Eliminating the Division

Media hegemony is the power of one group over a weaker one. This concept leads to the birth of status quo. People develop hierarchy among the different groups found in a society. This has affected the world in a sense that is has created a division of people. One problem that has risen nowadays and has been a very big dilemma for the world is social class. Before the development of technology came about, back in the day when societies weren’t as complex as they are now hierarchy wasn’t given much importance to. In a community, everyone would share the land they live in and the resources they had. There was no division between the rich and the poor. But as the world further developed, complexity came along. Competition for resources were present, people wanted to become richer than others thus having people with less fortune as compared to others.

            This problem has been made a bigger one because of the media. The media has played a big role in the division of classes in a sense that it constantly stresses on the idea of groups being stronger than others. This is a big problem because if the poor are labeled as citizens who are worth less then they will be stuck in their situation without even seeing the opportunity to get out of it. The idea has become so fixed that they have become unaware of it already and instead of striving to get out of the situation they tend to do nothing to change their state. For the “poor” to have the chance to improve their lives, the media should stop underlining the division of classes and instead come up with a way to embed the fact that there is hope to improve their current situation.

            Counter hegemony would certainly play an important role in solving this problem. Media content must be produced in a way that it goes against the current status quo of groups of people over other groups specifically the poor. If media content is produced to challenge the current dominant narratives presented, then maybe it would open the eyes of the “poor” and give them a sense of hope instead of keeping them where they are taking away the chance for them to live the best lives they can.

A Space Beyond the Limits of the World

                        

            As defined in class, public sphere is a space where the exchanges of views on a particular topic are discussed and all opinions are considered legitimate. In my own perspective, this is vital to keep the balance in a society. There cannot just be one accepted view as regards to a certain topic, because we human beings have different understandings and assessments towards things. Most especially considering the fact that we are in a very complex world wherein almost every corner of the street would have different views over things.

           

            A public sphere can be found up to the extent of the opposing poles or even in the simplest household. A good example of a public sphere takes place in peace talks between two opposing groups in the midst of a war. In the middle of a battlefield, your side is supposed to do anything in order to end up victorious, which usually meanings killing the soldiers of the enemy. In peace talks, however, there is temporary restrain from firing bullets to the enemy. A mutual understanding is present between the two forces. In the peace talk, both sides are given the chance to express and negotiate whatever they wish, and the other must allow them to be able to convey it freely. The public sphere plays a vital role here because it allows opposing groups to negotiate freely without the need of bloodshed. It allows a balance between the two parties. Without the public sphere then the world will just be one sided, without opinions being accepted freely

            In every day life, we can see a public sphere present when we students talk about a certain teacher outside the classroom. Such place may be in jsec, in the library, or any area where the discussion may occur. I see this as something important because it enables us students to comment about our teacher and find ways that would help us get along with the teacher and understand the lesson more effectively.

            This aspect of life is more often than not taken for granted in a sense that people experience it everyday, but fail to realize it’s importance or even do not know that it is called a public sphere. These things are what make me appreciate our communication class because it opens me to see life in a new perspective of life being able to see the importance of everything we do. 

Stepping Out of My Restrictions

 Some people live in their own cages, preventing them from seeing and experiencing life to its fullest. People are stuck in their comfort zones not because they have chosen such but the environment which that are found in prevents them from ceasing the chance and opportunity to see the beauty of life in other aspects.

Cultivation theory talks about the stereotypes that people have because of prolonged exposure to the media. Media would put into our heads things that aren't actually the truth. Because of the media, you would probably look at riding the MRT or LRT on a deceiving way. You would probably think that the stations would smell awfully bad, or the people would seem all dangerous in your eyes, or that it is not convenient at all, or probably that it is the means of transportation of lower class citizens. Well, this is what cultivation theory does if you are so restricted to your area of comfort. The Ateneans we are, inclines us to be naive about the reality of life because frankly speaking, Ateneo is probably the most comfortable school to study college in here in the Philippines. It's like having an own barangay inside the premises of Ateneo.

