REALITY OR FANTASY

‘It is better to be hurt by truth than to live happily in lies.’

We often hear this saying, or at least, a variant of it.  This statement implies that you should be better off living your life with knowledge of the ‘truth’ than wasting your time over this earth listening to ‘lies’.  To go simply, it means that ‘DON’T GO ON LIVING YOUR HAPPY FANTASIES.’

However, is this really good?  Should we know the ‘truth’, no matter how bitter it is, than to be happy for the rest of our lives?  The answer depends on the person.

As you know, I believe that every ‘individual’ is really an individual.  Take note of that word, for ‘INDIVIDUAL’ means a single entity or person—not having an identical.  What I’m saying is you are you; another character’s personality is not you.  His family is not yours.  His life experiences, though the events may be the same, is still never YOUR life experiences, simply by the fact that he deals with it differently than you.

If you choose to know the ‘truth’, then it is your choice.  However, you should also know that the ‘truth’ or what others call ‘reality’, and its opposite ‘lies’ or ‘fantasy’, DEPENDS ON THE PERCEPTION OF LIFE BY AN INDIVIDUAL.  This simply means that if someone thinks that life is not worth living, then what he also perceives as his ‘reality’ is dreary and miserable.  Don’t be surprised if he believes that his life is the worst that one could ever experience.  On the other hand, someone who thinks that life is a happy existence believes that ‘reality’ is a joyful adventure.

IF YOU WANT TO KNOW THE ‘TRUTH’ OR ‘REALITY’, YOU’RE ONLY SEARCHING IN VAIN.  For there can’t be an absolute ‘truth’.  What we perceive as ‘truth’ is also brought by our minds, which we don’t know exactly whether its product is ‘real’ or not.  To further illustrate it, people who have ‘schizophrenia’ think that their world is real, while we who know better are sure that theirs is just a product of their minds.  The same can be said with people who thinks that they are lucky, or unlucky.

The question remains, ‘Is it really better to know the ‘truth’?’

To answer that, let me state first that every human walking or had walked over this planet have the so-called ‘Defense Mechanisms’.  Defense Mechanisms are the way we adapt or deal with troublesome situations we come across in life.  Question is, is it bad?  My answer is ‘no’.  It is only natural for living things to have that trait, for if we removed those mechanisms in our body, are we 100% sure that we’re going to live sanely for the rest of our lives?

The question ‘Is it really better to know the ‘truth’?’, can also be answered with:  ‘HOW SURE ARE YOU THAT YOU CAN HANDLE THE ‘TRUTH’ WELL?’ 

Many of us who wanted to know what most ‘intelligent’ people on earth perceives as ‘truth’, they end up vain and bitter after coming into a conclusion.  That is because, for most ‘intelligent’ people, life is as miserable as death.  They are like the sons and daughters of Misery.  In turn, they influence others who don’t think like them.  Those ‘others’ let themselves be influenced by these ‘intelligent’ people who think negatively.  Are we sure we like that?  Are you sure that once you have come into that kind of conclusion about reality YOU ALONE CAN HANDLE THAT?

That is because most of those kinds of people would surely affect their fellow individuals on how negative they think.  And as I said before, these ‘fellow individuals’ may or may not be able to handle the truth ‘intelligent’ people believe in.  In the end, they may become miserable and might even go beyond the ‘normal means’ to escape that.  Well, his blood is in that ‘intelligent’ person’s hands.  That is not my responsibility.

To wrap up, it is not bad to live your life not knowing the ‘truth’ ‘intelligent’ people are trying to define.  Form your own beliefs and form your own ‘reality’.  For the ‘intelligentsia’ also formed their own—a world of negativity and lost hope.  If they are able to do that, why shouldn’t you?

I WANT TO SPEAK OUT!

‘Why don’t you look at your _______?  He/She can go through things and shit!  Why couldn’t you?’

Have you ever experience being told like that?  Well, you SHOULD, because you ain’t human if you haven’t experience that yet.

As for me, I can’t help but to cringe in disappointment and annoyance every time I hear those words.  Look at that guy/girl!  He/She is a hell lot better than you are because he/she is going through that hardship without a budge on his/her face. 

Ah…making comparisons, how idiotic!

Do you know that poem ‘Desiderata’?  One stanza says, ‘IF YOU COMPARE YOURSELF TO OTHERS, YOU MAY BECOME VAIN AND BITTER; FOR THERE WILL ALWAYS BE GREATER AND LESSER PEOPLE THAN YOURSELF.’

