Ang Survival of the Fittest sa Ibabaw ng Mundo…umiiral pa rin at lalong tumitindi

Ang Survival of the Fittest sa Ibabaw ng Mundo
…umiiral pa rin at lalong tumitindi
ni Apolinario Villalobos

Hanggang sa panahon ngayon, para sa tao, umiiral pa rin ang kalakarang survival of the fittest o matira ang matibay, sa kabila ng mga tinatawag na “sistema” na gumagabay sa sibilisadong pamumuhay. Kahit tayo’y nasa panahon na ng tinatawag na sibilisasyon, nasa paligid pa rin natin ang mga banta na dulot ng iba pang mga nilikhang nasa mababang antas o lebel ng buhay – ang mga mababangis na hayop, at mga pesteng kulisap. Nagbabanta pa rin ang lakas ng kalikasan, at ang pinakamatinding banta ay mula sa kapwa-tao natin mismo.

Ang survival of the fittest ay hindi dapat na pantukoy lamang sa mga hayop na nakatira sa kagubatan at nakikipagtagisan ng bangis sa isa’t isa, upang pagkatapos, ang mananaig ay kakain sa natalo, o mga halamang gubat na nag-aagawan ng sikat ng araw, kaya ang pinakamataas na may pinakamayabong na dahon at sanga ay may malaking pag-asang mabuhay. Ang survival of the fittest ay angkop din sa tao.

Sa sibilisadong mundo ng tao, ang digmaan ay isa lamang sa mga makakapagpatunay kung anong bansa ang matibay. Upang mapatunayan ang lakas, may mga bansang gumagamit ng pinakamalakas at pinakabagong sandata. Gumagamit din sila ng mga istratehiya upang makakuha ng maraming kaalyadong bansa. Ang mga istratehiya ay ginagamit din ng malalaking bansa upang makapanlinlang o makapag-bluff, o hindi kaya ay makapanindak ng maliliit na bansa na balak nilang kontrolin.

Pagdating naman sa ekonomiya, kung anong bansa ang may maraming pera na dinadagdagan pa ng katusuhan, ay siyang may malaking tsansang makakontrol ng mga negosyo sa buong mundo. Ang katusuhan ay ginagamit sa pinapairal na mga patakaran sa pangangalakal, upang maging one-sided ang mga ito at papabor sa malalaking bansa. Dito ay mababanggit ang isyu halimbawa, ang “globalization” na ang mga patakaran ay pabor sa mga malalaking bansa, at sumisira naman sa industriya at agrikultura ng mga maliliit na bansa na nasindak at nalinlang, tulad ng Pilipinas. Subali’t kung minsan, sa bagay na ito, mismong mga opisyal ng gobyerno ay sangkot sa ganitong panlilinlang ng sarili nilang bansa dahil kahit alam na nilang hindi makabubuti ang mga pinasok na kasunduan ay may kabulagan pa rin nilang itinutuloy.

Sa relihiyon, ang tibay at lakas ay pinapakita sa pamamagitan ng sipag at tiyaga sa pangangalap ng mga miyembro. Ang ibang grupo ay bumibili ng airtime sa TV at radyo upang magkaroon ng regular na programa. Ang iba ay nagkakasya sa paglilibot at pagmumudmod ng mga babasahin, na sinasabayan ng pakikibahagi ng mga Salita ng Diyos. Ang ibang grupo na gustong makapagpa-impress agad ay naninira o nanlilibak ng mga kakumpetensiya. Subali’t ang pinakamatinding paraan ay ang ginagawa ng Islamic State group, isang ultra-tradionalist group ng mga Muslim sa Gitnang Silangan na namumugot ng mga kaaway o lumalabag sa mga patakaran nila.

Sa larangan naman ng pulitika, bihirang bansa ang may malinis o hindi korap na sistema. Ang pinakamakatotohanang halimbawa ay ang pulitika sa Pilipinas na sa ngayon ay parang gubat kung saan ay naglipana ang mga halos nauulol sa pagkagahaman na mga pulitiko – nagpapakapalan ng hiya o apog sa mukha. Matira ang matibay – tibay ng sikmurang may halang na bituka….tibay ng hiya dahil kumapal na sa mukha….at tibay ng pagsisinungaling dahil kung magbanggit sila ng mali ay animo nagbabasa ng Katotohanan mula sa Bibliya.

Sa Pilipinas pa rin, pagkatapos ng hagupit ng mga kalamidad, makikita ang mga matitibay – mga nakaligtas, subalit patuloy pa ring hinahagupit ng mga panloloko ng mga taong itinalaga ng gobyerno upang tumulong sa kanila. Ang mga manlolokong ito ang namamahala ng mga ahensiya ng gobyerno na may kinalaman sa pagpamudmod ng mga relief goods subalit hindi maayos ang pagpapatupad ng mga tungkulin. Ang mga taong nakaligtas sa hagupit ng kalamidad ay hinahagupit rin ng mga pulitikong gumagamit sa kanila upang makapagpalapad ng papel – makapagpakodak habang namimigay kuno ng tulong, o di kaya ay makapagpa-interview sa mga reporter upang makaipon ng puntos na kailangan nila pagdating ng eleksiyon.