At the cusp of who i am, i have decided to step out of the restrictions of my home, and the restrictions of Ateneo. I have started to commute, even if my grandmother would be very much frightened to hear about this. Recently i have been taking the LRT often because it is cheaper, and it saves me time. Do the stations smell awfully bad? Well, even when walking along katipunan or inside Ateneo, you cannot avoid but allow your nose to smell whatever comes your way. Dangerous? Its dangerous every where, you just have to learn how to be aware and take caution. In fact, if it were that dangerous then why do thousands and thousands of people still ride the LRT OF MRT. Not convenient? Like i said, it saves time and money. Try visiting your friends in taft driving a car and then try taking the LRT. It may be crowded but its much faster, and less tiring. Riding the LRT made be realize some things, but what struck me most was how the people inside the train are. Despite how crowded the train may be, no one was complaining, everyone would make room for other people and they were surprisingly friendly. Some people might be irritable because of a long day, but there are still many who are still polite and still practice common courtesy. As crowded as it was, people would still chatter and crack jokes causing a spark of laughter. People would talk to you randomly when they see you are new to such experience. One girl saw how i was a little uneasy because of how crowded it was and she smiled at me saying, "hindi pa yan masyadong masikip." and laughed.

My point is that the media us not always right. They may be the structure of the beliefs of people, but they are not always right. To see truth about life, we should learn how to step our of our comfort zones and experiences things first hand.

Everyone has a Calling

           Organizational culture is the set of beliefs, values, practices, way of doing things a certain group of people under an organization follow. An organization can vary from big ones and small ones, but no matter what size organizational culture unifies how the people in the group behave. Such aspect of an organization is what creates camaraderie among employees. As much as culture is present in every organization, people carry certain roles and some how live life as if it were a theatrical performance. Just as i talked about in one of my past blogs, we might be part of a play up in heaven.

           In life, we all play different roles depending on who we are and what we choose to do. We have teachers because they enjoy sharing their knowledge and teaching such to students. Policemen risk their lives to everyday because they have a sense of nationalism within them and what to contribute in promoting peace and order among citizens. We have priests because they have answered God's call to preach what is written in the gospel. Each and every individual has a role in this world and it is up to them to find out what they are called to do.

           It has been very Filipino for the eldest son to be the father figure whenever the father is not around. We use to term, "kuya" to show our respect to siblings or even people who are older than us. If you take a look at american families, you will never see younger siblings calling their older siblings such words to show respect. In my family for instance, i am the eldest son and the eldest grandchild for that matter. I serve as a role model for all my younger cousins, and they all follow the way i dress up, the sports i play, the way i talk, etc. I always watch the way i act because i know a lot look up on me. As for my sisters, i play a bigger role because my father left when i was in grade one. Since then, i have served as the father figure to my younger sisters. When my sisters have problems they run to me for comfort or for advice. This has done me well in a way because it has made me grow up into a mature young man. It's as if we are all part of a play and we all have distinct roles, but unlike plays our actions affect lives of others.

           Finding out roles in this world does not always come easy, sometimes it comes in a way least expected, and that least expected way may be a blessing in disguise.
        

Old Things Still Come in Handy

            Imagine a world with no cellphones and computers. Imagine having to contact your girlfriend or boyfriend through a pager. A pager isn’t as convenient as a cellphone, mind you. You would have to call the operator and say your message to the operator and then the operator will deliver your message to the other person. It isn’t as simultaneous as how we can now hold a conversation over the phone or simply send a text message and expect a response in a matter of seconds. Wouldn’t it be weird to call an operator and say, “goodnight baby I love you!” or “I’m mad at you!” and here snickers at the background then have the operator deliver that message to your girlfriend’s pager? What if you’re a photographer for a wedding and a fortuitous event occurred while you were on the road going to the church, how will you let the organizers know that you won’t be able to come?

            Setting technology’s role in communication aside, technology has made life easier in almost every aspect. Machines have made production more efficient and effective. Hundreds or even thousands of water bottles are packaged in no time because of the machinery used for mass production. Go to a Krispy Kreme branch and watch how the donuts are made; you’ll see how amazing machines are and how it brings forth convenience in our lives.

