense of having a sanctuary (a resting place). But once that sanctuary as they call it is taken away, they'll change into something bad. This does not mean that they are naturally good. It just so happens that there is something holding them to be good, but if they lose all the reasons to maintain the goodness in them then the true natural attitude of the human beings will be brought out. Also, if human beings are naturally good why do we ever think of killing? or violence? and other "evil doings"? If good is the natural attitude of humans then we should have thought of other actions to settle things. But no, ever since our history can detect war and violence had been there, the option of those who lost options and the hope of those who are about to lose.