Pero hindi tayo dapat mawalan ng pag-asa sa harap ng mga pangyayari, dahil kung matibay ang pananampalatayang nakatanim sa ating puso, hindi naman siguro tayo pababayaan ng Nag-iisang pinakamakapangyarihan sa lahat. Ang nakikita at nadadanasan nating mga pangyayari ay hanggang sa ibabaw lamang ng mundo…at magtatapos din sa ibabaw ng mundo dahil may hangganan. Subali’t ang tibay na ipapakita ng may masidhing pananampalataya sa Kanya ay panghabang-buhay….walang hangganan…hanggang sa kabilang buhay!

Philosophies in Life

Philosophies in Life
By Apolinario Villalobos

Due to differing beliefs and advocacies of mankind, it is best to know to which “school” or group of thought we belong:

1. Absolutism is the belief in an ultimate reality in which all differences are reconciled.
2. Agnosticism is the belief that the ultimate answer to all fundamental inquiries is that we do not know.
3. Altruism is the way of living and acting in the interest of others rather than oneself.
4. Asceticism is the belief that the highest point in life can be achieved by withdrawing oneself from the physical world into the inner world of the spirit.
5. Atheism is the rejection of God.
6. Atomism is the belief that the universe is composed of distinct units that are detachable or isolatable.
7. Critical Idealism is the belief that man cannot establish anything beyond his own experience.
8. Critical Realism is the belief that aside from physical and mental aspects of reality, there is also another aspect called essences.
9. Determination theorizes that the universe is following a fixed or pre-determined design.
10. Dialectical Materialism is the belief that the materialistic character of reality is based on the struggle between two opposing forces, with occasional intercession of harmony.
11. Dogmatism is the assertion of a belief without support of authoritative basis.
12. Criticism is the belief that the way to knowledge is between dogmatism and skepticism.
13. Dualism is the theory that there are always two radical and independent elements that compose the world, such as bad and good, material and spiritual, etc.
14. Egoism is the belief that the highest point in life is serving one’s own interests.
15. Evolutionism is the theory that the universe is the result of progression of inter-related phenomena.
16. Hedonism is the belief that pleasure is the highest point in life.
17. Humanism teaches that in this world, human interest and human mind are supreme.
18. Idealism regards the idea as the basis of existence and knowledge, and the search for the best or highest, is ethics.
19. Intuitionalism is the philosophy that truth can be perceived by instinct, and not by analysis.
20. Materialism is the belief that physical well-being is the most important in life.
21. Meliorism is the belief situated between optimism and pessimism; that the world has the capacity to improve with the help of man.
22. Monism is the belief in only one and ultimate reality.
23. Mysticim teaches that it is only in the direct contact of the divine that ultimate reality is achieved.
24. Naturalism believes that all phenomena occur naturally.
25. Optimism asserts that all will work out for the best.
26. Pantheism is the belief that the universe is identical with God.
27. Personalism is the belief in the spiritual beings or independent persons.
28. Pessimism is the belief that everything is doomed.
29. Pluralism is the theory that there are more than two components of reality that cannot be reduced.
30. Positivisim is the belief that the knowledge of phenomena is not absolute but relative, or that man cannot gain knowledge except from the occurrence of phenomena.
31. Pragmatism teaches that the test of truth results to practical consequences.
32. Rationalism is the belief that even by reason alone, without any experience, the basic reality of the universe can be achieved.
33. Relativism is the total rejection of the concept of absolute.
34. Skepticism asserts the uncertainty of any fact.
35. Theism believes in the concept of God as a practical assumption.
36. Transcendentalism is the belief in a vital reality that can surpass human experience.
37. Voluntarism believes in the will as the defining element in the universe.

Without our knowing it, the way we live manifests one or more of the philosophies, regardless of our religion and culture. However, oftentimes, there is no consistency in our acts and the way we think. Seldom do we find people who can maintain at least one philosophy in his life. Even saints cannot claim such consistency. As we live, we are supposed to act out what are in our mind. Sometimes though, there is hesitance in acting out some of these. Worst, even though they are good, if these are learned, they may just be forgotten in time.

Our philosophy could be innate, hence, manifested without much effort, such as being “naturally” helpful to others to the point of being altruistic. Some, who in the beginning had strong faith in God, become agnostic because of doubts that developed later due to accidental “discoveries” and nagging questions on imposed doctrines. This is the reason why, we find former priests who have made a total 360-degree turnaround in their life by discarding their priestly garb and decided to raise a family. There are also some people who do not belong to any religion, but have strong faith in God….manifesting the idea that belief in God does not necessarily mean belonging to any religious group. Still, there are some who do not believe in God but are more like Christ in their action.

Whatever is the philosophy of others, it is important that they be respected for it, for as long as they don’t use it in hurting others. We should not force our belief to others, especially, verbally. “Good” and “bad” are self-explanatory and universal. If we believe that we are doing the good thing, we should SHOW it through our actions and just hope that others will notice and emulate us. What is bad, we should avoid doing. I don’t think that is hard to do.

War is one grave result of clashing philosophies….