            Technology, especially in communication does not choose class in social structures. As sad as it may be, it is evident that there is a big gap between the rich and the poor, but in this case, both benefit from the technology used for communication. Even if the majority have a hard time sustaining life and feeding their families, it would be very rare to someone in the mall or even any ordinary worker without a cellphone.

            Whenever, I take part in an outreach program, I start the day with a heavy heart, not because I don’t want to reach out to the less fortunate, but because it saddens me that I will not be able to communicate with them after that day. During third year high school, my class had an interaction with the prisoners of bilibid prison. It frightened me at the beginning, but when I got to meet my partner, my stereotypical views towards prisoners changed dramatically. They are friendly people, its just that sometimes the hardships poor people face take away their presence of mind and blue their chances of thinking right.  I got attached to my partner and I felt down when we had to go because it’s not like I will be able to text him or chat with him again. This is where the importance of “primitive” things comes in. Even if we cannot contact through the use of a phone or a computer, there is always an alternative, which is writing letters. After that day, I continuously sent him letters and he wrote back as I gave the address of Xavier School and they would hand it to me. This classic form of communicating allows us to communicate with people who to not have the chance to use the technology we have today just like people in prison. Even if I am a frequent user of the cellphone and the computer, I do not fail to appreciate how important writing letters were and are still as of today. As important as technology’s role in communication may be, we should never take for granted the old way of doing things, because without such, we would not have been able to make the leap to where we are today. 

Blending With the World

            As much as groupthink can keep the harmony in a group, it also has its bad effects. It may lead to bad decisions; it may hinder the chance of a great idea to be known, and many other things. People see me as someone who doesn’t and isn’t shy when it comes to expressing what I want to say and what I feel, but little to they know that I am very shy inside. I’m only comfortable with people I am close to, and because of this, I am not shy when it comes to them. When I tell them I am that I am a really shy person, they just laugh and think I am messing with them. For this reason, no one really knows that I am that kind of person.

            I’ve experienced a good number of situations wherein I’ve had ideas in mind, but I chose to keep it to myself because I didn’t want to go against the other ideas already present and agreed upon by the people in the group. Although this only happens when I am around people I am new to. During the first semester of my first year in the Ateneo College, I faced people I’ve never seen or heard of in my life. At the beginning of the year, I didn’t talk much because I didn’t know whom I could converse with. I was rather waiting for someone to approach me and start a conversation, but I don’t think I look like one of those approachable people. Haha. I hated having group works so badly. In fact, there was a time when we experimented on a rat. One of the group members suggested that we just slice it open. I knew that if we did that we might hit some organs, destroying them and making it impossible to study those parts, but I didn’t voice out. I just kept the idea in my headed hoping they wouldn’t destroy the organs. In five minutes time, I was in utter regret, regret that I was too shy and scared to suggest what I knew was right because just like I thought, they sliced it open too roughly that it broke some parts. This shows an example of how groupthink can lead to mishaps. Some times, people have great things in mind and choose to keep quiet about it because they are shy and do not want to break the harmony going on.

            During the second semester, I met knew people again from different classes just like in the first semester. This time, I was more open towards meeting other people and more open even during the group works we had. I learned how to voice out the ideas I had and share my opinion on certain topics. This is where the topic we discussed in class proves its worth. According to an online dictionary the adaptive structuration theory means that A structure whose geometric and inherent structural characteristics can be changed beneficially in response to external stimulation by either remote commands. This theory explains how I have learned to adapt to the culture brought about by the college way of life. Because we meet new people almost every day, unlike in high school, meeting others becomes a very ordinary occurrence 

