MAssCom?

Mass communication has different functions. Those are surveillance that talks about news and information about what is happening in the society, interpretation that dwells on scrutinizing what news or information to be published and linkages that able to join together different elements of the society which do not directly- connected with one another. Furthermore, transmission of values that posits in programs either in print or broadcast media, entertainment that will give leisure to the audience or reader, cognition that is the act of coming and know something, diversion that will allow the person to find means to rest from work and other disturbances and social utility that will somehow connect the people in the world. Lastly, it can be a withdrawal if something that will help the person at one point to express himself in other way round. These functions of mass communication make mass communication plays a significant role in our society.

On the other hand, the presence of development communication promotes same goals with that of mass communication.  Development communication is an art and science of human communication for study transformation of the society from poverty to the state of economic growth that will later on cater each individual with equality and lead to develop ones fulfillment and potentials. It has a purpose to advance or to help in the development and to fasten the span of time in the development of agriculture section that makes this development communication important. It helps to develop knowledge, cultivate values and tech skills. It is purposive for the development of many areas in grass-roots societies. It is value laden and the channels involved help a lot in the realization of aims of development communication.

                Mass communication is produced by complex and formal organizations. This entails the systematic way of operation. There is a well defined structure, clear mission-vision and appropriate division of labor. The organization has a multiple gatekeepers that control over to what material eventually reaches the public. There is also a great deal of money needed to operate. Moreover, mass communication, like of print, of broadcast media, exists to gain profit.

               

How we become victims of media?

                The mass media involves wide market. With this predicament, top rating specifically in radio and television programs is highly valuable. It is intended to persuade of convince the public which refers to consumer to entertain such. Subsequently, it results to market, it involves money and the government is just receiving revenues. We, the consumers are the victims. Furthermore, the mass media is also part of exposing certain product and that is part of promotion. Thus, this involves another money, market in the sense that the government will receive revenues, pass to the expenses to the consumers through price. Again, it manifests how we become victims of media, and of the government. This is how the media works and lives. At some point, we might be overwhelmed with the influences of media in us until such time we may find ourselves being enslaved, dictated of what to choose, to do, and to consider by the media. However, it is in us the will to decide, to be enslaved or not. Basically, we cannot deny that we are the victims.

               

Media? Its impact….

Political, economic and social impact of media in us is quite significant. Socially, I think, it hones and molds us to be human, alive, rational and as a social being. Social aspect of media affects the way we communicate and relate with others. From the primitive period, we don’t have concrete mediums only by signals and symbols. As period progresses, the way we relate to others also progresses at some point and progress to other areas. Building relationship using media is essential .However, at present, the abuse and misused of this thing somewhat detrimental to our existence as a social being. Though, positive and many advantages that the media cater us with like information, building relationship, connection with the world, growth and development. On the other hand, violence hearsay, power, wealth and injustice are some down points of the abuses of media. Socially, we grow ahead with this media and ironically, it will still there ready to pull us down. Indeed, it depends upon the prerogative of the subject on how to use this media for his own success or even to the point of his downfall.

               

                In all the mediums of media, I think I can’t live without television. If we are going to consider the needs of the people today, television is part of one’s essential needs. I think and feel the importance of television in my life as a journeying individual in the world of reality. Television gives picture of what I need to learn and need to discover out of my ignorance. It informs me of what had happened in my surroundings. It enables me to learn more things about myself and how am I going to relate myself to others. If this will not be present today in our world, somehow we may not see the magnificent beauty of nature, the craving environment for justice, the eyes of the innocent child and the life of the world itself.

Wager – Argument of Pascal

                                    The wager argument of Pascal speaks of two things. I believe God exists and I do not believe God exists. First, if I believe God exists and God in fact does exist, then, I will gain infinite happiness. However, if I believe God exists and God in fact does not exist, then, I will have no payoff. Second, if I do not believe God exists and God in fact does exist, then, I will gain infinite pain. However, if I believe God does not exist and God in fact does not exist, then, I will have no payoff. Thus, I have everything to gain and nothing to lose by believing God and everything to lose and nothing to gain by not believing God. On these grounds, one would be foolish not to believe. This whole wager-argument of Pascal is intended for the atheist and for the particular persons who are not yet convinced about the truth of Christianity. It does not express proofs of God’s existence but rather a device to introduce one to faith. This is so because Pascal believed that an individual must have faith first before he will know or will have knowledge of God.

Reflection on the movie “Avatar”

         Love conquers all. No matter how hard and how long it may be, it will attain its final destiny in the end – an ideal destiny.

