On Ethics as Being-for-others

'thus conscience makes cowards of us all'

It is said that Ethics is beyond the essence of exsistence as such that it 'does not supplement a preceeding existential base' (Levinas, 1985). Ethics is beyond the 'what is' of being, and is instead presupposing the 'what ought to be' of the 'what is' (Cohen) as if reworded this way, the 'what ought to be' is a unilateral phenomenon of the progression of the 'what is'--of being beyond existing which is therefore beyong being in itself. How, then, is this unilateral transition of the 'what is', what as the being, is as the essence, towards 'what ought to be', ought as the Ethics of being (to be), possible?

'the very node of the subjective is knotted in ethics understood as responsibility' (Levinas, 1985) Ethics, as can be said, is responsibility. Levinas was adamant to say that this responsibility is the responsibility for the Other and not for the self or the being of oneself. In the 'I am' it is the I independent of the am that is responsible, the I which so continually escapes the am in order to be ethical par responsible; escape of being of the I in itself to say that the I is not the I of the am but the is of the Other. Given such grounds, how can the I be ethical, be responsible to the Other? By virtue of Ethics, the I ceases to exist. And in its escape from being, being as a solitary state of existence, the being becomes a being-for-others, responsible for the Other and is therefore ethical. But then again, it is the being I that is the being-for-others. And it is the similar I that in order to be-for-others escapes the being in itself. What then is this I that is no longer in a sense a being of existence as it so eagerly escapes existence to be ethical? In order to be ethical, if one can say that Ethics is the being that is the end of being and essence, the I must cease to exist; the I is replaced, as the end of being, as a being-for-others--being-for-others as a 'synthesis' of the I and the Other. Ergo, the I is no longer an I in itself, and no I is involved in Ethics because it does not deserve to be.

And if by such we have supposed the non-existence of I in Ethics, what then is the Other? the I no longer I but a being-for-others is responsible for the Other. And in a utopian sense of the phenomenon, it can be said that the Other is also a being-for-the other in itself. But the Other, in being ethical, ceases to exist in itself nonetheless, does not become an I but a being-for-others escaping its own being. What is the Other but a being-for-others that is not at all itself. And if the Other is also an I that ceases to exist, what exactly are we responsible for? One paradoxically becomes responsible to a being-for-others responsible to another being-for-others and so forth and so on. Simply put, one that ceases to exist in itself is responsible for another that ceases to exist in itself. Nothing is responsible for nothing. Without the I one is nothing; nothing in a sense that the I is transient and dependent on the others in its definition of being-for-others, nothing in a sense that it ceases to exist in itself. If there is no I in the being-for-others and the Other is also a being-for-others, then the being-for-others which is nothing in the first place is responsible for the Other which is also nothing.

there is no I. there is no Other. there is no Ethics. (?)

Tibo

Nangangating tumingin
munting sumilip sa iyo
Kakamutin
dudukutin
ihahain matang sinuko
Nang makatingin
iyong lamunin
lunuking buong-buo
Iyong-iyo ang akin
at siyang aking niluluho

Uulitin
Pipilitin
yayakapin ang silakbo
Ng ‘yong kalul’wang kumukulo
Napupuno
tumutulo
Nambubugaw
nang-aakit
nagpupuyos
nanunuyo
May buntong-hiningang sasagi
mundo’y lilinaw
mundo’y lalabo

Pilipitin ang diwa
pagsapit ay manguso
Halika na Nena, ayan na ang suso!
Mag-ingat matibo ‘pag nabasag ang puso
Manduro, magtago, pitong-libo ang pulo

Nakakulong ang kawal, bantay ang bilanggo
Dumekwatro
alas-kwatro
anong natutunan sa guro?
Tumayo
Tumakbo
paglao’y mangabayo
‘Pag tumalikod na si tatay,
MAHALIN MO AKO.