The Human Tendency to go with the Flow of Life

Nowadays, individuality has been a blur to many because of a good number of factors such as social norms, pop culture, trends, and other influences. Every individual is affected and influenced by the society in one way or another Ateneans for example tend to stay away from things that would lead to them being classified as “jejemons” because such lifestyle is uncommon to our crowd. Almost the whole world hates Rebecca Black for her song entitled “Friday” and I haven’t heard of any group or anyone for that matter who is defending her. There is no law that states that only women can wear bras, but men don’t go out of the house wearing a bra underneath their shirts because it’s taboo. These kinds of actions or decision-making happens because people have the tendency to follow what is accepted because not doing so would lead to complications. By complications I mean people saying things about you, people judging you, and other things that would cause stress in life, which everyone would naturally want to avoid.
As discussed in class, there is such term as “groupthink”, which falls under the theories of groups and organizations. Groupthink doesn’t involve any fancy definitions to it. It simply means people agreeing or going with the flow of a certain something despite having better ideas in mind in order to give way for harmony. This kind of decision-making is not beneficial for the development and growth of the society because this leaves us stagnant since everyone is inclined to agree with the rest. Whereas if people voice out their ideas, there will be room for further improvement. Humans constantly come up with new innovative ideas and they lack confidence and will in letting their ideas be known to others.
Last week, my grandfather went through an operation that involved his heart being repaired by the use of an angioplasty stent. The decision to have him operated died not come in a snap of a finger. The decision was vital for my lolo’s life and it concerned the whole family. After the doctor announced what had to be done to my lolo, my whole family started murmuring in the hospital room. My mother being the only girl among five siblings called the attention of everyone and asked that everyone take part in voting whether they approved for my lolo’s operation or not. One by one, everyone started saying that they didn’t want to vote because it might cause tension in the family. So they ended up with a group decision and decided that my lolo be operated on. This story of mine shows how a group would usually come up with the same decision and agree with the rest of the group. This happens because in our case we all had the same concern for my lolo. The decision-making of groups are affected by different factors, some times it may be because cohesiveness is involved in the group or it may be because of external stressors. “Groupthink” does not always lead to bad decisions, at times a good decision may also spring about from such way of deciding on things.

Uncertainty Serves A Mean in Building Relationships

It's amazing how we people, even without really knowing the strategies to reduce our uncertainty towards other people, constantly use strategies to lessen or reduce our uncertainty. Humans are curious beings and this curiousness of ours is what what i think drives us to know more about other humans and lessen the awkwardness or discomfort we feel when we have just recently met them.

