Thursday, July 17, 2008

Law 45: Preach the Need for Change, but Never Reform too much at Once

If we don’t change and adapt in this harsh and dynamic world, we’ll be well on our way to oblivion. We all know how much we need change. Too much change in a short span of time, however, will inevitably lead to disaster.

Let’s take Thomas Cromwell’s story as an example. Thomas Cromwell was King Henry VIII of England’s power behind the throne, and was then the most powerful man in England. He wanted to lay the foundation for Protestantism in England (for superficial reasons) by breaking up the power and wealth of the Church. He demolished churches, labeled anyone who practiced Catholicism as “heretics”, virtually changing England’s religion overnight. The sight of this was too unbearable for the people; Britons heavily associated themselves with the comforts of Catholicism’s traditions. This lead to revolt and the king ended up undoing Cromwell’s reforms to restore order.

We may not be aware of it, we may even deny it, but doing the same things over and over again is comforting. Imagine yourself going to different schools, going home to different households, seeing different faces every day. We form habits and rituals because they give us something familiar to cling on, and radically and rapidly changing these habits will create uneasiness that will ultimately lead to revolt.

Mao Tse-tung did things right. Instead of struggling against the past, he used it to his advantage, he associated Communists with romantic figures of Chinese history, and because of this, he and his ideologies were met by adoration.

Reforms should be sugarcoated by the past because the past is powerful. When you associate yourself with the past, you’re creating a comfortable presence and this is essential to power.

Using this clever trick can spark revolutions and rapid developments. But what’s stopping our leaders from utilizing this tactic for their own personal gain? Politicians are romancing us into doing what they please. Deception is all around us, but these things have grown too mundane for us to notice. I don’t know, but I’m personally insulted by this, it’s like we don’t have a say anymore. If they think that we won’t like their reforms, they’ll simply disguise it and we’ll take the bait and we end up doing what they want us to do.

Are you insulted by this?

Patrick Edward C. Reyes, Hi18-O

22 comments:

nico said...

i think we should look at things objectively and not immediately label politicians as scheming menaces. sure, we know the system is dirty, but if we shun idealism, you don't leave any space for progress. we should just try and take from this lesson how to tell apart those certain politicians who will "sugar-coat with the past" to convince us to support their selfish motives and those who are really trying to change things for the good of all. And on our part, try to accept their changes, no matter how hard it is for us, on a personal level, if we believe it is for the betterment on society.

Pia Maske said...

The attack on our politicians was uncalled for. Granted that they act not on behalf of the Filipino people, but on their selfish desires, to slot in that bit into the explanation leaves too much room for us readers to look past the law and focus on the unwarranted animosity.

Am I insulted? Insulted is too strong a term. I agree with Nico that we should not immediately label politicians as scheming menaces, because when you think about it, that sweeping attitude is one of the problems of this country.

Yes, they will disguise their ploys as something to our advantage, but for us to take it as bait just like that -- I don't think so. If you feel you don't have a say, if you feel insulted, then there's no way you can move forward. You'll be too caught up in the idea of being insulted and not having a say to actually find a way to make your opinions matter.

Pia Angela J. Maske
II AB-MA Political Science
Hi 18, Section O

tashie_melevo said...

its true that politics is indeed dirty but should we not believe that there is still some good in all the superficiality of our world? politicians may sometimes be all about themselves but rest assured most of them are still working towards the betterment of society.

change isnt bad, in fact its what compells society to move forward, take bigger leaps and innovate more, but too much change is indeed bad. bad in a sense that we lose our sense of identity as we change radically. change is probably best taken in small doses

Nastashja Melevo
II BSLM
HI18O

Jedd Emille Chua said...

For me, it is not very good to make this redical change. Making changes isn't bad, but how we can achieve it tell it otherwise. One saying goes, "I have conquered them all, but I stand at their dead bodies.", shows that the end doesn't compromise the means. For me, to stay in reform, is to make a gradual and non-violate moves.
-Jedd Emille Chua
Hi 18 O

tashie_melevo said...

i agree with jedd, lets use the quote "i teach best what i need to learn the most" as an analysis, you see that the best teachers recognize the fact that learning new things takes time, what more to want to change an entire nation in one night right?

Nastashja Melevo
II BSLM
HI18O

nico said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
dyanster said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
dyanster said...

I'm insulted too.

Seriously. They're manipulating us. They know a lot of us are hungry, are desperate, are in need, and they take advantage of these needs by ushering into us into suddden changes that they have led us to believe we can't live without or something. It's crap is what I think. They're using us to get what they want and we're stupidly following them with their disguised selfishness and deceptive reforms.

