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| Michael Corleone, The Godfather |
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| Spiderman |
Power is Eternal
SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL, people have grown great interest in power in whatever form it might be. As Political Science majors, we are not privy to history's most ambitious and power-hungry men and nations, we study them, we contextualize their power, we map-out their authoritative line (or lack thereof).We have also defined it in light of various angles. We have the political, the sociological and psychological definitions of power which I know (and hope) that we are all very familiar about.
But the question that intrigues me is this:
Knowing that we have spent years analyzing power both in its most fundamental and complex of ways, how sure are we that the kind of power we wish to understand has not devoured us?
This is were my gratitude towards organized religions come in (as well as all other belief systems that exist). It is only late at life did I realize its use (with much deviation from their fundamental canons and creeds), it tames human potential in hurting others and ourselves and it impose ethereal punishment systems as the conception of hell (life after death) that constricts free exercise of human potential.
But still, how do we manifest that power we study?
One important thing we have to remember is this: we live, we die but power (in its purest essences) lives on, empowering and disempowering millions of souls. Aren't you curious of what kind of worlds that such cycle creates?
My "Atrocious" Hobby
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| Don Vito Corleone, The Godfather |
This kind of atrocities that I speak of can shame the UN's Human Rights causes. Ranging from "The Mongol Hordes, Auto-da-Fe, Black Hole of Calcutta, King Leopold and the Congo, Massacre at Amritsar, The Rape of Nanking, Babi Yar, My Lai, Cambodia Year Zero, Reign of Terror" and many many more, these histories speak of one truth that we ought to consider: inasmuch as people are capable of kindness and compassion, with much power and ambition, we are also capable of murder, mayhem and destruction - without batting an eyelash.
And to say otherwise or falsify this claim is a complete ignorance of what constitute human nature - its potentials, capabilities, frailties and so much more. And the thin line that divides it poses more danger than stability due to the duality - we can easily degenerate from good to bad and vice versa. I have seen much to attest to this claim. I sometimes feel that I have seen too much that my psyche will forever be shattered but thankfully I'm still alive and NOT in a mental institution.
These atrocities are testimonies of what kind of things that people are capable of given power. Yes just power, I deliberately stashed "much" [as in "much" power] in the sequence. Because I will attempt to conceptualize power at a more personal level - myself.
My Promise Fulfilled
Over the Christmas Holidays, I was able to gorge on 100+ books (112 to be exact). It is not that I have given up my social life reading books 24/7. Believe it or not, I just read leisurely. You may think that I am a book nerd or I eat books as meals, well there's more to that. I just feel that when I read, I am free. :D
But if there is one book tradition I keep it would be this: I read books, I do not research on the authors first, but after. I don't want my judgement and critique of the book be influenced and clauded by the imposition of the author's identity. Moreover, I do not read books just because the authors are popular, or because the contents are unconventional or erotic even. I even have a friend whose first novel is 50 Shades of Grey. MY GOD. Mine was To Kill A Mockingbird (a Pulitzer Winning Novel). But I understand - How sizzling hot is that? >:) I mean Christian Grey is really mouthwatering and sexy and all but for you guys who have read E.L. James' Trilogy and you want a classic story-based sex story, A.N. Roquelaure's (Anne Rice) The Sleeping Beauty Trilogy is the thing. THE thing.
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| I believe I don't need to put much caption/summary into this. Really. |
Moving on, my point is simple. I have oftentimes attempted to detach the writer from the creation. But reality kicks in and it is not possible. In one way or another, an important facet of the author's life will be revealed, implicitly, deviously. And in congruence (sorry for the many formal words in all my blogs - having a grammar conscious and vocab authority conscious mother has its influences) with my promise, I have shed some portion of my life with you guys with my every single blog entry.
With my laid-back (THIS is laid-back and normal for me, not authoritative, academic or anything) language and satirical conceptualization of things, you are tapping to my inner sensibilities.
Keep the thrill and the stakes high, that's my line.
And that's how I roll.
