The Philosophy of Borrowing

Stealing is either good nor bad, depending on the needs of the individual in a specific situation. In Filipino context, stealing can be a form of borrowing something. Borrowing, in the sense that, properties are common goods and thus properties are shared to each other. Stealing is an act of borrowing only without permission.

According to Aristotle, being moral is to be reasonable. It is reason that enables us to discover what is ethical or not and what is best for us. It is why human beings are different from all other creature - the ability to think and be reasonable. Our course of action is largely dependent or defined by our instincts dictated by nature. In addition, nature itself cannot sustain their needs for survival because of the fact that almost everything is destroyed because of war.

According to St. Thomas Aquinas, it is one's obligation to self-preservation that is man has to preserve himself in existence. In addition, Maslow's hierarchy of need, in order to survive, a person must first meet the physiological needs over the other in order to self-preservation. It is reasonable for an individual to steal in order to survive. Survival is, indeed, the basic principle of all creatures.

According to the Asian traditional concept of morality, when it comes to extreme needs of a person, he or she has the right to own the property of others. The end of one’s needs could justify the means of his actions. Though, stealing really is not ethical because you have no right to own other’s property but his intention is doing such thing is for their survival which is natural to human nature. However, there is no other means to meet their physiological needs.

Stealing is not ethical however when one is face by the choice of survival and death, one might choose to steal. In my own opinion, stealing for a noble purpose diminishes the idea that steal stealing is wrong. Food can’t be considered an item of ethical dilemma since it is a primary need of human to preserve one’s self, and every human deserves to meet his/her physiological need, otherwise he might lose himself, worst, his very life. Finally, ethics, in the concept of stealing, applies only if the thing being stolen has massive value, I must say food does not belong to the things that should be the source of ethical dilemma.

It is no longer an issue of ethics if life is at stake rather it is more an issue of practicality and human consideration. If one dies because of hunger maintaining his moral standards, isn’t it ridiculous?

The Other Side of Me (A Fiction)

Hey there, well it's me Brent.

I usually wake up at 8. Take some warm up (well, common for guys like me). Eat my breakfast then take a bath. Have some stick of cigarette while waiting for a jeepney, then go to school.

I am just a normal student in a University who goes to class earlier than the teacher or not, a good student. But sometimes I feel like I'm the dumbest student in that university. I admit that I am not intelligent but at least I'm not stupid, not exactly.

After my classes, I always go to a store in our campus to have some sticks of cigarette, chatting with my classmates or sometimes my brothers in a Fraternity. Only in that time, I found myself laughing, enjoying, found myself a home. Then, they go home and some are to drink in a beer house, and I have to go home. I want to go with them but I'm tired of it.

Here I am at the end of the day - alone. Nobody to talk to and to laugh with - lonely. Talking with myself and listening to music that I can only hear. I think I'm going crazy (hope not). Light a stick of cigarette and I'm okay.

Well, I'm in our house. Turn on the TV then turn it off. Turn on the MP3, then turn it off. Turn on the radio, then turn it off. Turn on the computer, then turn it off. Open a book then close. I go outside the house to light a stick of cigarette so that my parents wouldn't caught me. I enjoyed that stick of cigarette thinking I have company made by the smoke of cigarette.

Then I go back to the place where I call it our house (Yes, it's not my home!), I never felt being there like a home. I eat my dinner then enter my room. Turn on the light then turn it off. Get the ashtray under my bed and light another stick of cigarette. I can see them (who?), my friends. I can see them! Flying like angels. I can see them! I'm happy they're back! I can see them! I can see! I can! I!

Shhhhh! He's sleeping. You might wake him up! If he wakes up, he might get another stick of cigarette. Shhhhh! Someone's calling him on the phone.

Well, hello there, Brent is sleeping! It's me Alex, his twin. You don't know? Maybe, it's because I don't exist. You don't understand? You're confused? Well, well, well!

The Belief of One True God

It is ironic to think that these three religions that begun from one person, Abraham, and believe in one very true God, however they never understand each other. Even within Christianity, Sects are debating against each other of which is the correct and who should be believed but they are only basing their beliefs from the same Holy Book, which is the Bible. It is so stupid that most of the reason why miscommunication exists is because of God and fighting for the same God, and spreading the same word of God.

I was amazed with their traditions both Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. Their history are really relevant and contribute a lot to the common era. All these religions differ from each other, from their rituals to their beliefs, which made them unique from each other. On the other hand, they have a lot of similarity and share a common characteristic, one of these is believing in one very true God.

I discovered that Judaism, Christianity, and Islam came from one person, Abraham, that we are all descendants of Abraham. We are all brothers and sisters in the eyes of God. All these started because of Abraham.

Why should we establish war instead of establishing peace and respect each other's beliefs? Why should we kill our own brothers and sisters? After all, no religion could ever save a person from hell, it is upon the person of how he/she carry himself to please God by his deeds. By respecting every individuals opinion, maybe absolute peace can be achieved.

Who knows?

Durian

Ang tunok mong miduslak sa akong kamot;
ang katam-is mong nagpa-init sa akong kalawasan
ang kahumot mong nisuksok sa akong baga;
ayay! kalami!

The End of the Nature of Man

Is this what Aristotle mean the end of man? When a man found his total happiness. The feeling of being completed and self-sufficient. You feel completed and you could not wish of anything else because you are satisfied of what you have and is more than enough. Man could be happy not because of material things but the feeling.

Based on my experiences, man could attain total happiness if he felt being belonged to someone, or is loved by someone. Man only wants to be secured and to be happy.

I loved and I am happy. I don't care of the imperfections but I believe I'm happy. In this world nobody is perfect, but being perfect is perceived through the heart of man. I prefer to live here in the world of imperfection rather than in the world of forms and perfection without the one who made me completed. I wished of nothing else because I am satisfied of what I have, the person I love.

Do you know the feeling of being in love?

Taboo

They said our love was wrong, but I continue loving you. I know our love is forbidden like that of Romeo and Juliet, and Bella and Edward, but I still loved you. I don't care what others will say, because I badly fell in love with you. And now, I can't determine our love if it is right or wrong, for people perceive it wrong and I believe it is right. All I know is that, I loved and I will continue loving you.

If loving you was wrong, I will never make it right. I'd rather remain sinful and having you, than being a saint without you and let you go. Losing you will be the greatest mistake that I could make. If this is just a dream, I don't want this dream to end and woke, I'd rather sleep forever and live in my dreams.

Because of you I learned to be contented of what I have, for you alone is too much for me. You made me someone, I thought I could never be. You showed me that I am important and have the right to be loved. I wished of nothing else but you, only you, to live forever with you.

Our love is forbidden to humans but is accepted for people who loved.