The Despair of Reason

Amidst its continuing struggle for progress and development, the Philippines still remains as one of those
called the “Third world Countries”. These are the places stereotyped to be on the last lane towards advancement
and civilization. Why is this so?
The blame may somehow fall on the way the Philippine society was formed. At its birth, way back the
times of its ancestors and heroes, very few significant things can be noted on the formal and independent formation
of its own knowledge. It was the painful and powerful foreign enculturation that started and formed it all.
Although there had already been a system of society before the Spaniards came- those ruled by datus and sultans-
it was still the Spanish, American, and Japanese occupation that placed all the inputs in order for this nation to be
considered a living society.
This brief trace of how the Philippines was built gives a picturesque view of why up to now it finds it hard
to bring solutions to its problems as a nation. The birth of a society must be followed by the birth of its own
knowledge. Jean-Francois Lyotard in his Post Modern Condition: A Report on Knowledge agrees to this by seeing
Knowledge as the brain of society- everything in a society finds its cause and formulation on the form of
knowledge that it has. UNESCO in its Report on Knowledge Societies complemented this by defining knowledge
as a product of culture, one that is formed from free expression of ideas and thoughts. Such form of knowledge
transforms societies into “Knowledge Societies”--- societies of shared knowledge that fosters freedom, originality,
and competence.
The Philippines' affinity to foreign culture and technology has somehow caused the barrier that thwarts the
path towards its being a Knowledge Society. Aside from preventing the growth of a knowledge formed by a
culture of freedom, this prevalent attitude towards outside influences among Filipinos holds the danger of bringing
bogus forms of knowledge. Here again comes Lyotard with his urgency for Legitimizing Knowledge. From this,
Education enters as the school of learning; a place where knowledge is known and truth is taught. This school
helps nurture a thinking critic that examines, questions, and appreciates vividly the things around him.
Martha Nussbaum clarified this role of education by presenting an education centered on the Liberal Arts
and Humanities---the education that develops this thinking capacity of man. Such form of education cultivates
what she calls the “inner eyes”, which enables one to foster complex understanding of things around him. This
stand ultimately despises what this modern society offers and what the Philippine society adapts- the education
centered “solely” on Science and Technology. Such form of education, as Nussbaum says, creates an
information-based society and a profit-motive society; one that is controlled by economic power; thus, one that is
commodified, i.e.. subject to consumption and consumerism.
The Philippines' struggle for progress and development is wrongly directed towards becoming a society
where knowledge is not adequately shared by all men. Such battle for betterment leads it away from the ‘ideal’.
The elements, principles, and processes that pave the way for a society of shared knowledge are not those
that are slaves of consumerism and cybernetics. Although physical growth and economic maturity are essential in
the process of civilization, there still is the greater element of knowledge- the society’s mind- which justifies
progress to its entirety.
Knowledge is the element, process, and principle of a knowledge society. All other things aside follow,
bearing apt condition, and thus becoming efficient tools for building a better community. Knowledge has to be the
origin and the end of every endeavor of life. Only through this shared knowledge can one acknowledge the
necessity of understanding and sympathy as the forces that build a better place for everyone. .
With such ruling principle- knowledge- that will hopefully nurture a country, surely, everyone will have
his share of the fill--no poverty, no hunger, no rich and elite, no poor and oppressed. However, Can this be true in
our Philippines?
If one would come and see whether or not it is possible to be true, surely he would end with a doubting
heart. The fact that Filipino values are slowly losing their value is enough answer. See how Patriotism dies in the
country. Notice how politics rule our place- corruption is the process. Not just that most public officials are
explicitly power-driven but more, the process of governance itself is not worthy for service. Everything will fall in
deep sigh with these disheartening realities we face.
However, they are not so big reasons to despair. The struggle for growth and progress continues. The most
effective solution perhaps would be to go back to the basics and master it. Our country must master the art of
thinking critically. This would help us analyze deeply the many problems we face to later come up with viable
solutions, bearing acceptable results. This must start in our schools, where minds are formed, knowledge is
learned, and the truth is taught. Education should bring students to learn how to think rather than just to think of
what to learn. The goal for profit and money must not cripple our goal for learning and growth.
Sensibly, the Philippines remain sick with injustice, poverty, and oppression. We have all been witness to
many tragic epics of People power, revolution, killing of innocents, and the oppressive reign of few evil men. All
of us pray for liberation from all these. But know that the answers to such prayers are possible at hand.
Ultimately, what our country needs is knowledge. Implicit in our daily living is our thirst for knowing the
way of liberating ourselves from all these troubles of life. Yet, we remain tacit-idle. From the very day we were
born as Philippines, reason despairs in our behalf. Let not this burn out our candles of hope. Moreover let this be
another gloomy night where we all can light these candles and thus shun ignorance and share the light of
knowledge together.
These thoughts may indeed be too illusive. Idealism isn't worth a penny today. But surely, with all the
pains we bore before and with the same pains we still bear now, we can not help but just hope for this wonderful
dream to be made real. Nussbaum puts it: “This does not make money. But this does something far more
precious: this makes a world worth living in”.

Kristian Jason L. Cablao

August 20, 2009