My Cubes of Power Exchange
Now, let us move on to my "cube of power." As you shall see, I attached pictures of people and opposite of which are characters - be it of history, fiction, animation or cartoon. These characters are my personal interpretations on what kind of power and personal characteristics they exhibit the most.The Code is simple:
Picture-pairs (both the real person except papa who takes the picture of a twitter egg and the character counterpart) which are in greyscale means I attempt to block their attempts to play power with me (or to influence me). The ones in sepia are 50/50. While the ones in full color means that I allow sharing or exchange of power.Why is my term "power-sharing"? Because I don't allow people to assert their power over me without my conscious approval. And most of the times, I quantify these power assertions even during my sleep. I keep an environment around me that is conducive to healthy and beneficial power exchange. And that's how I wish things to remain.
Family
- Papa as Damon Salvatore - As a character in The Vampire Diaries, Damon is that sole characters who is willing to take on the hard decisions for the benefit of the ones he love (even if sometimes, others take the credit). A deeply personal and secretive person (though a loud drunkard in the outside), he thinks of himself last and it makes him happy every single time. As a candy, he could be a Mentos, hard on the outside but tender on the inside. Well, I allow open exchange of power with my father because he is my hero :) I really look up to him and idolize him. It is only with him with whom I could openly share my beliefs with and he does not judge. We even oftentimes find ourselves on the same side. But in times when critiques are necessary, we don't hold back. Most of all, we are both liberal and we love to debate every single time.
- Mama as Wanda - Wanda, Timmy's fairy godparent is always after the welfare of her godchild. Regardless of the circumstance, she wishes to be sure that Timmy is not harmed. She often gives advice about posing dangers and she does not recommend experimentation. Mama is in sepia because we often clash when it comes to political and religious orientation. She did not allow me to take an entrance exam at UP fearing that I'll take up arms and go to the mountains. I understand all of these. Most mothers are like this to their children :) But somehow, this kind of arrangement created a rift on an ideological level and so we often settle things at the mundane level which is plain mother-daughter.
- Jelay as Sam Manson - as the 2nd born, she's the 2nd in command when my parents are not around. And how she take on the responsibility is beyond convention - she is very liberal, even more liberal than me. Like Sam, she does not let convention restrict her. She's in grey because her power structure takes its course independently from mine. She does her own thing at her own time.
- 3cia as Picasso - 3cia (really italicized as that) is our 3rd born. She is in grey because her power system revolves around her art which is very different from mine. A smart girl who had accelerated schooling, she is liberally smart. She is also a very talented artist. The way she molds clay, the way she carves wood or makes statues and her paintings will impose her ideologies of unconventional beauty unto you. And for me that is very powerful. She is very quiet and secretive. She keeps to herself just like me. She creates to express her heart. There exists no clash or imposition of power between us. She is secluded.
- JJ as Da Vinci - I know you are curious why Da Vinci. Well, let me tell you this, I am a huge fan of my 4th born sister. She is the ultimate jack of all trades - she sings well, she is also an artists (she paints, draws and sculpts), she is also good in academics especially mathematics and so on - without even trying. It comes to her naturally. She achieve anything she wishes. And have I told you that she is also drop dead gorgeous? The reason why she is in color because of all my sisters, she is the only one who is conducive to a power exchange. She is quiet and secretive but she relates to others of her kind (like me) which allows a form of connection.
- JM as Alison DiLaurentis - JM is our 5th born. I portrayed her as Alison of PLL because of two main characteristic she owns so greatly - beauty and a tricky mind. Again, just like most of my sisters her actions are to her own. That leaves us at two distinct spectrum that seldom interact. And when we do, I usually attempt to block the scheming part. Though I welcome beauty tips from her :)
- Bubbles as Timmy Turner - Bubbles is not your average kid. At age 1, she can already speak and converse at 2. She can walk straight prior to her first birthday. She hates studying but perfects math and science exams. She plays video games and computer games most of the time. But what I like among her many hobbies is her love for reading. Now at age 7, she is my only sister who would sit beside me when I read and inquire on what I am reading. A few moments afterwards, she'll be grabbing her own book and read beside me. What makes her Timmy Turner is her child-like nature combined with her apparent intelligence that I haven't seen in any child of her age. Sure there are others who are academically gifted but Bubbles' abilities transcends that. She can raise a point with you, DEBATE with you and twist your statements up to the point of your surrender. Her mind is as sharp as a person at her prime age and she inquires on less-trivial topics such as marginalization and equality at a daily basis. I have lots of first hand experiences which are shockers but we agreed to keep it between us. Yes, she also know how to enter into agreements and honor them. She's in grey because her power structure does not emanate from me - it's innate to her. She is not influenced nor thus she allows herself to be. She can even use ad hoc circumstances to her advantage and she thinks really fast. For a 7 year old, that is so much. There are moments when she attempt to exercise her power over me but I know when to stand up as the eldest. She's very smart and tricky like that. I am a fan :)
*The colors of their names are their favorite colors :*
Closest Friends
Most of my friends are men, I know that's one of the first things that you have noticed. To be honest, I am not certain why this is the case. Sometimes, I have this weird conception that my soul's essences might be that of a male's that's why a prefer things the way I do but I know my explanation is ridiculous.
Most of my men friends are idealists. Some are communists, others anarchists, liberal democrats and many more and they are aware and proud of it. We converse most of the times about politics (if we don't talk about books for "recess"). And it's okay that I don't talk make-up with them. I prefer an exchange of thoughts than a session of shoe and clothes shopping (which I do ONLY with papa and mushy).
Well, most of my friends are in sepia because I allow for a relatively open exchange of power. Given that I have only found my attraction towards a more functional social life, I have to start unblocking other people. Maybe, after that, I would be more critical as to whether their colors should change.
Some of my friends that are in full color are the ones which I am most (relatively) open to. I allow this open exchange of power because of their strict credibility towards impartiality which I really worship as a virtue.
As what I have said several times now, I am a very private person and so I keep a very small circle of very close friends. But when I do keep one, I keep them for life.
- James as Casper - our ties ran so old. I met him at a History Quiz Bee and ever since he's been a very close friend.
- Mickael as John Nash - my extremist friend. He often doubt himself and his capabilities but hey, he knows so much about war history that I fear him sometimes. Irony of life.
- Karlo as Finn - my cartoon friend always going to jump in to help you in times of need. Has always kind words to say
- Sir Fitzpatrick as Ferdinand Marcos - my Marcos loyalist friend, an extremist of some sort who is packed with so much ideas
- Harly as Tony Stark - Harly = Tony Spark. End of conversation. 'Nuff said.
- Mara as Rapunzel - beautiful and very strong. unconventionally high-strung
- Mark as Jacob Black - the hunky and lovable friend who's always around giving advise
- Jhenice as Spencer Hastings - beautiful and very smart. exquisite
- Jerome as Maxwell Smart - one of the most street-wise smart people I know. You can discern much out of your conversations with him
- John as Jimmy Neutron - Very smart, open minded, unbiased and liberal.
Special Bond (the Mushy part)
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| MAJOR EDIT: Mushy is not Patch Cipriano of the Hush, Hush Series but rather Daniel Grigori of The Fallen Series by Lauren Kate. I have read both series and got confused with the near-similar plot. Will edit this asap |
There is much to be said about my partnership with mushy. But sadly, I'll be keeping the most mushy details to myself :)
First and foremost, Bean/Mushy (our pet names. stretching as far as first term, frosh year) is in full color because I would not want a partnership where one dominates over the other. I prefer an egalitarian way of things. A trade-off. An equitable and fair exchange. And these are the exact things that describe our nearly 2 and a half-year long partnership.
Mushy is the type of person who is also a Mentos. Hard on the outside but chewy (yum) in the inside. For most, he appears to be a siga type but actually he's not. He's very tender and loving and sweet. He wants to be hugged all the time (not the other way around). He always says "I love you" at a min of 100 times a day maybe. He smiles at me often (though he looks so stern to others).
I'm the type of person whose dreams are plagued with nightmares. I would always wake up in the middle of the night scared and sweaty that I could not even leave my own bed and run to my parents'. But ever since I met mushy, my dreams got under control. For most part, I know that when my nightmares will visit me again, I can call mushy regardless of what time and he'll pick up. And you know what he'll do? He'll stay with me until I fall asleep telling me the bedtime story "The Snow Queen" and afterwards singing me lullabies.
One time, I already fell asleep after a nightmare and woke up. I listened to my phone and he was singing this lullaby sweetly. He's been lulling me for 2 and a half hours without reprieve. And my nightmares usually occur twice or thrice a week. Imagine what kind of devotion he puts into me.
He accompanied me from La Salle to Malabon (and going back) often. And he would do it almost everyday :) He would ride the LRT even if he has never tried doing so before (and he has this phobia on touching public property - OBSERVE CLASSMATES: HE NEVER TOUCHES HANDLES OF CLASSROOM DOORS AND BATHROOM DOORS) and he would take the jeepney with me even if he has allergies.
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| The Fallen Series by Lauren Kate. MUST READ. I so love this book series that I finished it all in 2 1/2 days. The mushy ones will cry their hearts out ♡ |
From these stories (and many more to-die-for secret stories which I won't share >:), Mushy is like Daniel Grigori. FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO READ THE BOOK SERIES, THE FOLLOWING LINES ARE LABELED "SPOILER ALERT":
Daniel loves Luce so much that he endured thousands and thousands of years living off as an immortal, high-ranking archangel banished here on earth for loving a fellow high-ranking archangel Luce (who was stripped off her memory as such, and cursed to die of whenever the two of them meet on earth) who is Lucifer's ex as result of The Fall. The worst parts? 2 things: 1) They will always find each other wherever they might be in the world, Luce is reincarnated every 17 years and... 2) before she turns 17, usually Luce will die after meeting Daniel. Daniel will have to endure the pain of seeing Luce briefly remember their past (as archangels deeply in love) and be engulfed in flames. Yes. Burn and turn to ashes. Again, he'll have to wait for another 17 years to meet her (AND SHE DOES NOT GET REINCARNATED IN ONE PLACE, once she was reincarnated as an Aztec or Mayan). And the curse will run its course again and again and again.
Daniel tried jumping of a cliff and breaking every single bone in his body to escape the pain of seeing the love of his eternal life live and burn in death just because they chose to love each other. But he won't die.
In the end, after tipping off the balance of nature (between bad and good) towards the good, the Creator awarded them freedom from the curse with a catch: they will be humans and all the traces of their angelic nature will be stripped off of them. The will be reborn and they will die. They will both be reborn without each other. Luce was afraid that they might not find each other but Daniel said that she should trust him. They have endured thousands of years of painfully going through the curse and forever loving each other. They will find each other again. He will find her again.
And the novel series ended with this line:
“Luce and Daniel fell in love for the first- and the last- time”
As you can see (and feel), unlike most relationships, our partnership is not boxed on the social aspect but rather on most aspects of both of our lives. He is my forever group partner, my thesis partner and my NFS (Need For Speed) buddy at UMall. He's that one person at school who knows when I am frustrated and why. He's my personal cheerleader and my life coach. It is with him that I pour out my emotions regarding my political engagements and observations.-Of Lucifer and Luce:
“Of all the pairs the Throne endorsed
None rose to burn as bright
As Lucifer, the Morning Star,
And Lucinda, his Evening Light”
-Luce:
“I want you to know that I would do it all again. I will choose you every time.”
Some of you might wonder as to whether we feel that we are having too much of each other. I asked him that 2 months ago. And you know what he said? A couple of sweet things that I won't share >:) But then I deduced that the reason for our unwavering fondness for each other which is this: we always laugh together. We laugh at our problems, we laugh at our mistakes before fixing them and we laugh even during the times that everyone and everything seems too cold.
We love each other like kids but our brand of affections transcend our years. This, in a world where even love could be utilized to gain political advantage, is truly amazing and is so powerful.
And like what our tagline goes, "mushy forever!" :)
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