Two weeks ago, I went to Quirino elementary school as part of our nstp. My initial feelings towards this experience were all clouded by the fact that I did not see the point in it. The idea is that we would go to the school and prepare a lesson plan and teach the students to prepare them for the national achievement test. I couldn't help, but wonder if we would really be of help to these students. Wouldn't our help be a little bit too late to be of any effect to the students? Wouldn't the teachers be more effective than us in helping the students learn? When I got to the place, I really had a feeling of discomfort in me. I kept my distance from the students because I had a lot of questions in my mind and at the same time I could not help, but have those stereotypical thoughts running in my head. The first activities we had were a few games just to break the ice. Still, I was very hesitant to interact with the students. I was constantly ranting to my girlfriend, who was also part of the nstp class. I was telling her how useless I thought the idea of teaching the students was. Being the caring person that she is, she left me with around five students. Because of this, I was some how forces to interact with them. I started by asking each one of them what their names were and then followed by questions about their personal lives. Most of them felt comfortable conversing with me, and I too, eventually stating feeling a good sense of friendship starting. Every time I would get an answer from the questions I ask, I would give information regarding myself in return. Putting the students aside, I observed the teachers that were around us. They seemed ashamed of the school because of the way the spoke about it. “Sorry na ganyan lang ang banyo ha.” “Nakakahiya naman ang school naming ang liit liit tapos ang sikip pa.” “Yung mga bata, sa umpisa lang mabait yan.” When I heard such words coming out from the mouth of a certain teacher, I felt that something was wrong. The teachers seemed “plastic” and probably just wanted to make a good impression. Quite honestly, the school wasn’t small. In fact, the school looked like a private school in a way and the bathrooms were not as filthy as she said it to me. The students were nice and really down to earth. The teacher seemed to protective of what we might see wrong. I don’t know for sure and I hate to doubt, but are these teachers really nice to the students? Do they care about these students? Are they abusive? Do they make sure these students learn? How do they act towards the students when there are no visitors? These questions are only a few that were lingering in my head.
I learned a good number of things from the students I was able to converse with. I was struck by some of the stories they shared. One boy told me that there were bullies from the same grade who would ask them for food and money and if they refused to give, they would be beaten up. I asked what the students how the teachers handle this kind of situation and I was terrified when they told me that the teachers would only warn them the first one or two times they do such thing. Warning the bullies would not make them afraid to do such things again. Such things become a habit of no ones takes action to stop it. Hearing this made me frown upon the teachers even more. It is their job to help shape these students into better ones. They should take bullying more seriously because having bullies in a school will hinder other students from having a sound learning environment. Students wouldn’t be encouraged to attend class if they would just be bullied time and time again. Another thing that struck me was how the attendance of the students is not taken seriously as well. It does not matter to the teacher whether the students attend class or not. How can you make use of the opportunity to learn if you only attend class when you feel like it? This really worried me and softened by heart towards the students. Now I feel like it is my responsibility to help them learn and to help them realize certain things about life.
I am still thinking it through, but I want about to be able to talk to the teachers regarding this problem before the year ends. I want to be able to make an impact in these children’s lives. I have been bullied back when I was in grade school, which is why know how it hinders a student from being able to learn in school. It makes you scared to go to school when you know a bully is waiting for you. This problem can be easily fixed if only the teachers take proper action. They can simply impose stricter rules about bullying or at least have counseling sessions once in a while. You do not need a student counselor to be able to do this, all you have to do is as the students how they are, who their friends are, who bullies who, and other things that would help the students.
Uncertainty reduction truly takes part in our every day lives. Just like in my case, as uncomfortable as I was in the beginning, I still went through the process of reducing my uncertainty towards the students by asking them questions about their lives, and I too by means of self-disclosure. Uncertainty reduction can certainly build a friendship between people and it can bring about a sense of sympathy towards others. Just as in my case, I started out with a great deal of uncertainty towards the students, but as I got to know the students more, I started feeling sympathy for the students and started caring for them. Interacting with others, no matter how short, can indeed lead to more intimate relationships, thus, again, bringing about the beauty of communication.

A Leader Brought About by Dissonance

            I have always been the type of person who follow my own set of beliefs and follow what I think is right. As stubborn as I may sound, that has just been the way I have been since I was a child. It’s probably because I am the first-born grandchild out of the sixteen in my mother’s side. We are a very tightly knit family. In fact, we spend so much time together that it’s as if we are all siblings. For this reason, being the eldest grandchild has been a very important role for me. Being a role model is not always easy, most especially when you have fifteen other people looking up to you. Also, as the eldest grandchild, I have always had the respect of the rest of the children. This has instilled in me a good sense of authority and leadership. I believe that this is one of them main reasons as to why I am not used to being contradicted or to be put frankly, I just hate it when I am forced to do something beyond my beliefs.

Ever since this sense if authority and leadership was built in me, I have always tried to avoid situations wherein I would need to follow other people and do things that I think are not right. The way I coped with this situation is simply put this way, “If you do not want to follow, be followed.” By this I mean, standing up when the call for it arises. Every time I feel that certain situations will either put me in a situation wherein I would have to listen to what others want, or have others listen to what I want, I grab the latter right at once. When I leader is needed, I step up and take responsibility for certain things. This way, I would not have to be forced into following what others want. This does not mean that I am not open to opinions because I am. Especially when I am the leader in whatever case it may be, I always make sure that opinions of others are heard and considered. I do this because I have experienced situations during my childhood wherein I remember being to shy to speak up or to give my own opinions. I’d would rather just keep quiet and take no part in the situation that have to overcome by shyness. I like being in command because this way, I would not have to just keep saying yes because I am afraid to go against authority and at the same time, I know that other people have amazing things to say but are just too shy to do so.