It means that whatever you do, wherever you go, whoever you socialize with, there will be people who’d be in much better condition in life and there’ll also be some living in more misery than you do.  Those lines also prove that all people are ‘born their way’—that we all have our OWN PATH TO TAKE, OWN PERSONALITIES, AND OWN TROUBLES TO DEAL WITH.  If it is so, then who are we to say to them, ‘Why don’t you look at this fellow?’

My point is, we all have our own identity.  If you don’t know the essence of IDENTITY yet, IDENTITY IS YOUR PERSONALITY, WHICH IS THE ‘SUM OF YOUR OWN BEHAVIOR PLUS YOUR OWN ATTITUDE’.  If you believe that parents raised their children in the way they thought is best for them, then you should accept the fact that every parent in the world raised us in utterly different manner, for your parents are not my parents, and your neighbor’s family is never your family. 

And because we grew up in a separate environment, we developed different ways to deal and accept our weaknesses.  One may find the other person’s problem to be ‘light’ or ‘trivial’ but for that particular individual, it’s already a ‘life or death’ situation.  The same applies with you.  You may think that your heaviest burden is the worst in the world, but I may think of that as ‘nothing’ compared to mine.

Sadly, we often forget that very principle.  We always say, ‘I’m me; I’m myself’, and yet, when it comes to other people, we tend to compare them to our own, or someone else close to us, or people we know.  We become their critics, even if our intent is for that person’s well being.  If so, then you are not being helpful. 

On the final note, I admit that we all have our weaknesses.  If you want to help someone close to you to overcome that weakness of his/hers, then avoid comparing them to other people and to yourself.  His/her story is not YOUR story.  His/her family is never your family.  HIS/HER EXPERIENCE IS DIFFERENT FROM YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE.

"A Child's Laughter"

     Do you ever felt relax when you adhere something?  The feeling that you are at ease as a soothing sensation come to your senses.  The comfort when something which really makes you happy comes through your way. Well, this is a little different.  An odd feeling to say, hearing a child's laughter caught a sense enlightens a path all through its road.

    Everyone has a different field of expertise.  You may not be good in a certain thing yet you excel in something very much.  Don't be upset when you fail, drop or when you fall.  This is part of life's way of teaching .  Those small things that come along during the periods of uncertainty, they must be appreciated no matter what value it arise.  Remember, a person who started from scratch understands how pain really feels.  The small gifts, like a smile from an infant, can surely cure a drought heart.  

     In a day, the moment of sudden boredom do urge a way.  Your companions are busy for there own objective.  Talking to others, making themselves known for the benefit  of there own.  Sometimes, they neglect you.  The only thing that would caught an attention is an infant's bliss.  A noisy argumentation with there playmates.  Running around, bothering others for there joy yet those are the things that come to disturb a silent motion.   It means nothing when you look at them but, as you remember your infant days, are they as happy as those infants?  Some do wish that they were always an infant because they don't think too much.  They just bother to play, eat, and sleep. When you gone old, sometimes you don't play, even don't eat, and much more you don't go to sleep.  Lucky for an infant because wish is always combined with hard work.  For wish don't come true if you don't work it out.

     Seeing a child's laughter makes a sudden difference in a day.  As a good plan turn abolished, when people forgot about you, or simply moving forward for a better change.  It is true that everyone is smart yet not all knows to understand.  People may come and go, change then take-off.  The best way of being known as a family is, though you go up or down there is a place you can return.  Rest and ease for your trouble, even a back-up when your in danger.  Just don't be too cocky because it might slip you away from your family.

     The reason only few do get to be recognized as a true family is because they might easily leave.  The feeling of being  left alone is the precaution to worry.  Don't ever let someone of the family feel that they are forgotten, they might think that you've gone your own way.  A true family understands any type of situation you are in.  Will comfort and support if your aims are for the right path, and would never let your trust be broken.  Fortunately, all family members proves there faith.  That they can risk there own life to save one another.  Maybe nobody else can do it unless your part of the family.

     Let things discover for itself.   Don't ask, don't bother, and don't even comply.  The foundation of a family is molded through a very long time.  It would not be made by a snap of your finger but the trials you've gone together.  Honestly, the sense that has been speculated may  not truly point unto something.  Those words just spilled-out because of A Child's Laughter.

©Thylyt19 1:11 May 25, 2011

COSPLAY WORLD WAR?

Lately, news has reached me that some foreign Cosplay groups began to criticize our local Cosplaying scene.  They tell that Filipinos suck at cosplaying, and that we are a disgrace to the Cosplay community worldwide.  Alodia is just plain goddess’ shit, and monkeys are much better in cosplaying than we are.  If true, then the blog of GamerTotoy and his friends would be justified.

Well, the question is, is it really true?

