Jazaika Marie T.

Bienvenido G 04-31

Synthesis Paper April 30, 2012

RIZAL: THE BRIDGE OF CHANGES (You can be the next bridge)

One of my favorite subjects is Philippines history. By reading and understanding the past and present events of the country, I agree that history doesn't really repeat itself, but it has a nasty habit of rhyming1. Political corruption is widespread, the number of crimes is increasing and people are lacking in discipline. These are the major problems that you can see throughout the history not only in our country but also in the history of the world. But even though sometimes the ray of hope to straighten the crooked path that our society walking is fading I am still looking forward that one day, yes, one day there will be someone or somebody who will stand up and push us to choose our path that will lead us to no regrets. ORDINARY OUTSIDE YET EXTRAORDINARY INSIDE People who think beyond normal are the one who become successful, this is the phrase that my professors in management always tell us whenever they ask us to make a unique product that has a value to the consumers. As an agribusiness student, I believe in these words. For me these words are not just an advice but also a challenge. Yes, it is also a word of challenge to change the conventional. You might disagree with me but look at Steve Jobs the way he think was different from normal. If he didnt change the traditional thinking of a programmer there will be no apple nor iPod. Through his inventions our normal way of living changed. He was an

ordinary person yet he showed us that we can derive something out of ordinariness like Dr. Jose Rizal. Rizal like any other person is just an ordinary being. He was just a man, nothing else, yet by tossing his common sense he opened up a way to change our society. Rizal went against the structure when he wrote his novels. He knew that by doing it he will lose his head however he freely chose to die just to make people act. With this decision, he became a great man beyond comparison. THE EMITTED POWER Jose Rizal is known to be a martyr. He died not knowing that his actions inspire us to move forward. He became a symbol and a hero. Rizal didnt have any super natural powers like Superman, Spiderman and Captain Barber. He cant fly nor turn himself invisible. He didnt even have the characteristic of an epic hero yet he was recognized as our countrys national hero. Rizal didnt have super power but he emitted power far better than Superman. He had a power of intelligent which can see through the pretentious mask of the society, a courage to fight and correct the twisted system, and he was endowed with charisma that drawn the people to act. These powers are not limited to Rizal only, we can also have it. Everyone of us emitted amazing powers, powers that will change the flow of reality. For we are the people whos willing to fight for the cause of defending the things that are important to us2.
i

COLLECTION FOR CHANGE There is a quote written in the hand-outs that I borrowed from my friend, this is what it

say, The world is a product of our projections (what we make of it), but we are also subjected to

the world, since we are thrown into being in a place and time we did not choose.3 Ironic, as it is, but true. We are free to do as we please yet we are restricted. Rizal faced this dilemma. He did what he could to enlighten the people. This is the only thing he could do because he was bounded. He had no power to change the country by his own hand. He was powerless against the world. Yet, in his time the society has changed. The people learned to act and fight back. They joined forces to reach one goal. Rizal is only a medium, anyone can become him, but the power that resulted to social change came from what all individuals did. Social Change can only happen when we not only realize that we need to change, for ourselves and those we love, but become willing to take action. Belief in our ability will follow. If we, Filipinos, will all act as one the changes we desired will be granted to us.

1. 2. 3.

Mark Twain Kimberly Bock Dani Cavallaro in Critical and Cultural Theory: Thematic Variations, 2001

Bibliography
Ferrer, Amelia. "Lecture notes for PI 10: The Life and Works of Jose Rizal." 2012. Kimberly. Social Change Quotes. December 2008. http://socialchangequotes.wordpress.com/ (accessed April 29, 2012). Zaide, Gregorio F. Zaide and Sonia M. Jose Rizal: Life, Works and Writings. Mandaluyong City: National Book Store, 2003.