I was in awe when I first read the readings regarding cognitive dissonance, which was our lesson last week because the way I could relate truly caught my interest. I can relate to the fact that doing things inconsistent with my own beliefs causes stress or tension just like it was discussed in class. I was further intrigued when I was reading the part about dealing with these dissonances. Coping strategies are indeed put into use in order to avoid or lessen the stress caused by these dissonances.

An experience in my life that shows how I cope with not wanting to just say yes to others takes part in my sport, soccer. When I started out my first year in the Xavier Varsity team, I was almost what people would call a benchwarmer. I did not enjoy being a benchwarmer because every time I would enter the field people would shout at me telling me what to do even if I knew that I was doing the right thing. They just wanted to take advantage of the fact that I was new to the team. This experience of mine was something that aggravated my potential in soccer because I trained double time. Soon enough, my hard work paid off when I was assigned as the team captain. Being the team captain allowed me to do whatever i felt i had to do to help us win. It my call for me to take over the game, or to pass to a teammate, but what was important to me was that i would be doing things i believe are right. I would always put my heart out and play my best game because i had to be a good role model, which was something I enjoyed doing. The way I dealt with my situation as a benchwarmer shows that I really do not like doing things people tell me to do especially if I believe otherwise. My hard work paid of because  it brought out the best in me.

            This shows a good sense of the lesson we had regarding cognitive dissonance last week. According to our discussion in class, dissonance is the when things are inconsistent with your own beliefs and this can be seen in the experience I had when I was new to the soccer team. Dissonance can be seen here because being a benchwarmer meant that I would have to listen to what other people tell me to do even if I did not agree with what they were saying. This is only one situation wherein dissonance can be found, but dissonances can always be lessened by the use of the different coping strategies. Avoiding these dissonances would aid us one way or another, just as in my case, it has brought about a leader who is always ready to lead by example.

Kinesics and Proxemics is yet another Beauty

                With my notebook on top of my desk opened on the page of our lesson in communication class last week, i am overwhelmed with the information i am reading, not because the lesson is complicated or because it is too much, but mainly because i cannot decide on which topic to write about. I want to write about body language, the theory of cognitive dissonance also appeals to me, and i also want to share the things i have to say and share regarding proxemics and how space is used in communication. As confused as i am with what to write about as of the moment, i want to start off by showing the music video of Rihanna's song entitled california king bed. More than watching the video, i want you to listen and reflect on the lyrics of the song as you watch. Dont get too emotional about it :)))) because every time i listen to this song, it brings forth the soft side found inside me. hahaha!

         The song is just so nice to listen to isn't it? It's melody makes you relax and it sounds like a perfect song to make you pause and reflect about anything under the sun. It would be really nice to put yourself in the persona's shoes, but for me, doing so tightens my heart a little, just a little :))).  Also, the lyrics of the song allows the listener to sympathize and empathize to whatever situation it may bring to his or her thoughts. But more than the beauty of the song's melody and lyrics is how the song clearly shows the importance of body language it our lives. It shows that body language really has meaning to us humans, and that meaning depends on whatever goes through a person's head, or simply a meaning most people perceive it to be. With some isolated cases set aside, most body languages have a universal meaning, which means it is more or less the same for everyone.


"Chest to chest
Nose to nose
Palm to palm
We were always just that close
Wrist to wrist
Toe to toe"


      The lines above come from the song and i think that it has a universal meaning, and after hearing these words, i believe that it would bring about the same thoughts running on the minds of the different people listening to the song. It would allow the listener to infer that the song is probably about a couple very intimate with each other. If you try and think of two complete strangers being as close as chest to chest or nose to nose with each other, it would be weird because usually only people who are intimate enough get that close to each other. This kind of thought or idea of how it is that only people who are intimate, get that physically close to each other portrays how important the meaning of certain body languages are to us. It is important because these movements convey messages to people around us. If you are not aware of the meaning of body language then you would not be able to live a normal smooth flowing life. If someone is that naive about body language, imagine that person just blatantly kissing someone else walking on the street. How do you think the other person would react? Things like this are a far cry from happening on a normal basis because kinesics has been a part of our lives since the day we were born. We have been learning the different meanings of the different body languages we encounter on a daily basis since birth, and for this reason, we are aware that kissing a random stranger is insane!! 