        In the movie “”Avatar”, I find it interesting. It represents love in different aspects of human nature. Love of culture, love of nature, love to opposite sex, love to the Divine and even love for oneself, which leads to selfishness are sources and significant events that made the movie very thrilling and exciting. It depicts of how human person or considered as sky people in the movie reacted and motivated if immoral motives of certain creature (living creature) in existence. It appears in the movie the story line of how unjustly oppressed nature and other living beings, with their vested interest, they tried to degrade and destruct environment just only for material wealth. But nature herself did not let the bad motives and evil ones to conquer their world. So in response, they synergized, fight for their life without ceasing against the oppressor and offered their lives for the future of their world.

        Another concept of the movie that really struck my senses to react was the concept of body and soul. It is not a mundane scenario for it reflects a peculiar event that may happen to human. It depicts the dualism of body and soul. They are different entity or reality. The body is the prime matter and the soul is the substantial form. Both of them has an essence and in existence.

        In the movie, it seems that the body can be controlled. With the use of a medium or a machine, the transformation or transfer of one soul to another object is possible. When the soul is out of the original body, it implies that the consciousness disappears and goes to another object. It relates that the soul is the consciousness. The body without soul is like in the serenity of sleep. It seems that the body is an object of reality while the soul is the primary agent or doer of it. It is unfathomable to get in full grasp the real existence of soul. Even the way we think, decide or do something will greatly connect to our soul. Our consciousness, desires, interests and fears will the same. There were many philosophers and virtuous individual who tried to transcend man’s perspective of soul but it seems to be eternal and difficult to understand. The focal point worthy to ponder is how we live our life morally with the guidance of our beliefs of soul.

Kierkegaard on Existence

Existence is to become not merely as self. Existence is a qualitative matter. It is true that man lives the life in a mere routine, conforming to the norms of the society which usually dictated by the people. But according to T.S. Eliot, to exist is to struggle, to strain, to encounter oppositions, experience passion; it is in making decisions not just to drift with the tide. Kierkegaard’s notion of existence is somehow related to Hegel but on the latter part we say they were opposites. Hegel stated that to exist or existence as a self-conscious not just a substance but as a subject. Kierkegaard agreed with this notion. Hegel believes that existence is a self-conscious knower however for Kierkegaard it s a self who is a doer. Hegel posits that the things exist for minds, objects of knowledge. While for Kierkegaard, the things exist for agent, objects mastered and encountered. These notions of Kierkegaard will lead that existence is not just a matter of observer but as participant, as doer.

Human Rights?

Human right is a right that makes us human. It is inherent in us as person and able us to enjoy our life as a person. Ceasing us to have such is an act of ceasing us to be human. This is for the people to protect their life, health and many other rights. On the other hand, militarization is somehow related to the presence of men in uniform. The presence of warfare is violent. Militarization usually occurred due to power display or eco-political competition. Thus, war is at stake. There are several effects of militarization such as the destruction of people themselves and the environment, spending of arms’ increases to 2400 times than that on the expenditure on the peacemaking initiatives and it eventually intensifies the impact of violence. The poor countries become poorer through buying of arms and rich countries become richer through the trade of arms.

 It only shows that human rights and militarization have significant difference. However, at some point, they meet in protecting the life of the citizen, maintaining peace and order and secure the life of every individual. Unfortunately, when militarism is present the increase of human rights violation also increases. How sad to experience this predicament.

There are four principles of cultural solidarity.

1.       Assimilation to cultural understanding and critical respect

The respect to cultural differences of the people in the community and learn how to understand such differences will surely lead to unity. The actuations of respecting one’s culture may not hinder to the solidarity among people. It should be that people must respect and understand one another.

2.       Overcome prejudices, stereotypes and discrimination

People should avoid and put aside biases among cultural differences of the other. Judgment or generalization of one’s mistakes should not prevail to criticize someone in a particular culture. We should not discriminate their culture or the way they live their belief of practices.

3.       Transcends personal and institutional system

We should not live in a kind of anthropocentrism lifestyle but we should live in understanding of the ethnic culture we are in. We must believe that we are in diverse culture kind of environment. This is an acceptance we should be submitted into.

4.       From assimilation to “Unity in Diversity” or “Cultural Diversity”

               Understanding our cultural differences, we must see to it that it will indeed strengthen our peace advocacy up to unity. It will help us to live in genuine unity though we have various differences especially in our culture. This is our task to go hand in hand in the name and realization of peace.

Rules of Engagement

Militarization and human rights are somehow interrelated to one another. It is because most of the time, abuses happened. The main purpose of militarization is to protect the life and dignity of the citizen. To secure human person from any harm and abuses. Eventually, human rights also assert the same disposition with the militarization. It protects every human creature from any abuses.

However, in the movie “Rules of Engagement”, there are some exceptions. Human rights indeed are not absolute. Accordingly, we have also duties that we need to cooperate in order for us to secure such rights. In the movie, violence resulted or resorted to another violence just to save more innocent lives and the honor of the state. It is an obligatory duty to defend and protect the civilians.