I know those who found the time (and endurance) to read this would react violently.  Or go ballistic.  Heck, who could blame them?  We Filipinos are very nationalistic; one innocuous joke about our race would provoke an outrage that could even lead to the Philippine Congress declaring the offending party persona non grata here!

But then, on a second thought—without the nationalistic prejudices involved—are those criticisms justified?

Let me tell you the current scene of the cosplay community here in the Philippines.  Ever since Alodia Gosengfiao came to the spotlight and is bestowed the title ‘Cosplay Goddess’, the word ‘Cosplay’ became the byword of everyone who wants to grab their own 15-MINUTES OF FAME.  From a relatively obscure hobby to a mainstream madness, people from every walk of life found a new way to stardom.

Which is exactly a far cry from what it had been, years ago.

Never mind the cardboard props, or the soft, jingly rubber suits, Philippine Cosplay community today is plague by people who wanted to become popular or make money.  Attitude has all but disappeared from the participants.  Some cosplayers don’t even know the character they are cosplaying!  And look, when they had their fill of their 15-minute fame, they act as if they’re the best among the elite cosplayers in the world!

Cosplay is a combination of two words:  Costume and Play.  Costume, in this case, means a set of clothes that is unique to a person or a character.  Play here is translated as a dramatic performance.  So in other words, Cosplay means dressing yourself after your favorite character and then giving out a performance.  And when it says performance, it’s not just your typical sword-swinging, low-jumping, Indian-like screaming you see in most cosplayers nowadays.  TRUE COSPLAY IS ALL ABOUT GIVING LIFE TO YOUR FAVORITE CHARACTER and not that character breathing life to your own pathetic existence.

In others words, YOU DON’T COSPLAY BECAUSE IT IS YOUR GATEWAY TO STARDOM OR GIRLS, BUT IT IS BECAUSE OF YOUR ‘LOVE’ FOR THAT PARTICULAR CHARACTER THAT GIVES YOU THE COURAGE TO DON THAT COSTUME.

Unfortunately, however, instead of using those scathing comments as a ticket to improvement, many chose to become reactionary.  They chose the path to idiocy; declaring a ‘COSPLAY WORLD WAR’ even though they haven’t got any idea of how the hell on earth will they wage that kind of war!  For them, the quality of Filipino cosplay is all about cardboard props, rubber suits, and the worst of all—HALF-ASSED ATTITUDE ABOUT COSPLAY ITSELF.

Are you still wondering why those foreigners scoff at our cosplay?

Mind Power

I was inspired by an old anime. It taught me to be careful of what you wish for.

When we say mind, it does mean what you think about anything. The mind is a powerful tool of creation, blessed by the Cosmic Eye into humanity.

It allows you to create, erase or change some things in your life. The mind is yet something that some people lack of(I mean it literally).

Ever wonder why there are times that you lost something or somebody that you know of? Why something like getting a prize on a contest or being recognized is easy but somewhat difficult to others? Why some people are able to get their dreams come true quite fast as ABC? It is because they use their minds to create these situations. When they use their minds, ideas flow onto you like water.



In the End of Evangelion, Shinji was given a chance to create what he wished for. After the destruction of Kaoru and Asuka and some reflections about how others view him, he ended up wishing for a world for himself and the others "just die". He used his mind(figuratively) to create a situation like that picture above, a world of his own "where he exists everywhere and he exists nowhere". Eventually, he rejected that world and went back to reality.



Before that happened, in the whole Evangelion storyline, the men behind the creation of these mechanical beasts, envisioned about the arrival of the angels with the help of the Dead Sea Scrolls. With their minds agree about this said disaster, they responded to prevent this by creating the evangelions using the angels' DNA: Adam's DNA(see picture above). Their minds created a possibility of mankind's survival and also their own "Instrumentality" by which mankind will be under their control once the they survive the attack of the angels.

You see how mind is powerful? It might serve you a lot if you are able to use it the way it should be. The learning of how you'll be able to get what you want using your mind will come if you have wished it at the bottom of your heart.

Be careful though, it could be a double-edge sword if you use it the wrong way.

WHY I HAVEN'T GOT A GIRLFRIEND...STILL

‘Do you already have a girlfriend?’

Ah…the classic question.  If I answered it honestly, it would be followed by:

‘Why?  Aren’t you missing something in your life?’

To be frank, I’m already 22 years on the surface of this planet and yet, I haven’t got a single girlfriend.  Not even once.  And I sure get irritated when confronted by that question.  No, not because of my ‘pathetic’ situation, but because of your pathetic way of thinking.  I’m honest with you.

Okay, go ahead and laugh.

So what?

Yes, that’s my response to your reaction.  But I can’t blame you.  After all, a healthy 22 year-old guy couldn’t live through his life without a girlfriend!  Well, if that’s what you believe, then I’m not in a position to contest that mind of yours.

