I always set my alarm to six, well that’s actually 5:30 in reality.I get up at seven (i.e. 6:30) and leave the house at 7:40 (i.e.7:10). Even though I am absolutely aware that my clocks are 30 minutes in advance and it absolutely makes no sense, i still follow the routine.

Truth is, the deliberate attempt of men to deceive themselves goes beyond my fake time.

People say “I would rather not know that” or “You could have just told otherwise”. For women, I guess its always about weight; for men nothing bothers them most than sex.

In colloquial terms we can call this stupidity, deception; politically correct lets say its called “not hurting one’s feelings”.

The intrinsic value of self-deception may vary for every person. As for its ethical underpinnings: is it fine or just plain folly? Utilitarians would argue “if this would make more people happy,you should do it”. The categorical imperative would argue otherwise, due to the violation of the principle of universalizability (i.e. Do only an act that you will to be a universal law).

People do things that may or may not be “logical” in normative terms. But does it make it meaningless?

Quine may beg to defer. For meaning should not be limited to mere empirical and logical evidences. There’s a need to look at the context, the situation; and from there we could derive meaning.

So does this serve a license to do “stupid things”?

I could argue more about semiotics but I just arrived at my bus stop. Another thought for tomorrow.

Armchair philosopher signs-off.

The morning – filled with strangers’ rush. Vehicles piling. There’s a lump in my throat. Stomach rumbles – a day of repetition.

The maker,stopwatch on his hands – its time to play the game. Ha! Succumb to meaningless strife and lengthen suffering you foolish souls. For there is no heaven nor hell; and he is not even there.

The tears, the laughter, the strife, the triumph – only ripples that vanishes as soon as it have become.

Life cheats through the rise of the bourgeois – for these strangers only have their eyes on gold.

Oblivious of the meaningless game.

And the non-existent watchmaker.

It was way too early, there is nothing apt to do, yet. No one sent a message, not a call. Perhaps most have found their comfort – a safe place.

The view from the window – serene. The warmth of the early morning sun envelopes with a feeling of longing.

Reality gives more meaning to the essence of man; yet most believe they are better off with dreams. And so the inclination for slumber has been the goal. If there is any safer and cheerful place it must be only in one’s imagination.

Yet, there is still a need to wake-up.

Sometime.

Very soon.

The perfect moment – the time when the sun shone just right and you’re sitting on an ideal spot. When you saw a plane landing and your perspective of the horizon is picturesque. When you heard a song which tells you exactly what to do. When the train’s door is about to close and you made eye contact with a cute guy amidst that crowd. When you’re down and a friend sent an inspirational text message that you would just probably brush-off when you’re feeling fine.

If only perfect moments can be preserved so that one can loan a good feeling just when they needed it. But then, does repetition make things ordinary – like when “I love you” just becomes an expression rather a definition. Or when a kiss is just given for hellos and goodbyes.

Maybe man is really condemned to chase the good – the good which varies for everyone. The good which could be a feeling, a person, a disposition or an object. That when man comes face-to-face with it, he wastes the moment and instead rushes to an absolute future – the thought of experiencing it again rather than cherishing the moment.

The perfect moment – elusive. Or it could be now; just wasted because of a future that might never come.

I havent blogged for quite sometime.I just thought maybe I’d post a photo with a view from my front door.

People should not be left alone with themselves – that’s what at least I’ve been forced to realize. Now existentialists must had been so accustomed to intellectual masturbation while waiting for the bomb to go off during the First World War that’s why they come up with all these theories to make one’s life more complicated. History tells that existentialism flourished when man came to a close encounter with death. Life’s meaning and value, initially an abstract concept gained seat in the highly empirical world of the West due to this inevitable cycle, only in this case man-induced.

The standardization of work processes is a protocol that most companies seek to develop, integrate and perfect in their respective organizations. In the highly modern, competitive and volatile business state of affairs, most managers seek to optimize everything even non-empirical factors determining work profitability.

Looking back on the pre-industrial society, people are used to perform their craft in reference to their cultural and social frameworks. For instance, bread making during the early days are associated not only with flour, right mix of ingredients and the right baking temperature. It involves dealing with suppliers; learning the skill under well-respected and close mentors; collaborating with the neighborhood who actually buy the produce; and spending almost a lifetime perfecting the skill of bread-making.

Now-a-days people’s learning patterns are not driven by mastering a particular skill- rather its focus turn to be more bourgeoisie, due to the now modern connotation of education equating to honor, pride, social standing and power. Analyzing the present situation of firms in the country, it is no wonder that it is already a common sight to see people who are not really adept in performing their job functions; or people doing things that they don’t really enjoy. At worst, companies now-a-days are directed and managed by group of individuals who do not really have a good grasp on how to run a highly competitive, humanitarian, creative and perpetually improving business.

Every person has an ultimate goal, the one which drives them to wake-up every morning; conquer traffic and face another damned day with their boss.The very fast paced nature of the modern society forced people to adapt to the demands of capitalism. In effect, people take for granted little things in exchange for a goal that is more measurable in nature.

Epistemology states that there are two major sources of knowledge, reason and experience. As I grow old, I came to appreciate the value of experience, more particularly if you view them like a tabula rasa- a blank sheet of paper. Philosophers always value perpetual learning, more importantly the type of learning that is associated to the enthusiasm of a child.

Most people like to take control- the highly individualistic culture of the modern society demands that people take responsibility of their actions and make decisions that is in accordance with their short and long-term goals. Today people are used to schedules and well crafted plans; they ought to know what they want and they make sure that they stick to such.

People do whatever it takes to create a sense of meaning in any form work, personal life, achievements, ventures and other sorts of interests. However, what does it really mean to create a fixed notion of the self – the self which revolves around what is necessary in the eyes of the market; the self that is accepted and applauded by the society; the self that has meaning in the perspective of the spiritual?

Sophie, the protagonist in Gaarder’s novel said that as people grow old, they become buried deeper and deeper inside “the rabbit’s fur”. The rabbit a metaphor for the world as we know, is a place where people can choose to explore reality above whats apparent; or could be a venue to succumb in between the thick accumulated strands of norms and man-made reality.

Holy mother of…

It’s eight thirty in the morning, you have a client meeting at nine. You are wearing your coat dress and your black stilettos. You hover your eyes around EDSA and realized there is simply no way you can make it on time if you take the cab. You looked above, and there it is, always there waiting for you- basking in the eight-thirty-ish morning sun, the Metro Railway Transit, otherwise known as the MRT.

Middle-class girls and stilettos always have this love-hate relationship ever since the former’s birth in the early 1930s. Girls who love to work and play hard take refuge to stilettos due to its magical wonders – highlighting of the calves and thighs; and not to mention creating a sense of authority, intimidation, emancipation and sexual domination.