"Lips that felt just like the inside of a rose
So, how come when I reach out my finger
It feels like more than distance between us"


     This part of the song shows how kinesics and proxemics connect in our lives. Kinesics being body language and the latter being the use of space in communication. In a typical intimate relationship just as a boyfriend and girlfriend would share, it is normal that they show their affection for each other by being physically close to each other just as the first part of the song depicts. Just as being physically close to each other would normally mean that a couple is happy, having space in between a couple on the other hand would mean that they are probably not in good terms. This shows the connection between kinesics and proxemics. Both body languages and spaces between/among people have certain meanings connected to them. We do not share the same roof as our neighbors because this is how we people deal with space when it comes to building houses. We like to keep some things private from others as to respect the distance we would like to keep from people we are not as comfortable with. 


      Another thing i would like to share is how body language is not always universal. It may mean different things depending on the culture or location of a person. Smiling at strangers for example is normal for most Filipinos. Some times, when we see people familiar to us outside or homes, we tend to smile at them even if we are not very sure if we know them or not. Doing such a thing like smiling in Germany would freak out the germans. They are not comfortable with people smiling at each other. In fact, they find it weird when someone smiles at them. Maybe this also shows that filipinos show much respect for anyone who passes their way and how nice it is that we filipinos are known for being very hospitable. 


      Weird as it may be for someone to smile at another, kinesics and proxemics is yet another aspect of life we can appreciate-- how people have been able to convey a message by simply smiling at another, by how a couple can show their affection towards each other by being chest to chest or nose to nose, or by filipinos are known to be respectful people. This is just another gift from God, and yet another reason to say that life no matter how complicated, is indeed, a beauty. 

The Perception of Theories

         Theories aren’t really something I enjoy learning or studying about probably because math made a bad impression of it to me. I’ve always hated math lessons that are based on a certain theory because its proofs never appeared to be crystal clear to me. Although I can dislike theories forever, I cannot deny the fact that they are part of my life in one-way or another. According to last week’s class discussion, theories are certain beliefs towards a phenomenon. We also discussed that the explanation towards these beliefs cannot just be a haphazard explanation but in Mr. Beiver’s words, explanations that have “justified and rationalized components.”       

         In my own point of view, a theory is a conclusion that can explain a particular event. It cannot simply be unsupported answers to questions like: why is the sky blue? or why does the heart pump blood. Research and testing must be done for the answers to be proved right and for the theories to be taken seriously. People usually confuse the definition of theory with the meaning of idea. An idea does not have to be or is not supported by anything other than one’s opinion. I always thought that I had my own theory about our lives, only in our discussion about theories did I realize that what I thought was a theory is a mere idea. Despite that, I believe that my idea will be proved to be a theory in the future. Let me share with you my very own idea about our lives, but let me make it clear, this is NOT a theory, it is just an idea.

         One night, I was wide-awake just lying down in my bed staring at the ceiling making friends with shadows on my wall(matchbox 20), when I came up with an idea about our lives. Have you ever thought that maybe, just maybe, life is just an illusion? We are probably just lying down in heaven dreaming about our lives as it flashes as abstract thoughts in our heads. Moments in our lives right now are passing us so quickly that by the time we want to grab it, it has gone to be part of the past. At this very moment my sister is singing a song, yes she can sing that song forever, but as the lyrics of the song come out of her mouth, that moment has past and I cannot go back to that moment and grab it. Life is just flashing in our heads as moments or like a slideshow that is being presented so fast that it feels like it is really happening and that we are really experiencing it, but really it’s all just a power point presentation being presented in our heads. Go try it now, try to grab that moment of life in front of you. Faster! Try doing it faster! See? Can you grab that moment? Surely you cannot. This is all because life is just an illusion; it is merely a something like a power point presentation or gifs being presented in our heads as we lay in heaven.

