Words

            Words play a big and important part in our lives. We use them to tell someone we love them. We use them to present a project in class. We use them to persuade a person to buy a product. Words are used in so many ways, but the crucial factor is the consequence of how we used them.

             The power of words is so strong that it can be used to persuade people to change their view of life or even do something that they never thought they would do. For instance, Hitler was able to convince a large number of people. Hitler was so smart in his use of words that he was able to change their values and beliefs to likeness of his own. What was the outcome? Many Jews has been killed during his time. The thing is we are so blind to the fact that even words we say that seem unimportant to us can be important for others. For this reason, most of us fail to use words to our advantage. 

            Words can also define who a person really is. According to a Bible passage, Matthew 15:18, "But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person." This passage points out that words can be the source of our true selves. Words may even reveal the evil within ourselves. I have seen this happened firsthand. There was a time when I was so angry and frustrated at "everything" (I am being subtle about this) to the point that I threw my parents very hurtful foul words that I never thought I would say.

            Words can be described as a weapon. It is neither good nor bad, but it can be used to do good and bad things. We should wake up to the fact that words can leave a big impact in the lives of many. Our lives can even depend on our choice of words. The question is: Will you use them to your advantage or for your misfortune?

Our Default Setting

            Have you ever wondered why it is so easy for us to get angry? Why is it so hard for us to be giving? It all comes down to self-centeredness. Self-centeredness is "our default setting, hardwired into our boards at birth." (David Foster Wallace, 2005)

            As normal people, it is in our nature to think that we are the center of the universe. Admit it: There was never an experience when you never thought about yourself. For this reason, whenever things don't go according to our plan, we tend to be frustrated and angry. For example, let's say it's a typical day after school, and you take the bus going home. While you are sitting on your seat, thinking how excited you are to go home after a long tiring day at school, you suddenly notice the bus hasn't moved for 30 minutes and see that an accident has occurred - a car crashed onto a truck right in front of the bus you're riding. Immediately, you become angry at the two drivers, thinking how reckless can they be. You're angry because you were supposed to be home by now, resting and lying on your bed and reading your favorite book. You're angry because things didn't go your way. It's all about "me, myself, and I." Period. Finally, the obstacle has been cleared and you arrive home very pissed and grumpy. Now, let's put this in a different perspective. What if the person who was driving the car that crashed was so much deep in thought about the problems going on in his home? What if the truck driver was worried about how will he pay his bills or his children's tuition? The point is that in times like this is where the choosing happens. It's either we choose to turn our default setting off or be controlled by it. If we don't change how we think, we will forever be miserable whenever this kind of things happen because our "natural default setting is the certainty that situations like this are really about me, myself, and I."

            It is time for us to change our way of thinking. Choosing to be selfless is hard because being self-centered is so automatic and natural for us that it doesn't even have to be a choice. But if we start to care for others sincerely and sacrifice for them, we are slowly breaking our chains from our natural default setting. "This is freedom."

The Love of Money and Corruption (Entry Essay)

            From the events that are happening right now, we can see that corruption is currently practiced the most in the Philippines. One thing I've observed is that the main cost of corruption is the love of money. It says in the Bible that the love of money is the root of evil. There are many current events that show corruption among politicians, and the most popular one as of right now is what we know as the "Pork Barrel." "Pork Barrel" is basically where the funds and taxes go to, and the purpose of this is for implementing projects. Instead, the money funded was used by some politicians for their own benefit.

            Another current event pertaining to corruption is the illegal distribution of money of the World Bank. One employee who was fired from the said company revealed that 9 billion dollars went to a Chinese-Filipino businessman name Lucio Tan. The money should have been used to help reduce poverty in the Philippines.

            All of the events I mentioned clearly tell us that the love of money cause politicians, even us, to be corrupt. It can really tempt people to do unacceptable crimes, such thing I mentioned beforehand, that we never knew we are capable of and in an instant, change our lives for the worse. Many politicians have been "victims" of the love of money, such as Erap being involved in Jueteng, Marcos keeping billions of money for himself and the list goes on. These politicians are proofs to the saying that the love of money is directly related to corruption. This means that when there is love of money, there also is corruption.