It's true though, what you're saying about comfort zones. I loooove comfort zones. Cannot live without them, cannot stay away from them. But change is inevitable, that's one thing we all know for sure. But too much change all of a sudden can be shocking, you know? That's why most people usually fail college anyway, right? Because there's so much change and they can't adapt to it. It's like so much is suddenly happening all at once and everything is changing and you don't know where to start, and that's where the failure begins. So make that change, but do it at the right pace.

Slow change is wonderful. It keeps us ready and committed and cooperative.

Dyan Garcia, II AB MEC, Hi18 O

mike orlino said...

i think we should not just blame our respected politicians on what is happening to our country right now. for me, the radical change should begin in us. if we knew that most of their actions will just benefit their selfish desires, i think we should have the determination to stop them, or maybe never vote for them in the coming elections.

mike orlino
hi 18 O

Anonymous said...

Hi Patrick!

You are right. Too much change change would be traumatic for the day-to-day people like us.

But how about the problem on COMELEC, specifically the automated election reform(which I think will not be implemented in 2010)?

It's a reform urgently needed by the people, right?
---
Ian Cadelina
Hi18-N

Eric Andres said...

Personally, I don't think radical change is bad; I only think it's bad when there are ulterior and selfish motives behind the radical changes, or when the radical changes are made too quickly for everyone else to keep up.

I agree most politicians nowadays do tend to manipulate people a lot, but I guess we shouldn't generalize them all for being dirty, deceitful and corrupt. There is still hope in this country in the people who truly, genuinely want to serve.

I don't blame you for seeing politicians that way. Hopefully, future politicians can restore confidence in our public servants.

Eric Andres
HI 18 Section N

Eric Andres said...

Oh, by the way, Ian, (I think) after the recent automated ARMM Elections, I heard that the 2010 Elections will most likely be automated. =)

Eric Andres
HI 18 Section N

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

Change is inevitable, and there are different types of changes. If the change is for the better, why not? But, Reforming too much is something that creates chaos right? I mean if you change many stuff, you might as well start from scratch right? Start all over again if there are many errors. and I'm not insulted by this because it is there all the time, maybe nasanay na or something. And, this is a nice subtle but weak law since you need to convince everyone in your power to do this.

Don Faylon
Hi18N

Dexter Tanengsy said...

I agree with Eric. Change is never bad as long as it aims to benefit the life of the majority. What makes it look bad though is when connected to personal motives. This is very evident in Philippine politics. Every election time, politicians sway people in to believing that they are capable leaders by stating the changes that they desire to achieve. But as we might all know by now, not even half of what they've promise is left undone. One must be cautious in listening to the blank promises of others. Better yet if you are capable, place the burden of action for change on your shoulders to assure proper reform to happen.

Dexter Tanengsy, Hi18-N

Pia Maske said...

Change may be inevitable, but don't you find it ironic that we criticize others for romanticizing change or whatnot, when we, ourselves, romanticize change? We have to remember that before any changes can occur, we have to identify what is the present that needs to be changed.

Pia Angela J. Maske
II AB-MA Political Science
Hi 18, Section O
Law 33: Discover Each Man's Thumbscrew

Marcy Leonora V. Pilar said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Marcy Leonora V. Pilar said...

The permanency of change is already a given. But reforms can't just happen without taking into account the current status of events first, as what Pia has said. It should thus go hand in hand with reason (what we need is reasonable change, not impulsive change).
However, sometimes reason just can't be all that there is since it doesn't take into account the emotional aspect of its consequences. The betterment of society's people should always go first.
People who are either for or against reforms should also respond accordingly. Carefully weigh both sides, determine the ups and the downs, and then take into account the corresponding marginal effects of that change.

Bonus points!

FXRL said...

I really like this law, actually. It emphasizes balance.

For one to progress, you walk. You keep a foot on the ground while the other moves forward. You keep both feet down, you no move. You move both feet (jump), you fall over.

Being too conservative by not changing is like not moving at all. Nothing happens, you grow old, you die. Being too radical makes you jump. You change too much. It's a massive risk. It would either be epic win or epic fail, but it's too big a risk. To progress steadily and surely, is to walk. You propose and apply changes gradually...

alan mamonluk said...

I think this law is situational. Change should be done according to what people want. If they don't want change (which people usually don't), there's nothing you can do about it. Thats the basic essence of this law. If you want change, do it slowly. It would less likely be noticed than a drastic change which people hate.

Alan Mamonluk
Hi18-O

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