Blog#4 - Limit of a Person

Every person has his or her own limits but the question is should we push ourselves beyond our limit or just limit ourselves in the things that we know we can be sure of? Are we sure that the limit that we used to set is the real limit or capacity of ourselves? Should we think that the limit that we used to be sure of is right?

Being in a family who used to respect elders, Patriarchy has been one of the ideology that is implied in our family. It is also due to that my father used to live in a military way since my grandfather is a retired major. I do usually think that having that ideology is a problem since in a family is compose of mother, father, and children.  I think that everyone has the right to speak up and have an opinion. Being Patriarchal also limits the children in having a wide scope of knowledge and experience since there will be plenty of not to's. Patriarchy does not mean that you have to tie the necks of your family with you. It is also funny how we look into those courses, being a Political Science major does not mean that your career in the future will be a Politician. You can be anything as long as you want it and you worked hard for it.  You can be a Political commentator, consultant, lawyer, or even a businessman. Also in the sense that when you are a Chinese, the person you have to marry is a Chinese.

Some people decide not to go out of their comfort zone since they are afraid to be judged. Limiting yourself in one thing can be a hindrance in your life since there are plenty of opportunities that is given to us. It depends on us people on how we perceive it. My beliefs, identity and character are the limits of my existence. Myself is my comfort zone because I believe that everyone can be your enemy even if he or she is one of your family. Yourself will only be the one who will be there in every challenges in your life. I am a type of a person who will first observe a person before I talk to him/her.

Blog #3 - Cycle of Life

The term “other” or “others” can be referred to anything since there is no particular meaning and description in detail that serves as basis of information such as when you use the term “other cousins”, “other people” and many more. Most of the time, when the word “other” comes to my mind, as I realize what the term other really meant I seem to relate it more to a stranger. I consider people who do not understand my point of view as others.

I have been object of the domination and marginalization at some point since I am living in a country where there are rules and regulations that I have to follow. There are also programs that I have to participate. There are some things that is not really required but is recommended such as the voting process. In voting, you can resist if I want to since it will be your decision of not voting. You still have the rights to speak up your comments about the winner candidate since you are still part of the citizen of the country but of course you, at some point may realize that you do not have the right to speak since you have been given the opportunity to vote because there can be a difference if you voted. Being a student, I have encounter plenty of challenges and one of them is bullying. I was one of the bullies’ target since I was one of the quiet people in our classroom. I was also one of those people who will not fight back even if someone hit me because I believe in karma.

To be honest, I think everyone has dominated and marginalized others but in many different ways. I have dominated and marginalized others especially when it comes to my studies and my grades. As a part of a group, all of the members has his or her own task. Every task must be completed in order to make a good output. When one member of the group did not submit his or her own work, there will be a missing part. In this case, my trait to be a dominant person can come out. In my way, I am using my trait as a dominant person to reinforce other people to do their part and work. I also dominated and marginalized people when I know that I am right. It also work in my life since I want to be independent at some point. I dominate and marginalize my parents with the decisions  about me and my life since I know in myself that whatever my decision is, I have to be consistent with it  and that is what I really wanted.

Blog#2 - Subject Object

There are many things around us that we keep on questioning. Some of those questions are not really answerable by yes or no or cannot be answered immediately. Some answers can be found by slowly observing and finding out what your real self is. Everyone did not choose to be born nor to be born during their birth date. Everyone did not choose their parents. Everyone did not get to choose the name that they want because our parents was the one who chose it for us. We did not even choose the social status of our family that we grew up with. Everyone did not choose their sexuality.

