Remember the TV series Heroes? Throughout the show (at least as far as I've watched) they kept repeating "Save the cheerleader, Save the world." Pertaining to this young mutant cheerleader who had the power to regenerate cells and thus, heal (thus, is immortal), but somehow ended up dead in the future so a time-traveler went to the present and relayed that message/mission to their younger mutant selves.
I now realize that that message was bullshit. And so is my "Be honest, Stop corruption" thinking for the past eight years.
Why was I wrong?
Well, before I was wrong, I was gullible. I thought that I can achieve anything I wanted. But that was gullible because what I wanted involves everyone to want and work for the same thing - why did I even think that possible? Because what I wanted was good and gullible me assumed that everybody prioritizes the good as much as I do. If that's the truth, then why do evil people even exist now?
A debate over sugar free ice cream and crepes and the enlightenment of an older generation taught me something: I can't achieve that goal. Not by myself, and not even with my friends. The president can't achieve that goal. Why would we fare better?
Does that mean I should stop being honest? Of course not! (And of course you expected me to say that!) Being honest and stopping corruption are two good things. Unfortunately, they're not directly related in my life. For one thing, I do not condone corruption. So stopping it means stopping other people from doing it. That's like making other people be honest when they're not and they don't want to be because honesty won't buy them penthouses and jaguars and all those superficial "must have's".
Corruption exists the same way cockroaches exist. It's there.
We can discuss about steps on achieving corruption-free societies. But what's the point? It will never happen in the real world. I'm from the Vatican 2 generation; i should have known better!
Sure the ideal is desirable. But desiring it will not solve the issues at hand: I want to eradicate corruption from the Philippine government, but I either give "gifts" or be denied of my business permit, and where will that take me? If I fought the system, does that mean I was committed to the good or was I being hardheaded? What good is a fight if the results are worse than you can risk?
Did you know that some government agencies will make it more expensive and virtually impossible for you to file your real, honest taxes instead of following their under the table system? Is that much time and money worth the risk? What if that meant enrolling your kids in less expensive, less prestigious schools and risk lower quality in education. Is that worth it?
Or am i now justifying the lesser evil as good. And if I am, does that make me bad?
I remember Rorschach from Watchmen saying, "no compromise". But even believing in that character is a compromise for my principles because I don't believe murdering all corrupt authorities will change the system. I don't even believe that murder is a solution (btw, did you watch Horrible Bosses? That's a pretty funny movie).
It's late and my psychological sugar rush from sugar free chocolate ice cream dessert has subsided. I'm still confused. That's good. That means I learned something valuable and worth chewing for a few more days or weeks...
I now realize that that message was bullshit. And so is my "Be honest, Stop corruption" thinking for the past eight years.
Why was I wrong?
Well, before I was wrong, I was gullible. I thought that I can achieve anything I wanted. But that was gullible because what I wanted involves everyone to want and work for the same thing - why did I even think that possible? Because what I wanted was good and gullible me assumed that everybody prioritizes the good as much as I do. If that's the truth, then why do evil people even exist now?
A debate over sugar free ice cream and crepes and the enlightenment of an older generation taught me something: I can't achieve that goal. Not by myself, and not even with my friends. The president can't achieve that goal. Why would we fare better?
Does that mean I should stop being honest? Of course not! (And of course you expected me to say that!) Being honest and stopping corruption are two good things. Unfortunately, they're not directly related in my life. For one thing, I do not condone corruption. So stopping it means stopping other people from doing it. That's like making other people be honest when they're not and they don't want to be because honesty won't buy them penthouses and jaguars and all those superficial "must have's".
Corruption exists the same way cockroaches exist. It's there.
We can discuss about steps on achieving corruption-free societies. But what's the point? It will never happen in the real world. I'm from the Vatican 2 generation; i should have known better!
Sure the ideal is desirable. But desiring it will not solve the issues at hand: I want to eradicate corruption from the Philippine government, but I either give "gifts" or be denied of my business permit, and where will that take me? If I fought the system, does that mean I was committed to the good or was I being hardheaded? What good is a fight if the results are worse than you can risk?
Did you know that some government agencies will make it more expensive and virtually impossible for you to file your real, honest taxes instead of following their under the table system? Is that much time and money worth the risk? What if that meant enrolling your kids in less expensive, less prestigious schools and risk lower quality in education. Is that worth it?
Or am i now justifying the lesser evil as good. And if I am, does that make me bad?
I remember Rorschach from Watchmen saying, "no compromise". But even believing in that character is a compromise for my principles because I don't believe murdering all corrupt authorities will change the system. I don't even believe that murder is a solution (btw, did you watch Horrible Bosses? That's a pretty funny movie).
It's late and my psychological sugar rush from sugar free chocolate ice cream dessert has subsided. I'm still confused. That's good. That means I learned something valuable and worth chewing for a few more days or weeks...
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