Semana Santa Musings

maiksi ang buhay
talagang maiksi ang buhay
sobra iksi ng buhay
subuking maging masaya
maiksi ang buhay
may Panginoon
may mga himala
maiksi ang buhay
sobrang iksi ng buhay
subuking maging masaya
subukin kahit di pahintulutan ng buhay
subuking dahil maiksi ang buhay
maiksi ang buhay
sobrang iksi ng buhay
subuking maging masaya
Panginoon, may Panginoon
matutong magdasal
matutong magpasalamat
matutong humingi ng tawad
matutong humingi ng tulong
matutong maniwala sa Panginoon
dahil maiksi ang buhay
subuking maging masaya
kahit hindi pahintulutan ng buhay
dahil pahihintulutan ng himala
dahil pahihintulutan ng Panginoon
dahil maiksi ang buhay

Dekano (repost)

labletter na walang kamatayan

Naalala mo pa ba nung nagkape tayo?
Kundi mo lang ako pinapaaral hindi na ko magtatiyaga
Sinabi mong maglaylo ako dahil hindi mo kakayanin
Dahil hindi mo kayang mag-handle ng eskandalo
Lalung-lalo na sa asawa mo

Hindi ka ba nagtataka ang sipag kong humingi ng advice
Para sa thesis kong hindi naman mahusay
Walang maidudulot na katinuan sa lipunan
Pero dahil natutuwa ka nakiki-ride nalang ako
Kahit nagtatalo na ang aking mga prinsipyo
At ang idealistic kong pagkataong matagal nang
Nilamon ng sistema kung saan ka napapabilang
Ngunit alam kong hindi kita maiiwasan
Dahil may sarili kang mga prinsipyong
Nakakaadik pakinggan
Kahit minsan hindi mo maiwasang matuwa sa asawa mo
Sabi mo matatanda na kayo
Pero ayos lang dahil mahalaga ang relasyon sa buhay
Mas mahalaga kaysa kaalaman, kaysa sining
But I beg to differ
Dahil hindi ka aahasin ng sining mo kaya mas secure
Pahalagahan ang mga bagay na ikaw mismo ang nagluwal
Entitled silang tumanaw ng utang na loob
At ang mga ideyolohiya mo ang kanilang pinaglilingkuran
Kaysa sa mga taong nasa tugatog ng kanilang buhay
Na hinding hindi mo mahatak para makibagay
Na kayang kaya kang paikutin
Ipahimod ang kanilang mga paa
Sa asong tulad ko at tulad mong di nag-aatubili
Dahil sa libog? Sa pag-ibig?
O dahil sa paniniwalang kaya ka nilang isalba
Mula sa lipunang lumalamon sa iyong pagkatao
Bilang pastor sayong naliligaw na tupa
Parang 21st century messiah
O dahil gusto mong napapailalim
Dahil masyado kang progresibo at bored sa mga tao
Nahihypnotize ka ng iilang nangmamaliit sayo
Pag-ibig bunga ng sobrang respeto
Napapasamba ang mga taong tulad mong hipokrita
Dahil jaded na ang mga prinsipyo mo
Nagdadahilan ka nalang
Tulad ng ganto

At sa inaraw-araw na kailangan mong pumasok at mabuhay
Umaasa sa taong hindi ka naman inaasahan
O maaaring inaasahan ka sa mga bagay na
Isang asong tulad mo lang ang may guts gumawa
Nang hindi nakukunsesya o nahihiya man lang
Wasak na wasak
San na ang dominatrix mong personality?
Na nakaintimidate ng napakaraming manliligaw
Na umakalang hindi ka magpapauto
Na umakalang hindi ka masisira ng romantikong pag-ibig
Na maraming nag-aakalang mas mahalaga kaysa
Pagiging philantrophic
Kawawa naman ang mundo kung gayon
Dahil miski ikaw, miski ako
Napapailalim sa manipulasyong dulot ng pag-ibig
Na parang lasong unti-unting pumapatay
Nang hindi mo namamalayan
Hanggang sa iregurgitate nalang ng katawan
Hanggang sa hindi mo na kayanin
At tutungo ka na sa inidoro
Ang pinatutunguhan ng lahat ng baho

