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The Other Four Freedoms

 

Franklin Delano Roosevelt cites the four essential freedoms as the freedom of speech and expression, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. But living in this post-modern age has brought about new kinds of oppressions. What formerly were problems caused by extreme lack has now become problems related with excess.

 

Here are the four other freedoms that I'd like to see in our society:

 

Freedom from the Barbie bondage. The Barbie doll represents the kind of perfection and sophistication that most women can only hope for. Her body is slender and toned, her skin is flawless, and her hair always stays in place. Barbie may seem like a harmless, innocent expression of childlike playfulness, but in their impressionable minds, many girls think that they'd grow up to be as beautiful and perfect as their doll. But how can they measure up to a fictitious blond and blue-eyed girl with impossibly proportioned vital statistics? Not all females were born with an hourglass figure and long, slim legs. And yet many girls continue to be awed with Barbie's image.

 

Freedom from mediocrity. I can understand why most people settle for the average, and do just enough to get by. Excellence requires total commitment and dedication. It means disregarding everything else to produce single-minded focus. It means rallying all your resources and energy to complete a task. It's not what you do that matters, but how well you do it. Towards the end of the day, will you be able to say, "I have done my best?"

 

Freedom from conformity. Peer pressure is the one thing that eats away our individuality and uniqueness. It is very tempting to just hop on the bandwagon and follow the crowd instead of learning to think and speak for ourselves. Too many folks are caught up with activities they don't want to do and acquiring things they don't really need, simply because they couldn't bear seeing others do or have them.

 

Freedom from narcissism, or what I call too much self-preservation. More and more people are being told that they deserve to have it all. Selflessness is replaced with looking only after one's own fulfillment. This is especially rampant in Hollywood. Hollywood places an inordinate amount of value on the young, the buff, and the extremely wealthy. But I've learned that superficial success – the kind that is not tied down to the right values – is short-lived, and it never came without a high price. And sometimes the price is too high. How many more Paris Hiltons and Lindsay Lohans will Hollywood create? Both Hilton and Lohan are epitomes of the sassy, upscale single lady, whose concerns are limited to getting into the swankiest parties and shopping for the most stylish clothes and handbags. And yet the adulation they had received from the masses still failed to mask the emptiness of their hearts.

 

So how should we deal with these oppressions? Well, we can free ourselves from the Barbie bondage by celebrating and respecting diversity. We should realize that being attractive is not limited to women who wear a size two or four.

 

Mediocrity can be crushed through injecting passion for the task or trade we find ourselves doing.

 

We won't feel the need to conform if we would just stop comparing ourselves with other people, and be content to run our own race on our own terms.

 

Finally, narcissism should be replaced with love for others. Life is worth so much more than feverishly striving to achieve fame and fortune. When no one cares who'll end up first in this rat race, and when everyone concentrates on being thoughtful, considerate, and caring instead of being declared Best Dressed or Prettiest, then we can relax our guards and let our hair down more often.

 

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What's Wrong With Filipinos Today?

 

"Life is so hard!"

 

I must have heard that complaint a thousand times. It doesn't matter if you're an office worker, a ditch digger, an accountant, or a cab driver. We all feel the stings of living in a modern-day Philippines that is so unstable and unpredictable. The unpleasant truth is this: we have hit rock bottom and our country is in dire straits.

 

Filipinos have always found it convenient to blame the government. But in my opinion, the government is only a part of the problem. So, what is wrong with us Filipinos? Well, here's what I've observed:

 

We no longer believe in the time-honored values of hard work and perseverance. We want quick fixes and short cuts, and this is manifested in the way we want to make money. No wonder a lot of variety and game shows on television are thriving these days. We are very much willing to put on an act and make a fool of ourselves in exchange for a few hundred pesos or dollars.

 

We have loathed excellence and settled for mediocrity. The words tatak Filipino have become synonymous with poor quality. We give less than what is required from us.

 

We seldom concentrate on what we have and pine for things we'll never be able to accomplish. The natural resources of other Asian countries pale when compared with our own natural resources. And yet we have neglected to appreciate the riches that abound in our fields, mountains, and seas.

 

Education has ceased to be the equalizer of the rich and poor. Our qualifying exams have been tainted by leakages and scandals. The youth no longer find it helpful to spend hours mastering their lessons. We have forgotten what’s it like to be genuine learners. We have perceived learning as something that is purely restricted to the four corners of a classroom.

 

We no longer practice simplicity and frugality. A lot of young people (and older ones, too) bask in the glory of their fake affluence and delusions of grandeur. In their twisted thinking, nothing is more humiliating than not having the latest mobile phone model. They put on designer clothes and carry expensive handbags, but couldn’t even afford a decent lunch or school books.

 

What I have stated here are merely symptoms of a very serious problem. We Filipinos have acquired a distorted sense of self. We are caught up with erratic patterns and ways of living our lives. But these patterns and ways can be resolved. And to achieve that, we must possess a genuine desire to change for the better.

 

First and foremost, let us realize that no occupation is lowly or insignificant. Let us relentlessly seek out practical and realistic ways to improve whatever work or trade we find ourselves doing. To paraphrase a famous saying, if we were called to be street sweepers, let us sweep even as the artists painted, the composers created music, and the poets wrote sonnets. We should sweep streets so diligently that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, “Here lived street sweepers who did their jobs well.”

 

Second, let’s pursue education that is holistic and balanced. Education is not the mere memorization of scientific facts and dates from a history textbook. Rather, it means taking what we’ve learned and then implementing them in our daily lives. And let us also realize that no amount of education can make up for a bankrupt character. Character development will take a lot of time and patience.

 

Third, let us create an atmosphere that encourages creativity and innovation. Let us produce merchandise that are distinctly Filipino and yet can compete with the world’s best. How I long for the day when there will be a Philippine-made car that is able to compare with a Ford, a BMW, or a Porsche.

 

Fourth, and last, let us quit putting on appearances. True success in life does not depend on how lavishly we flaunt our clothes, mobile phones, etc. True success comes from a sense of integrity and a high regard for other people’s well being. These are the priceless virtues that will remain steadfast all throughout life.

 

Is there hope for the Filipinos of today? Definitely. So let’s start rebuilding our country.

 

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