The Human Person as/is A Gift

            In his book entitled A Theology of the Body: Man and Woman He Created Them Karol Wojtyla (Pope John Paul II) states that the human person is a gift. Man does not simply receive a gift, he is a gift. And how does man know this gift? Wojtyla clarifies that the person realizes that he himself is a gift within the gift of creation and “is able to understand the very meaning of the gift in the call from nothing to existence.” He is a gift in the creation. He realizes this the moment he is aware that he came into existence from nothing.

            For Wojtyla, the gift can never be limited to one dimension. In the “gift-of-self giving and accepting the gift interpenetrates in such a way that the very act of giving becomes acceptance, and acceptance transforms itself into giving.” The human person is meant to “exist in a relation of reciprocal gift.” The gift is the help, of which God spoke when he said “It is not good that the man should be alone; I want to make a helper similar to himself.”

            The gift relieves man’s ‘aloneness,’ because he is given a helper. It reveals the essence of personhood that both need to become the gift for each other. For Wojtyla says, “These expressions, that is the adjective “alone” and the noun “help” seem to be the key for understanding the essence of the gift on the level of man, as the existential content inscribed in the truth of the “Image of God.” In fact the concept of gift reveals a particular characteristic of human existence and of the very essence of the person who needs to become a gift.

(An extract from the MPh dissertation on The Human Person according to Karol Josef Wojtyla)

LOVE at First Byte

LOVE at First Byte

            Love is most used, misused and abused word. It is most desired because it gives weight to our relationships and the hallmark of our relationships. At the same time, love has no boundaries. Due to technological and scientific growth, love has grown not in physic but in its expressions. Social networking sites such as, Twitter, Orkut, Hi5, Facebook, Skype etc. are a big boon for relationships and love. Kirthiya Reddy, online operations, Facebook India says, “These sites also provide an opportunity for people to share their personal experiences, including their stories around love and relationships, to the online community. Further, Nikhil Rungta, country marketing head, Google India feels, “Social networking sites have long been a platform for people to express what’s on their mind.”

          

As the world shrinks, the relationships between people too shrink. The couples are further living apart. Mobile phones, SMS, IM, and Skype have alleviated the distance among different members of the family and couple. Using Skype people can talk seeing each other instantaneously and freely. On the other hand, such practice has brought about growth and fastness in human relationship but on the other hand has led to the artificiality and superficiality in relationships. Jane Coloccia, author of Confessions of An Online Dating Addict: A True account of Dating and Relating in the Internet Age, says that she has dated 200 guys, including stalkers, men who are thinner and older than they wrote, and a garbage man.

          

  Hence, we see love moving online? Love is no longer at first sight but at first byte. On the click of a mouse love comes to you always ready-at-hand. But what’s the impact of love at first byte? People indeed long for personal relationships, I-thou relationships. Everybody longs for some physical interaction even if it be a simple smile. A warm embrace, a gentle touch can bring life to any people and place. All these difficult to get online. So REACHOUT – ONE ANOTHER. FOR LOVE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. 

Common Sense an Essential and Integral aspect of

Human Subject and Communication

            Man is a social rational animal. He cannot live without the other: the person, situations, expressions, happenings etc. He is faced with ample ordinary events of life. When he performs all these ordinary events of life he does not as the question how they should be done? Why they should be done? He just performs them or rather the actions come automatically to him. We can call this common sense. We might ask the question what is common sense? Common sense is “the general sense, feeling or judgment of mankind.” It is the cluster of beliefs or persuasions somehow ‘felt’ to be true by most people. Hence, to enter a room, one must open the door to enter in. all people agree that one needs to open the door to enter the house or a room.

            In another word, common sense is understood as the ordinary understanding - without which a man is out of his mind, or feeble minded. It is ordinary, practical, good sense in everyday affairs. It goes well with what Bernard Lonergan calls the common sense to be particular and concrete. It never seeks for universally valid knowledge. Its function is to master each situation as it arises. In common sense there is no use for a technical language and no tendency towards a formal mode of speech. Here one must say what one means and mean what one says. Common sense has no theoretical inclinations. It remains completely in the familiar world of things for us. And so, common sense is very much essential and integral aspect of human subject. In the succeeding sections we shall see how Common sense essential in the human subject presenting the different patterns of experience of human subject.   

            First of all we must note that the subjective field of common sense is subject itself: the person. It is the whole person who is involved in the process of common sense. The human person undergoes different patterns of experiences. They are biological, aesthetic, intellectual and dramatic. In all these patterns are the subjective fields of common sense.    

            The plant grows from its environment. The animals too survive. Each one has its own ways and means to grow and survive. The human person is endowed with senses, memory, imagination, conation, emotion and bodily movements, which help the man in his biological development. All these converge in reproduction and self-preservation. Hence, in order to taste we use our hand, open our mouth, put the food in the mouth and through tongue we taste it. Our common sense tells us how to use the things and when to use. The extroversion is a basic characteristic of the biological pattern of experience. It is common to all. For example our body grows.

