25 “truths” we put through the wringer
The one thing we were never taught in elementary school was how to be a skeptic. We were trained to believe, obey and never question authority. In effect school was an extension of church (they are run by religious orders after all); those who dared suggest that the teacher was missing something were condemned as walang modo (uncouth), suwail (willful) and worst of all, pilosopo. Yes, to be “philosophical” — to ask how the teachers arrived at their knowledge and why we should accept it as true — was bad, the equivalent of heresy.
It was not until I moved to a public high school — Philippine Science — that I realized it is not only right to question long-held “truths,” it is the responsibility of every intelligent person. What is your evidence? How do you know? If we didn’t ask questions we would still be deluding ourselves that the sun and planets revolve around the earth.
Now that no one is going to make us stand in a corner or write “I will believe what my teacher says” on the blackboard 500 times, let us review some “truths” we were trained to accept for the simple reason that teachers, priests, parents and other authority figures said so.
Read 25 “truths” we put through the wringer in Emotional Weather Report in the Philippine Star 25th anniversary issue.
Answers to questions you might be asking, unless you wandered onto this site purely by accident >>>
July 24th, 2011 at 21:37
I’m working on getting “street smarts”. And the best way to get them is, literally, from the streets. Commuting here in Manila from Point A to Point B is a study on human nature.
July 24th, 2011 at 23:36
salamat dito…
July 24th, 2011 at 23:46
Love this list. My favorites are numbers 3, 6, 9, 10, 11 (this is more for my dad), 16, 17 and 25.
But # 18 pawns it hehe :)
July 25th, 2011 at 00:34
I love this:
18. “He just hasn’t met the right girl.” He’s gay, Tita.
July 25th, 2011 at 05:16
Hi, Jessica. You don’t have to publish this. Thought you might be interested in this: http://www.amazon.com/dp/8866130257/?tag=theranpos-20
It’s the Molesine Star Wars edition! Got this from minimalmac.com, a great site for Mac users.
July 25th, 2011 at 10:53
Yak wrong spelling. Moleskine, hehe.
July 25th, 2011 at 22:02
agree with everything!!! while reading it, i thought this would be a great commencement address. have you done that ever? wouldn’t it be nice to go back to your old school (not pisay) and say all these things? =) it would’ve applied to my old school too. and i’d add ‘the truth’ that tons of homework help us prepare/understand the subject.