         This idea of mine is not a theory. Although it is something I always thought of as one. This is the common mistake of people and how they confuse the true meaning of a theory. This is the perfect example of that mistake and I in all honestly have been committing that mistake all my life.  For this idea to become a theory, it has to have justified and rationalized explanations. I cannot just claim this idea of mine as a theory because it has to pass certain elements in order to be considered one. Ideas must first have the ability to be able to be proved right, it must also have the ability to keep its truth despite other factors, and other elements to be able to be called a theory.  

         But everyone, please do not be discouraged with your ideas! It is not impossible to prove your ideas and have them called as theories. You just need perseverance and determination and who knows, you might probably be part of your children’s’ lessons in the future.

The Essence of Communication in My Life

            When I hear the word communication, no one true definition pops up in my head, but I can easily associate it with many things. I can associate it with a public speech, a “stop” sign along a sidewalk, or even by a person’s facial expressions. In my own words, communication, be it, thorough a computer, a cellphone, or a face-to-face conversation, involves two different parties, wherein one or both parties deliver a message to the other.

           

            Quite honestly, I do not know what I can be come after I graduate with a degree in communication, which is why the introduction to communication in class somehow served as a career talk for me. Having a degree in communications can lead me to a career in business, something everyone will probably pass at least once in their life. I believe that in order to be a good businessman, I must first be capable of communicating with people in the right manner. Dealing business matters with a friend or a family member is totally different from dealing with a businessman of another culture. There are certain things I must take into consideration before dealing with a person with a different race as to avoid any problem. Speaking in front of a whole company will call for a different way of addressing the audience since everyone must feel that they are part of what is being discussed. It would be very difficult to pursue a career in business and be successful if you do not know how to socialize with the different kinds of people there are in this diverse world. Thus, communication truly plays a big role in the business world. It is something that is necessary in order to be able to do business with different people around the world.

           

            Another career choice related to communication that interests me is government and politics. I am probably still a far cry from being a famous icon who people would vote for come election time, but being a politician has been my dream since I was a young boy. I have heard some politicians who deliver their speeches so passionately that they inspire me to imitate how they speak in front of an audience. Just recently, I was able to watch Cory Aquino’s speech in front of the U.S. congress regarding her cry for freedom and democracy. This is definitely one of the most moving speeches I have ever heard in my life. It brought chills to my spine as I was listening to every word she uttered and every sentence she constructed with those words so passionately. After watching and listening to her speech, I told myself that if I wanted to become a politician, I would have to learn how to speak in such a way that I would be able to move people, to inspire people, and to influence people with the way I talk. I never knew I would end up shifting to communication technology, and now that I am here, I want to take advantage of my chance to learn anything I can in order to become a good politician. Our lesson about communication can aid me in the future in holding public speeches. I learned in class that communication has different contexts and the different contexts can be of big help to me in the future. One of which is communicating to a group; this is very important of I am to become a politician because this will teach me how to communicate with a large group of people. I have to be used to speaking in front of people I do not know at all and not just to people whom I know. Speaking in front of the class is way different from speaking in front of a barangay with people of different wants and needs. I will have to learn how to choose my words and actions wisely before speaking in front of them. I am very far from achieving my dream of becoming a politician, but I will have to take it step by step and this is the start of it.

            Communication played a big role in my life during high school most especially when we would have a soccer game. As the captain of the team, it was my role to lead the team, and in doing so, I had to deal with different players with different attitudes. Now that I have come to know about the different aspects of communication, I understand how the environment can affect the way people communicate with each other. I always wondered how I could shout at my teammates during the game and act as if nothing happened after. I would be bossy towards all my teammates, but after the game, I’m still everyone’s friend. This is because different factors in the environment affect how we communicate with each other. Probably because of the pressure during the game, I would be forced to shout at them, but after the game when there is no more pressure at all, I would simply talk to them as if the game never happened. They were probably also so caught up in the game’s action that the message delivered to them by me shouting was just part of the passion of the game and like me, they also wanted to win. Different environments in life call for different means of communication which we all have to adjust to.