“Action”

Emmanuelle F. Camcam
Philosophy, Fr. David
December 19, 2017

Hannah Arendt was led to believe that there are three necessary
components to an individual’s active life, or vita activa, that must
work in congruity with each other for that person to be human at all.
The first two components, labor and work, refer mainly to the dealings
of an individual with items—either for the maintenance of existence or
survival in the form of labor, or legacy-building and memory-keeping in
the form of work. The third component however, is the only one that
does not require an intermediary between human beings, and is said to
encapsulate the essence of the political life. Simply put, the third
and final part of the tripartite segmentation of human activity,
action, is the way we disclose ourselves to others.
Before moving forward, it is important to note that Arendt makes
a clear distinction between the private and public realms, repeatedly
asserting the significance of this distinction, as action can only
exist in the public.
The private realm is where heads of households attend to
biological needs, such as food and shelter. Because one undertakes such
a massive responsibility, he predictably assumes the role of the
despot, or dictator of virtually everything that goes on within the
walls of his household, leaving little room for individuality or
uniqueness to occur in that sphere. Decisions are usually made on
behalf of the individual, lest they flee from under the despot’s roof,
and thus his authority. It is then nearly impossible to disclose
oneself entirely in the private realm so long as a single viewpoint is
in conflict with the despot’s. It is here where the public realm enters
with grandeur.
The public realm stands in stark contrast to the private realm’s
uniformity as a space that does not look after biological necessity,
thus has no single dictator, but where individuals are given freedom to
attain distinction in word and deed and hence, allows for the existence
of diversity. This defines the first quality of action—plurality.
 The reason plurality is so essential is because it offers a venue
where multiplicity of views is celebrated, whereas in private or
familial settings, members of a household are typically considered
extensions of its head. In the private sphere, there exists a single
alpha’s with a desire to dominate, and it is well known that in the
presence of dominance, opinions are dictated, and more often than not,
everybody is spoken for. The most common line spewed by despots of the
household is, “for so long as you reside under my roof, you abide by my
rules.” Because there is an absence of autonomy of opinion or
individuality in one’s home, plurality stops short of its front doors.
The plurality of action is further characterized by equality,
freedom of speech, and differing opinions. There can be no action in
the presence of a totalitarian. Many schools, offices, and households
do not allow action to take place within their confines.
Even within the smallest unit of society, or relationships with
significant others, action does not exist if you are not truly
“others,” but merely an annex, province, or extension of your partner.
If there only exists shadows of one another rather than distinctiveness
that requires governance, there is no plurality. If there is no
reciprocity of respect for one another’s opinions, there is no action.
Plurality is the very lifeblood of action, because without it,
nobody would have a single identity or uniqueness, and everybody would
simply share one common outlook, set of beliefs, opinion, or view of
everything. The beauty of action is that it represents the ability for
harmony and diversity to coexist. Where there are a variety of
opinions, there can be a vast number of ideas, and this is the only
effective way to stimulate true thought, and proceed to encourage the
generation of better ideas. This also makes provisions for what is
commonly known as “blind spots,” or common places of repeated error.
Every realistic individual would admit that they cannot specialize in
everything, and that they need the aid of other individuals in order to
see the entire perspective. We all are riddled with areas wherein we
lack understanding or impartiality, and this can only be corrected
where viewpoints are manifold. Where many are present, people can
vigilantly keep an eye out for each other, and offer guidance, advice
and correction, thus avoiding possible lapses in judgment.
 People in public spaces operate their own minds. They are not
dominated, but instead gather and assemble each with his own thought
process, allow for intelligent discourse to ensue, and pursue
consensus. Although this typically entails a long, arduous process and
a great deal of work, the achieved consensus will always prove to be
worth the effort.
Another quality of action is that it is rooted in natality, or
the capacity to take initiatives to endeavor to try out new ways or
birth new beginnings. It is the notion that as long as you live, the
future stands wide open for you to do with it as you please and produce
new things.
Furthermore, action can only exist if there is the quality of
promise-keeping. Fidelity, or faithfulness, is the assumption that you
can count on certain people to remain the same in an ever-changing
world. It is the acknowledgement that the public is a space where
anything goes, and constant changeability is the only thing that will
remain, but in this regard, one offers their word that they will be the
same tomorrow as they are today. It is ensuring consistency for the
period of the agreement, and for as long as you operate in the space of
action; it is the element of stability in its constantly shifting and
changing sphere.
Promise-keeping allocates room for failure, preparing so that
when it does occur, one has the ability to realize that the damage is
done, and that one can move on and let bygones be bygones. This quality
is the assurance that nothing in our world really remains stable except
for the agents who operate in it.
The most ideal yet evasive characteristic of action is that of
equality. At this moment, fairness and justice for all men is non-
existent, but is something we have to dedicate ourselves to working
toward. Politics are highly problematic, and will continue to be until
we can find a way to establish a system that is rooted in equality.
In the space of action, due to its changeable and multifaceted
nature, making provisions for a wide variety of diverse personalities,
it is frightening and there is room for much pain. This is where
forgiveness comes into play. In such a sphere as action, it is
impossible to avoid controversy, or making mistakes that you cannot
undo. However there is a way to acknowledge that the damage has been
done, mourn it for a reasonable amount of time, and yet not dwell on it
forever. This is forgiving; we forgive, but in all wisdom, we do not
forget.
In the sphere of action, we are able to come together and connect
with individuals through speech, with the purpose of knowing that you
are not alone, and making this same fact known to the individuals
around you. It is where people gather to participate in a purpose as a
single organism made up of a number of parts that work in harmony to
accomplish a task. Action is the ability to do. Through the device of
speech, people are enabled to build consensus among other individuals
across political barriers.
To further differentiate action from work, the second component
of the active life of human beings, work must be productive of a
monument or something that wears the corrosive effects of time. Action,
on the other hand is for the purpose of forming treaties that may be
like a moving target. These are situational, and may be altered to some
degree, overhauled completely, or done away with based on situations
alone. The defining characteristic of treaties is that all parties
agree, and ideally, each benefit from it. Individuals who already
participate in labor and work must be prepared and equipped for the
changeability of politics.
As Arendt professed, not everybody operates in the sphere of
action. However in the absence of one of the three components of one’s
active life, one cannot be entirely human, and will go about their life
feeling that palpable deficiency. Finally, action cannot always exist
in the countless areas of society and of this world, but it is
something we continually strive toward every day.