Rules of Engagement will teach us to appreciate and value our rights and duties. We might realize that there is no absolute thing in this world except the Truth – God.

The verdict of not guilty on the accusation of murder, I would say he was worthy to have such. Thus, the heart has its reason that the reason knows not. It is manifested with the testimonies and experiences he had during the war. This story must be a lesson to learn and an encounter that is hard to forget. Kudos!

Revealing the Secret

The movie is quite inspiring. It makes me believe what I believe. Personally, it motivates me to live my dreams, to learn to believe and to strive for my goals. It posits the idea of optimism, of self-esteem, of independence. It enlivens me to focus, to dig deep on my aspirations, on my belief. In positive sense, being the masterpiece of my own life, leads me to work for it, live it and nurture it. It connotes the responsibility its equivalent. It seizes me to have my own disposition and the world cooperates with what I think and want.

            However, all those positive things have its illogical connotation. It captures the idea of independence, that we can create our own world where in fact we are social beings. Our faith may disappear if one would believe fully on this law of attraction. It is not universal to say that what we think and what we feel is always a match. It does not follow. It is indeed relative.

            The documentary also shows irrelevant situation that is impossible to apply in the status quo. Vouchsafe in the situation of individuals who have the same object of aspiration. To whom, that object will be granted? If the universe works for that, it is impossible, unless the universe will create same object. Magic?

            Perfections that this movie portrays, is vague to attain. Having the imperfect world, we are full of imperfections. We should accept the fact that we cannot possess all what we want as the movie shared the other way around. Finally, if we think that some of the positive thoughts in the movie could uplift our way of life and strengthen our faith, so be it and e must believe on it. On the other hand, if not, it is better to think of it as a challenge to conquer and to test our faith. It teaches us to be firm and to value optimism.

Comment:

            And you might want to ask why it is possible for others. I believe it does not diminish the existence of the transcendent to whom supplication and thanksgiving are offered. It is just a matter of the amount of belief e put in it. 

This is What I Believe

Life is absurd. It is full of complexities. When someone is born, there is someone dies. That is how the world works. This reality really struck me of what am I going to believe. It makes me skeptic and doubtful of things around me. And from that point, it may somehow right to say and adopt the line from the movie “Naked Weapon” that states, “Life is unfair and that’s the essence of life.” It is something an irony of what the religion taught me about. Religion promises eternal happiness, peaceful life, joy and full of graces. However, opposite to that, struggles, pains, sufferings and tribulations are present and continue to dump me in the snare of this earthly life. How can I sure of those promises if it is contrary to what I have experienced? True. It places me in the state of uncertainty. But despite those circumstances, faith has its place to carry me out of this state of doubt and let believe pushes me up and away from despair. Faith is what I hold, is what I believe of. Faith makes me wise and able me to understand its mystery. Because of faith, here I am, struggling, pushing, moving forward, fully alive. This is what I believe.

Comment:

            The world is what you make of it. Every earthly suffering has value. It proves to show that what we are living in is finite and limited which also points out that there must be something infinite and unlimited. Those promises you mentioned are not meant to be fulfilled in this realm of reality. 

A Lesson from The Past

Religion became a part of me and parcel of the lives of the believers in searching for more meaningful life. Different perspectives, views and grounds that these beliefs are rooted on something peculiar kind of traditional religious paradigms.

            Personally, I have my own grounds of belief and unbelief. Out of juvenile mind as a mundane individual living in this world of complexities, during my childhood I did not know what faith is. I presumed that I and my family were living as pious Christians. We attend the mass every Sunday. We recite prayers before meals and before going to bed. We introduce to familiarize different bible stories. These were somehow a manifestation on how we .profess our faith. I did not understand it but I just follow. These somehow contributed a lot in my vocation to grow and cultivated my desire to serve Him for the rest of my life.

            Because of this scenario where I had before and even until now, my faith was strengthened. It made me strong and gave me a clear picture of my direction of what road I am going to lead. Now, this faith makes me believe the things though it is full of mystery. It is very hard to explain how it is possible but with all my personal conviction and in my own freedom, I do have such belief. Eventually, taking or giving more emphasis on reason of how things or the world works may shatter or quiver ones belief. It may somehow lead to question and to discover the things beyond the mystery. This would be an irony of what mystery pertains to. With this, it may lead to unbelief.

As my journey went along in searching to find an answer in such mystery, I found myself unsatisfied, unfulfilled, something empty. I felt that it was just like a way to nothingness – meaningless at all. This was one of the main impetuses that motivated me to enter seminary. This led me to leave my family, my career and my love life with consent and believing that God will never abandon them. I never regret upon responding to this initial call of God. Instead, I enjoy being here, striving and learning the life with God. This is what I learned from my past that molded me to be what kind of person I am in the present, the person who decides from what I believe. With optimism, I pray to nourish this desire toward priesthood.