What am I? Who am I? Such philosophical questions have been posed time and time again, sometimes by others, sometimes by ourselves. We are experts at grappling with the complexity and magnitude of the human psyche, seeking understanding both in the larger sense of a world shared with over seven billion people and within the
Who You Are Now Is Not As Important As The Person You Can Become
We’re constantly in a state of trying to find ourselves. In order to become who you’re meant to be, you need to know yourself first. It’s a myth I was telling myself and believed for years and it held me back. We think that once we find ourselves, we’ll figure out what we want to
The Good Side of Conflicts
I live in a country where engaging in conflicts is somehow counterculture. In fact, in our culture, there is discomfort to being in a situation where you would have to frankly tell someone about something hurtful or embarrassing. We, Filipinos, use euphemism or artistic ways to state an unpleasant truth as pleasantly as possible. Some
Conflict of the Soul
Conflict is mankind’s longest companion, although conflict has always been despised and branded mankind’s worst enemy. Yet throughout history, from creation to the medieval ages and to this present age, conflict has written and re-written countless stories of humankind. Conflict in our world can be likened to a disease, the diagnosis and treatment of which
Trust Your Instincts – Forget Their Opinions
Business pundits may argue, technology experts may disagree, academics and educational enthusiasts may make a debate out of it, but, not sitting on the fence, I support the notion of Henry Ford, when he stated, “If I had asked for their opinions, they would have said faster horses”. So, what is this notion? It is that simple! Shun
Conflict – An inseparable part of modern society!
Conflicts have become an everyday part of life. The more we try to escape them, the faster they seem to approach us. Even a kind-hearted person will have found himself or herself involved in conflict. There are so many types of wars and battles in the world. Our living room television sets are a prime
What are you?
I am the kind of ethnically ambiguous person that makes people feel comfortable asking “what are you?”. As though having an off-kilter accent or a grasp of several languages is offensive, unnatural, or needs explaining. As though that question is not insulting. Pick a side, and stick with it. What are you? I think about
A journey into the ‘Self’
Man’s intellect seeks nothing but what he perceives as the highest state. But what is the highest state? The quest for the answer to this question lies in our own life’s journey. As a child, I wished to excel in studies. Whenever I ranked first in class, I was on cloud nine. But, even if
A Perspective on Conflict
What is it about a story that draws you into a good book? Is it the description of the scenery, or maybe the character development? Both may be well written and somewhat interesting. Yet I would venture to say that until we know how the character and circumstances reveal a problem to be solved, there
“I don’t feel that it is necessary to know exactly what I am. The main interest in life and work is to become someone else that you were not in the beginning.” – Michel Foucault. Discuss.
Let me paraphrase the above quote the way I understand it. I do not feel that it is necessary to know exactly who I was in previous lives. I could have been Shakespeare, Julius Cesar, Joan of Arc or a father, a mother, a poet, a prostitute, a lesbian actress or a gay actor. What
Tomorrow is Another Person
“It is not necessary to be perfect, as long as you are just a little bit better than the person you were yesterday”, is an oft quoted motivational maxim, and the statement I have decided to discuss. “I don’t feel that it is necessary to know exactly what I am. The main interest in life
The Yin and Yang of Hatred
“Treat others as you would wish to be treated”. This is a rule we are taught from the time we are able to walk. It is drilled into our heads as a drill digs into the rocks of the earth. So naturally, when someone treats us with hate, the first instinctive response is to respond
Are Your Ideas More Important Than Others’?
Do you ever find yourself getting too comfortable with your current lifestyle? We tend to be creatures of habit and frequently forget how important it is to step outside of our box filled with familiarities. Fear may get in the way of progressing beyond our perceived limitations. You see: we place limits on ourselves and
A Picture Really is Worth a Thousand Words
This photo could mean a plethora of things. There are a lot of people together, and they are all raising their arms. That is what is happening in the photo, but it is true when people say that a picture is worth a thousand words: the photo captures just one small frame, of just one
Finding our Inherent Being
Just the other day, I was watching a video on social media where a flight attendant was putting on a hilarious act, while demonstrating the safety instructions to the passengers. This video had over a million views, being shared all over the Internet. Now, you my ask why I am talking about a video on
Humans: Limited Visions with Unlimited Changes
Disclaimer: As everyone is entitled to his or her opinions, allow me to say that this is my opinion on Henry Ford’s famous quote and there is no intention to be dismissive of any other views on it. The great challenge that humans have always faced to this day is our inability to know what
Fordism: The Ubiquitous Approach to Fulfilling Your Customers’ Needs
Contrary to popular belief, Henry Ford wasn’t denying the fact that customers know best when he famously said, “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.” If one were able to read between the lines of that famous saying, one would be able to see that the perspicacious Ford
The road to happiness is paved with sorrow: Why we need conflict in stories, explained by neuroscience
Veronica Roth argues that “if there’s no conflict, there are no stories worth telling – or reading.” Not only do I agree with her claim, but I would extend this argument to any experience. Games, hobbies, and even chores performed solely out of need become more rewarding when accompanied by a moderate amount of challenge
The two selves dilemma
When it comes to life, it is inevitable not to ask certain questions to oneself. We’ve all done it at some point, right? Many of them are based on curiosity, wanting to know about the meaning of our existence in this world, to discover our own identity, our purpose, and the role we play in
What about XXL stories?
Veronica Roth: “if there’s no conflict, there are no stories worth telling.” Before I tell you if I agree or disagree with the quote by this American author, I asked myself these four questions: What is the difference between a story with conflict and one without? What is a story? Who determines the value