At magdedecide na it's time to move on baby
Dahil masyado ka nang nasaktan
Nang hindi niya nalalaman
Dahil mahal daw niya ang asawa niya
At pantrip-trip ka lang pag trip niya
Dahil bata ka pa
At naniniwala siyang balang araw
Pasasayahin mo rin ang magiging asawa mo
Dahil isa kang babaeng sasambahin ng lahat ng tao
At maswerte nga naman ang magiging asawa mo sayo
Dahil ikaw ang tipong hindi pipiliing mag-asawa
Ano nga bang malay niya
Dahil habang sinasabi niya yan,
Tumatakbo sa isip mong siya ang gusto mong pakasalanan
At hindi kayo magkakaanak
Dahil nagpapalitan kayo ng kuro-kuro habang nagtatalik
At iyon naman ang gusto mo sa isang tao
Ang makapagtuturo sayo dahil hindi ka na natututo
Dahil tingin mo masyado ka nang maalam
Hanggang sa isang araw nagpaalipin ka na lang
At biglang nabobo o nadrug ang utak
Ng nakakaadik na pagpapaalipin din naman
At hindi na ikaw ang iyong sarili
At hindi na ang ama mo ang ama mong
Sigurado kang ikahihiya ang pagkatao mo
Ng walang pakundangan
(sic) ka-OC-hang ikaw rin ang may kasalanan
Redundant to exaggerate
Palusot-lusot ka nalang
Pero hindi mo na naisip
Hindi ka na nag-iisip
Hanggang sa mamulat ka't magsimulang pagnilayan
Kung pano mong kinakain ang sarili mong suka
Nakakadiri diba?

Pagbalik ko sa kapihan
Sisiguraduhin kong hindi mo na ko tuta
Hindi mo na ko chuchung pinapaaral
Hindi na kita didilaan sa tenga
Hindi na ko sunud-sunuran
Hindi mo na ko alipin
Dahil labis mo na kong sinaktan
Dahil hindi na kita mahal

*wow nagrerepost! circumstantial kasi eh no?

Juan Luna's tampuhan

para tayong Juan Luna

There is an entirely different aesthetic value that can be experienced when involved in the process of creating art. One can merely gaze at a work of art, be disinterested and whatnot, and usurp an aesthetic value that is no-nonsense, critical, and strictly objective. But when one is involved in the creative process, there is no need or even possibility of distancing oneself from the work in order to appreciate it. What is lacking in aesthetic judgment from a mere spectator of the work is the passion one invests during a creative process. It can be said that the aesthetic value of a work is heightened when one has already had the chance of creating it. Of course, there is greater aesthetic experience offered by the creative process. But aside from the passion invested in a creative process, there is also the exhaustion of the full faculties of being. The creative process, being frequently involved in it, in my opinion is the synthesis if the mind and the soul in creating that which is beyond materialistic. First, a creative process demands an idea, and not just a banal idea but a lofty idea that is expressible only through art which is above all materialistic forms of expression. As it is said, all can be expressed through art. Next, one needs to critically examine how this idea can be effectively conveyed through art. When this is finalized, it is only then that one starts with the actual work of art and the labor of giving birth to a masterpiece. I say giving birth because it is from the self and will always be part of the self even when it is out in the world, like a child brought forth through rigorous labor. And when this masterpiece/child has been brought forth to the world, no one can deny the high sense of accomplishment one is being allowed to experience via the creative process. The aesthetic experience and aesthetic value of a work of art when in the context of the creative process, is beyond the physicality of the work. It is not the end product that is being subject to aesthetic judgment, but the process in itself regardless of the product. Depending on the amount of investment one gives in the process can the entire creative experience be judged. We may find temporary happiness in the worldly aspects of life, like money and a useful degree, but only art and the creative process will give us satisfaction that is beyond the materialistic things of being.

Oras na

Oras na para lumaya.
Oras na para mag-isip.
Oras na para magparaya.
Oras na para pumili.
Oras na para matuto.
Oras na para magpakatanga.
Oras na para mamaalam.
Oras na para sumalubong.
Oras na para maging malungkot.
Oras na para maging masaya.
Oras na para magkamali.
Oras na para iwasto ang mga pagkakamali.
Oras na para kumalimot.
Oras na para makaalala.
Oras na para magmahal.
Oras na para makipaggaguhan lang.
Oras na para magtalik.
Oras na para matulog.
Oras na para umalis.
Oras na para bumalik.
Oras na para magcelebrate.
Oras na para makipaglibing.
Oras na para uminom.
Oras na para malasing.
Oras na para pumatay.
Oras na ng pagkabuhay.
Oras na para bumili ng bagong relo.
Oras na para kumain.
Oras na para maligo.
Oras na para magtiis.
Oras na para magpapetiks.
Oras na para pumasa.
Oras na para bumagsak.
Oras na para sa lahat ng oras.

Anong oras na nga ba?

Grrrr.

nakakamiss magpakapostmodern. hahaha.