            The common sense plays an important role in the aesthetic pattern of experience in the person. Apart from growing biologically, the person experiences exuberance and joy. This is because of conscious living. Conscious living is itself a joy that reveals the spontaneous authenticity. However, it is a spontaneous and self-justifying joy. There exists in man a natural way to be joyful. Conscious living is itself a joy that reveals its spontaneous authenticity in the untiring play of children etc. We experience and express our emotions accordingly.  

            The person does not just use common sense in the ordinary events of life, he also uses it in the intellectual growth. The intellectual pattern of experience consists in being attentive to data, intelligent in searching for an explanation, reasonable in weighing the evidence and responsible in affirming the precise task. It calls for perseverance, practice, analysis and reflection. And so, in our reflection and analysis we need to ask the right question at the right time. Common sense helps us to put the right question at the right time. 

            Man is an animal: a social animal. Mere animality would make him indecent in the society. In his day to day living he acts. When he acts he does not do only biological, aesthetic or intellectual performances but he in turn, through his common sense knowledge betters his life. For example, man is not just happy with biological performances like eating and drinking but he brings about dignity and some standard with his eating and drinking. Hence, we have table manners, social behaviours etc. All these are taught to the children by the parents.

            Further the aesthetic pattern is manifested not merely in art but first of all the man’s first work of art is his own living. The fair, the beautiful, and the admirable are embodied by man in his own body and actions before it is given expressions in painting and sculpture in music and poetry. Hence, style is the man before it appears in the artistic product. In this style, man not just lives but lives with dignity. In other words, man works to live, must work to make his living dignified. When he lacks his dignified living he suffers embarrassment, shame, degradation. This is all the characteristic of dramatic pattern of experience. Further, man being a social animal, lives and communicates with others in the society. In the theatre of life, the drama he plays with others teaches him. He too learns and imitates others. The other becomes inevitable in his life. In this drama of life he gets insights, the insights emerge and accumulate. These insights also govern the dramatic living. Further the insights are corrected through trial and error and by self-correcting process.

           Hence, common sense is an essential part of human existence. It gives us the beauty of living and acting. It is a way of communicating with others and with ourselves. In fact, common sense assists the person in all the patterns of experience the biological, aesthetic, intellectual and dramatic. Common sense becomes inevitable in the life of person. Without it man would be mere animal. Today due to technological and scientific growth the use of common sense is losing its ground. It has become uncommon. People have become more accurate in doing things with proper proofs and taste. The challenge today is to get back to the common sense way of life. In order to have better life we need to get back to common sense life. A healthy communication is possible when we deal with each other in a common sensical way.  

May Common Sense help us to live a bright and better life.

My Educational Philosophy

            Each person is the outcome of his past. He/she is influenced by people, the environment and other situations. It can have either bad or good repercussions. Accordingly he/she arrives at his/her view about life and ways of looking at reality. My drawing up of educational philosophy rests very much on the following influences. First and foremost the credit goes to my parents who love me, care for me, and accept me as I am. They have taught me the values of life. My fifteen years of stay at home was marked by my parents trust on me and they gave me freedom to choose my life. Life is not always the bed of roses. There were times when I was out of house without informing my parents. When I was back, I was reprimanded for my act but at the same time accepted by my sisters who loved me and gave me advice not to do the same again.

            Secondly, during my stay at the aspirantate, I encountered a missionary who appeared fabulous and something that I was so attracted of him when he was talking to us. His manner and the way he went about inspired me. Though he was for short while but he left an indelible mark in my life. With his speech he could attract many. He too appeared very gentle, loving, understanding, and humble in his appraoch.

            Lastly, due to my experience over the years. In all these years I was given a freedom to do what ever I wanted. My parents and superiors respected my freedom and allowed me to grow. Even when I misused the freedom which they provided me because of my carelessness, I was never punished or even when I was scholded I was made to understand my mistake. In all these cases I was understood and accepted. In which ever stage of formation I was in, I always experienced such human qualities of acceptance, forgiveness and love given to me by my friends and the members of the staff.

            Human journey towards perfection is not possible alone. It is always in relation to some body, somebody who can direct your life, can become the guiding star of your life especially when you need the help most. Over these years I was helped and guided by the members of authority. They all saw my capabilities, made me realize, and encouraged me to grow and mature.

            Hence my educational philosophy is backed up very much by my experieces over the past years. My parents, brothers, sisters, friends and superiors played a pivotal role in it. My educational philosophy is very much based on acceptance.

My view of Human Nature

            Human being is essentially and basically good by nature. He/she is bestowed upon with lots of potentialities to grow and flower in his/her life. The other person or the educator has to support him/her to discover those potentialities.

            Human person too is unique. He/she possesses both negative and positive qualities which make him special. Becoming aware of his/her own incapability, he strives for something higher. His/her incapability become the stepping stones for better and reformed life. Human person got to appreciate his strengths and accept his weakness and grow as integrated person.

            The individual is basically free. The person grows when his/her freedom is respected. Especially the young people feel out of place, insecure, and threatened when their freedom is curtailed. They begin to behave or act in such a way which is not compatible with the norms of the society. Hence they should be taught to act with responsibility in freedom.

