THE GHETTO PHILOSOPHER

PHILOSOPHY BAKES NO BREAD BUT I LIKE IT

(By: Jojo C. Pinca)

"Philosophy bakes no bread" but I like it, I prefer wisdom over knowledge. Yet, is it really worth the effort to study philosophy? Why pursue Philosophy when there's no money in it, what material gain will you achieve if you pursue your ambition to become a philosopher? Philosophy is for fools, for lazy people for people who hate manual labor. Nobody will support you if you declare in public that you want to take up a vocation in Philosophy. Look you have to be practical dude; even Socrates was scolded by his wife because of his addiction to philosophy. Worse, he was condemned to death because of his philosophy. These are the questions and arguments that I've heard and read about the pursuit of Philosophy. People will think you're weird if you study Philosophy. Now, is it really impractical for me at my age at my status to practice the art of Philosophy?

I'm forty-three (43) years old at the time of writing this document (February 2019) and I'll be turning forty-four (44) on May 4, 2019 a father of two lovely daughters and husband to a faithful and very understanding wife; I am working in a security agency here in Quezon City, