WHICH IS MORE ESSENTIAL, EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP OR BEING RIGHT? ( A short reaction paper on Machiavelli )

           The state of a certain place or nation is eminently affected by how its leader governs the people. The Machiavellian theory is one of the philosophies that deeply influence how leaders among the world administer their territories.

In Davao City, as people say, Machiavellian theory has been applied by the Dutertes in holding the reins of the people in the city. It is also undeniable that through the years, as they ruled and dominated in Davao, the city has progressed in a lot of different aspects -- that is, if people are to be asked. The number of crimes has deteriorated, and the people of Davao have been more disciplined in doing what the law states. Due to this effective leadership, it is assumed that their political thought is infused by Machiavellian theory.

But, up to what extent is this being effective, right? Yes, the Dutertes are indeed, effective. But we cannot say that they will always be right in all aspects. In deciding what’s good for the city, what’s right for the people, and what’s righteous among for their officials. One of the examples given during the discussion is the declining to sign permits on rallies. The people, being given the chance to hold protests is not worth to be thankful for, simply because protesting is indeed a right of every Filipino. This is legally allowed according to the Philippine constitution because it is a part of our freedom of expression. The point is that, they allow protests which are not against them but if it is, they don’t.

This is not a matter of the name of the leaders or politicians anymore. Dutertes are just used as an example, but this is addressed to all the leaders of this nation. So, when does being effective end? Isn’t it giving the people what is truly right? And not just because they think that it is?

In a situation, for a Machiavellian, a leader or prince has the right to kill a very powerful criminal if he will be caught. For an opposite of Machiavellian leader, he will put him behind the bars. Hence, there is a big difference. For Machiavelli, he thinks that killing the criminal would be beneficial for all. For the opposite kind of a leader, he will let the jurisdiction of the body prevail through a due process. There is a law because it is what the law makers have decided and have thought about the constitution for the people of that certain territory or nation. But if a Machiavellian way of system will exist, then law makers and worst, the laws will be of no use anymore. 

WHAT KIND OF POLITICAL ASSOCIATION SHOULD THE PEOPLE HAVE? by Aynaderka Odessa Vynn Padilla-Sison

Aristotle is one of the most eminent people in the field of Philosophy. I have no second thoughts about that. This is the main reason why, I give a hundred percent of my attention to every spoken thought that he has. It makes me analyze it word for word that leads me into more complicated ideas, and I don’t know if it’s a good sign for enlightenment or a sign of getting things harder to understand.

Let thy words be few. Because no way, that I am going to re-state again what Aristotle have said and what did he became a thousand years ago, written in a ten-page readings. But all I am certain of is that, there is no such perfect kind of system for each one of us. What I, others, and what do you want will always be in conflict even if we are only aiming for one goal, HAPPINESS. I may want a socialist kind government because it aims for equal distribution of properties for every person in the state. But it could also be that you want democracy as the form of government, or Aristotle wants Monarchy. We have different opinions and different beliefs.

A certain kind of system will only be perfect if every person would want the same kind of system or form of government. But since this is impossible to achieve, we are in the state of respecting each other’s opinion, explaining why we want this or that kind of system, asking or discovering why they want such, or worse becoming stagnant to what we believe in.

We are all political animals by nature according to Aristotle. To answer “WHAT KIND OF POLITICAL ASSOCIATION SHOULD WE HAVE?,” it is for us to discover what the answer is sooner or later.

A reaction paper on CITY OF GOD

City of Gods: TOO MUCH POWER WILL KILL YOU

by: Aynaderka Odessa Vynn Padilla-Sison

Let my words be few. All I know is that the movie entitled “The City of God,” epitomizes how impunity could live even longer than our life span. It is very heart aching to watch a movie like this because I felt like everyone watches people die but they just don’t care, and acts as if nothing happened. It made me ask myself, “Is there still hope and future to this kind of place?” I am referring to the city where everything took place - the place where everything was rampant such as robbery, killings, injustices, violence, drug dealings, shoot-to-kills, and possibly any source of danger that you might think of.

Everything looks so normal. The little boys even bring with them guns confidently as if those were toys that they were playing with. They were too confident carrying it as if they were proud of their new toy. As the movie went by, I found my self enjoying the movie. The “stupidity” or “ignorance” of Lil Ze, one of the Gods who claim the place as his territory, made me laugh the most. He wanted his picture to be taken by Rocket (the boy his age, whose brother was killed by him) for the sake of fame and for him to be recognized as the real God of the city. Maybe this is the result of being more exposed in the streets doing different vices rather than going to school. It’s even more saddening to know that the government haven’t done something for the youth of the city, for its people and for the development of their place. All along, where have they been? The government is shameful for being like a paralyzed and good-for-nothing institution.

          

I really am ashamed of myself as well because all this time watching the movie, I even had the nerve of making laugh at them, when in fact; this movie was based from a true story. So, all those terrible things that happened in the movie were once true. This is a wake up call to each one of us. The government should do its responsibility. Those who died in the movie are nothing but a victim of the system. We cannot blame the people for being like that – a drug dealer, pusher, user, hold-upper, carnapper, and burglar. If only they were provided by the government the real services for the people, if they were not deprived by their rights, if they were given the opportunity to live in a place where they can feel “human” they could have been the next leader, mayor, even the best President in time. They could have had the power.

           

But they were blinded by the system. They thought that power lies behind their guns and the number of lives that they could put in their hands and end. They thought that this is respect. But they are wrong. It was not respect that they had gained after all, it was FEAR.