World Events: A Personal Contemplation
Eduarte, Kyle Frances R. (YY12)
The Past.
World War II
When I was young, I remember my grandparents telling me about their experiences during World War II. It was almost like a disturbing bedtime story, which opened my eyes to the harsh reality of war and violence. They were about five years of age and too young to fully understand what was happening when it occurred. Nevertheless, they were aware of the fact that the Japanese men who invaded them were brutal and ruthless.
In a broader sense, even if I did not experience this event first hand, it affected my view on the terrifying idea of power and how it could influence people to execute cruel actions. Moreover, as we visited Intramuros, I was able to see the physical and economical damage it has caused to our country. The event may have occurred years ago, but the wounds it has left the Filipinos and the Philippines, will always leave a scar which is difficult to forget.
Birth of Christianity
Growing up in a Catholic country, I was able to observe first hand, the amount of influence a religion could play in the upbringing of a person. Studying in a Catholic school has also significantly shaped and impacted my views, perceptions, and traditions. The exposure to the Bible which contains certain beliefs, fixates and affects how a person could act and view the world. Therefore, those who are influenced are not only the individuals, but also the country itself.
I believe the laws and constitution which our country instilled are somewhat influenced by the prevalent Catholic religion. Bible’s ‘The 10 Commandments’ and Philippine legislation have a certain correlation. One may say that the legislation simply dictates that people should follow moral actions. However, where did we actually get the principles of right and wrong? How did humanity conclude that killing and stealing is wrong? Could this influence come from Christianity? I personally believe that religion played a huge role in this. Such biblical influences can also be observed in the inauguration which is stated by the president.
“I do solemnly swear [or affirm] that I will faithfully and conscientiously fulfill my duties as President [or Vice-President or Acting President] of the Philippines, preserve and defend its Constitution, execute its laws, do justice to every man, and consecrate myself to the service of the Nation. So help me God.”
The Present.
Growth of Social Networking
Social media has influenced and shaped my life more than one could ever imagine. I was able to experience the inconvenience of sending my message in Post Office Mails, wherein you have to go through all these steps just to be able to send a simple message. Relatives from other countries seemed so far away and out of reach. However, as the growth of social networking sites and applications prevails, easier methods are made available to the public. It allows an effortless and high-speed connection with people not only within the country, but throughout the globe. Now, the relatives that seemed so far away, are only a message or video call away! This somewhat diminishes the barriers that occured between states and made it easier to interact with other people from different countries. There are even online shops which ship worldwide. Imagine all the possibilities, what a game changer!
COVID-19 Pandemic
One of the most relevant and significant events at present is the COVID-19 pandemic. As we all know, it has affected millions of lives from all over the globe. Countries have closed their borders and people were mandated to stay at home. This has caused workers to lose their jobs, families to lose their homes, and people to lose their lives. Personally, one of the limitations it brought is the restriction in my education. Growing up, I was used to having face-to-face classes wherein there is an interactive connection between the teacher and the student. However, due to social isolation, I experienced difficulties in fully grasping and participating in the class lectures. Most importantly, the anxiety from the severe changes and depressing events in the world made it more strenuous to focus on any tasks or requirements. Given the drastic occurrences caused by COVID-19, makes me more concerned about the succeeding circumstances to face.
The Future.
Presidential Election
The presidential election in the United States became a trending topic as the world closely monitored the status of this event. I believe the presidency of Joe Biden is significant, considering that the U.S. is one of the most influential and powerful countries. Both presidents have different priorities as they lead the nation. According to Usher (2020) from BBC News, one of President Biden’s priorities is to connect with global institutions and reestablish alliances with other countries. Moreover, he is also eager to fight climate change as he plans on rejoining the Paris Climate Agreement. Therefore, although I am not an American citizen, the possible changes that President Biden promises will greatly affect the situation of the world I am situated in.
Amazon Forest Burns
Humankind has a constant drive for progression. This can be perceived in the inventions and development our world has made throughout the years. I firmly believe that we tend to be addicted to finding innovative ways to improve our lives. In addition, it is difficult for us to be fully satisfied, as we circulate on the thought of “aiming high”.
The eager attainment of human progression has resulted in the abuse of earth’s mother nature. According to Zaki (2019), the Amazon rainforest located in Brazil, is the world’s largest tropical rainforest. It was claimed that humans were the ones who started the fire, for they wanted to use the land for commercial operations. The destruction of this forest is highly alarming as the trees situated in Amazon rainforest, absorbs 2 billions tonnes of carbon dioxide. Without these trees which convert toxins to oxygen, the situation of global warming will worsen. It is saddening how people only care about their present and materialistic motives, while the children are left to inherit their mistakes and problems. With this, I am ending this blog with a striking quote from Greta Thunberg.
The eyes of all future generations are upon you and if you choose to fail us, I say: We will never forgive you. We will not let you get away with this. Right here, right now is where we draw the line. The world is waking up and change is coming, whether you like it or not. — Greta Thunberg
Sources:
The Birth of Christianity. (n.d.). iDesignWiki. https://www.idesign.wiki/the-birth-of-christianity/
Enriquez, R. (n.d.). Pin on old Manila. Pinterest. https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/366128644677383938/
Jalea, G. (2016, June 29). FAST FACTS: The Bible in PH presidential inaugurations. Rappler. https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/iq/fast-facts-bible-presidential-inaugurations
Meaney, J. (2020, November 6). US presidential election 2020 results: What Trump and Biden need to win. AS. https://en.as.com/en/2020/11/05/latest_news/1604611509_342687.html
Mega, E. R. (2019, September 10). Burned areas of the Amazon could take centuries to fully recover. The Verge. https://www.theverge.com/2019/9/10/20858834/amazon-fire-brazil-forest-harm-recovery-century
ProCon.org. (2020, June 29). Are Social Networking Sites Good for Our Society?https://socialnetworking.procon.org
Read Greta Thunberg’s full speech at the United Nations Climate Action Summit. (2019, September 24). NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/read-greta-thunberg-s-full-speech-united-nations-climate-action-n1057861
Usher, B. P. (2020, November 7). US election 2020: How would Biden change foreign policy? BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/election-us-2020-54472696
Venzon, C. (2020, August 6). Philippines now SE Asia’s COVID-19 hot spot, pressuring Duterte. Nikkei Asia. https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Coronavirus/Philippines-now-SE-Asia-s-COVID-19-hot-spot-pressuring-Duterte
Zaki, Y. (2019, August 25). The Amazon forest is on fire: Why should you care? Gulf News. https://gulfnews.com/world/the-amazon-forest-is-on-fire-why-should-you-care-1.1566720581771