            In my encounter with youngsters, has taught me that they long to extend their relationship with others. They go to the extent of risking in building relationship. Most of the young people tend to judge. I believe, relationship is not one way process but it is reciprocal, it is always between two persons. I understand relationship in this manner.

           

            The above mentioned chart explains that the human persons live in the world environment. In relationship with the other person, the ‘I’ looses something of himself/herself because of the other. And this loss is always of something loss of time, energy, likes, dislikes etc. Both the individuals loose something of each other. This relationship is always in relation to the world.

            Emotion does play a pivotal role in the human person. It makes him/her a unique individual. It is true that not all have same and equal percentage of emotion. According to the gravity of the emotion the person is characterized. Emotion does play an important role in relation.

Why do young people get distressed or get into problems?

The young people get into problems or get distressed due to following reasons:

            First and foremost when the young people are not accepted, or not understood by others, they get distressed.

            Secondly when the expectations of theirs are not met they get distressed. Sometimes the young people like to please others in their performance. When they are not able to please because of their failure they are frustrated.  

            Thirdly the young people like to venture out new things. More often it is done without making any pre-judgment about it. Hence they fall into the problem which they did not expect or foresee.

            Fourthly when the ideas of young people are not considered, when their initiatives are questioned and criticized and when their freedom is curtailed without reason.

            Lastly the problem among the young people starts due to lack of dialogue. It is also due to much work that they undertake.

When do young people get well or grow?

            Carl Roger was of the opinion that the human person is basically good and endowed with lot of capabilities. I too am of the same opinion and believe that the young people grow not when they are imposed or totally let free, but when they are given freedom to decide, choose and act. They need not be imposed but little pat on the back or guidance enlightens them.

            We need to keep in mind that to err is human. What is the aftermath reaction of the error that the young people commit? Young people’s growing very much depends upon the aftermath reaction. Little encouragement for the mistake done, or accepting the person no matter what ever the fault committed. The following points necessary for growth:

  Environment may play an important factor for growth. But it is not all in all. Even in the worst of situation can be best of place to grow. It depends upon each individual’s mind set as John Milton says in Paradise Lost, “Mind is in its own place, it can make heaven a hell, hell a heaven.” When the person has realized himself and the environment and integrated his/her life with the environment then the person is considered to have grown.

What is fully functioning person?

            A fully functioning person is one who is ready to accept himself/herself with all his/her strength and weaknesses. When the person is able to see things in a positive manner and takes responsibility for all that he/she does, then he can be considered as fully functioning person.

Relationship between educator and youth

            I believe in the relationship that is trustworthy and reciprocal. Both the subject and the object are equally responsible and important in the relationship. The subject should be able to generate trust in his dealings with the individual and the individual also need to be open to the trust and should be able to recognize it. The relation between the both should also be that of friendly nature. The roles of the educator and the youth are given below.

How would you proceed in educating/helping/mentoring?

            In my educational process I would like to follow the friendly approach. First of all to accept the students as they are with their negative and positive qualities. It should be a non-judgmental approach. Once the judgmental approach is instigated the student or the formee looses his/her trust in the educator.

            Another method I would follow is that of collaboration. It is in help of each other that we grow. It would also be directional method. Today the young people want to be directed and guided. The young people too look of model to follow. Hence it is to be star among them so that they can follow.

            Here we may ask the question the change is for the educator or the students. I believe the change should take place from within and from both the side. First of all the change should emerge from the educator. So that he can become the model for others to follow and change.

Techniques to be employed

            In my dealings with young people I follow varied methods or techniques. First of all I observe the young people. It is not because to find out what is missing in them or what is wrong with them but it is much more than. It is to know each of them a little more. It is not to avoid them but to accept them for what they are. My approach to them would be that of friendly nature give attention to everybody equally.

            Another technique I would follow and which I follow is the technique of “close an eye.” It is not to overlook their bad deeds but to make them realize that they have done something wrong. To my surprise this method has worked wonderfully.

To find meaning in life is the desire of all. And as an educator to give meaning to other people is essential. People come to you to find meaning in life. Hence through our love, we can enable our beloved to develop meaning and we develop meaning.  The educator through his love enables the educand to develop meaning in life.

An effective teacher is one who gets involve in the life of the students. as the teacher gets involved with the life of the students he supports and encourages with the Educand. He also makes the Educand realize his own dreams and helps the student to strive for the achievement of such dream.

Lastly as the faithful servant of God I would like to give spiritual dimension to my educational philosophy. I would pray for my students so that God may assist them to be good human being and better citizens.

Finally I cannot but thank Rev Fr Edison Fernandes for his guidance in coming to my educational philosophy. I am really edified by the course and this has helped me to give a focus and direction to my future ministry. I am also grateful all those people who have been influenced in helping me to arrive at an educational philosophy of my own.

KNOWLEDGE

Knowledge is Power. It can either Blind you or Open your eyes. It can lead you to self-discovery and help you see the things which you had never seen before. On the other hand it can also make you a person of pride, self-glorification and self-righteous. It is up to an educand to use it for a better purpose. May our journey towards knowledge help us in each moment to be aware of ourselves, and discover the life and mend if it be so for the BETTER Self.