But if you’re interested in a little bit of history, err…no, story, you could continue on reading my journal.  It’s a little story about myself.

It would be ridiculous if I tell you I don’t have crushes…unless, I’m a proud member of the third kind (which I would refute.  I’M A HEALTHY HETEROSEXUAL MALE, don’t ask about it later on!)  As far as I can remember, since my first grade in elementary up to second year in college, I have at least one girl that I admired.  For romance, I have two—one in high school and one in college, though the one from my high school years still linger (ouch, it hurts!) on my heart.

What turned me into a ‘pitiful’ virgin?

First thing, my bitterness.  Yeah, I admit I’m still suffering from the after-effects of being rejected outright by the girl from my high school years.  I don’t care what you say; I’m only human, and being one is entitled to have those kinds of feelings.  Maybe for you; you can easily forgive and forget, but I’m not you.

You may ask, how long will I wallow in this bitterness?

Depends, though it is not as hurtful as it was eleven years ago.  Time heals wounds.  And wounds mold your heart.  Whether it is something for the better or for worse is entirely up to you.  As for me, I think for what’s better for myself.

Second, I have a dream.  No, I’m not going to have a Martin-Luther-King-like rhetoric here.  I really do have a dream.  I wanted to become a writer, a graphic novelist in particular, and I feel that having a girlfriend right now would only weigh me down.

Now, I’m going back to the question stated above.  ‘Am I missing something in my life?’

Probably.  I don’t have a girlfriend.  But then, when I think about it, maybe I should also ask you the same question. 

Aren’t you missing something in your life as well?

The life where you can live with no worries.  Where you can sleep well into the night without someone bothering you to send him or her an SMS telling the generic ‘Good Night.  Sweet Dreams’?  A life where you can go everywhere you like with whomever without someone tagging along and turns annoying when he or she isn’t enjoying the trip?  A life where you can be on good terms with everyone because you don't have a hurtful past to go back to?

A famous quotation says, ‘You can live your life once’.  It is true.  I’m enjoying my life as it is right now, like how you enjoy yours…plus an extra baggage called boy/girlfriend.  As for me, if she would come, she would definitely come.  If not, well, it’s a ‘thank you’ still, because I’m saved from unnecessary responsibilities.

After all, I’m still alive and kicking for 22 years already…and without a girlfriend!

Decaying from Within

Rights.

We often hear, see and read that word nowadays.  Be it on television, radio, newspaper, and even on the streets you could hear people shouting 'rights here, rights there'.

Everyone wants to have and avail their rights.  And who wouldn't?

Rights equates to freedom.  Freedom to do the thing that is included in that rights.  Rights for humans to express themselves.  Rights for animals to be treated with respect.  Rights for the environment to be taken care of.  Rights of gays and lesbians to marry someone of the same gender.  Heck, with the rush of freethinking ever since it started with the Renaissance in Europe during the 16th century, everything you can think of is possible to have 'rights'...even FICTIONAL, LITERARY children have rights to be protected from the 'abuse' of real-life pedophiles!  (Hey, you may think that is stupid, but you see, it is one of the basis of the recent 'manga-ban' in Japan.)

I can't help to mutter, 'has the world gone mad?'

Order.  

Although it may seem to be like your everyday word, Order can become the exact opposite of Rights.  Why is that?  

You see, though it is intended for good, excessive implementation and adherence of Rights can lead to abuse, and the abuse of Rights brings forth Chaos.  Now Chaos and Order can be in the same room at once, isn't it?  And you can't tell me that we can discipline ourselves and self-regulate because one of Humanity's greatest failure is to control himself--history is my witness.  

Take these for examples.  

We shout 'FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION'.  In a democratic society, yes it is granted.   But then, we commit vandalism, hurt our neighbors, slander our friends...and that's 'freedom of expression?'

We claim to protect the rights of the unborn, yes.  But how about those who were already born, unable to even feed themselves once a day?  How are we protecting them?

We demand equality for everyone, but why are we immediately disappointed when someone would tell you to be quiet because it's already nighttime and your singing in the full-volume karaoke is awfully out-of-tune?

Have we forgotten that every Right is never free?  That there's the word 'RESPONSIBILITY' attached to it?

And now, some of us push for same-sex marriage, saying that it is a right, throwing the SANCTITY OF MARRIAGE and  FAMILY--THE FUNDAMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY OF YOUR FREEDOM TO LOVE--OUT OF THE WINDOW!

We hide the truth of how selfish we were under the umbrella of 'Rights', disregarding that others also have rights.

Ah...if we are only to realize how to give up our rights for the rights of others--that is, RESPECT--then this world would be a much better place.