I myself did not choose my full name because I was still a baby during the time that they are choosing a name for me.  When I was a kid, they called me Junine or Junina, it was fine for me since it is the nickname that they were used to call me. When I grew up, I preferred being called MJ rather than my former nicknames. In terms of clothing, as I grew up, there were changes in choosing my clothes. When I was a baby, they are the one who chose my clothes but when I reached graders, there were times when I argued with my parents in choosing my clothes but sometimes I still consider their opinion. But when I grew up, now, I am the one who is choosing my own clothes since my point is I am the one who will wear it that is why I need to be comfortable with my chosen clothes. It was not also my choice to have a religion or to be a Catholic because my parents are both Catholic that is why I am baptized as a member of a Catholic church but as I grew up, they are letting me explore about religion and I know there is a document that says that when you are at legal age or 18 years old, you can change your religion. I also did not choose having siblings but for me, as of now, they are my life. In choosing my accessories, when I was a baby, my parents and grandparents were the one who chose but when I am growing up, I resist having too many accessories. I also argue with them in choosing the accessories since I am only a watch person. I do not like many accessories. I did not also choose the social status that I used to grow with but of course as time passes by, after graduating or after having a degree, then there will be a time that I can choose whether I would like to get richer or just stable with this condition since I will be the one who will work for myself in order to get what I want. Gender preference is the one that makes a thing sensitive but since I want to be consistent with myself, I like having decisions by myself since I will be the one who will live my life. My parents and family are intervening with it but they said be yourself and you are who you are. Having my own point of view is my decision. It is one of the things that I am proud of my family since when I was a kid, they let me use and know my capabilities and they even ask for my opinions and ideas. They did not enclosed my mind with a single idea that they want to put in my mind. Nowadays, as I enter college, I spend more time in Manila since the location of my school is there. Of course during weekends, I am required to go home in my province since my family is there and they are waiting for me but whenever I am busy with my school works, they are allowing me to stay in Manila as long as I finish the works that I have to do. When I was a fourth year highschool student, I was excited in getting a form for an entrance exam for college. I got a form in UP, DLSU, ADMU, Mapua, and San Beda. Luckily, I passed DLSUCET, Mapua Entrance Exam, and San Beda entrance exam and was able to get the course that I wanted. Until the UPG was released, my UPG was good enough that enables me to enter UP but as time passes by and the school year is coming I am having a dilemma in choosing my school since in the 3 schools, I can get the course that I wanted but of course I still considered UP since UPLB is near in house and my family believes that UP is a good school that is why my sister was enrolled there. Taking up AB in Political Science and BS in Accountancy is my choice since I believe that both fields will help me enrich the knowledge in order to be a good lawyer. My chosen career is being a CPA Lawyer and they do not have a problem with it. They are just supporting whatever my decision is. They just told me that I should be consistent with my decision so I will not regret in the future.

For now, I have to prove myself to everyone that the things that I have chosen is right and that things that I have chosen will not be a hindrance towards my success. In my life, I am the only one who is in control and also God because I believe that hardwork pays off.

Blog #1 - Conservative vs. Liberal

Stand in different situation

The lecture and the activity engaged us students to know our position in different situations.  In the activity, students were asked questions that can be answered with yes or no. If the answer is yes, then the student must go to the left side while if the answer is no, the students must be on the right side.  Based on my observation, there are only few students in the room who are considered a liberalists. There are certain situations that may somewhat contradict your position.

There is a saying that in life, not everything is permanent. As time passes by, one’s ideas and opinions are changing. It varies through time and situations in our lives. Our mind is developing as we open our eyes to our environment. You can be liberal when you’re young but when you grow up, you develop to be conservative. It can also happen for you to be a consistent conservative starting from your younger years up to present.

                During my POLISCI subject, when I took the test, the result was that I am a conservative. When we did the activity the result was consistently saying that I am a conservative. Now, I think I still am on the process of finding myself because I know that being a conservative does not really mean that you are a really a straight conservative type of person. It may depend on you. In my opinion, abortion is not right. It is not a solution whenever someone gets pregnant. In the first place, the two people who are having a sexual interaction with each other must be responsible enough for whatever it may result to. There are two ways that one may resort to, one is be in favor of abortion and prefer to do it or the second one is make the child live but in the end figure out how to support the basic needs of the child and teach the good manners and values with the risk of not being able to do so and make the child suffer from a life he does not deserve to live in. Some are making children to sell to others who were not able to have their own child and get money from it and sometimes it is being controlled by a syndicate. Using abortion for saving the life of the mother during pregnancy is also fine since I am not the one who should really decide. The couple who are undergoing this kind of circumstances must be the one to decide because still, who am I to decide in this situation where I am not involved in. If the couple agreed using abortion in order for the mother to live, they should do it.  On the other side of the story, the LGBT community do also have the rights to live. As long as they are not doing bad things. Why would we limit them? We are all people. We all know that every person has his or her own idea, characteristics and way of happiness. We are all unique by being ourselves. The LGBT community is just being true to their own self. They are just making themselves happy and contented. Why would we push them into a person who is just a mask of what they should be and make them unhappy and feel uncomfortable with. There is also a prevailing issue about gay marriage. In my opinion, it is fine with me. Everyone has the right to love and be loved. It is not a sin of a person that he or she loves a person with the same sex. They did not even choose to be like that. As for me, I do not find gender as an issue. It is just an identity of a person. Whether you like it or not, you have to deal with it.

                                                   

                I am a conservative though there is still a part of me that is a liberal. I know that as I search for myself, I can answer all the question and can be really consistent with my position.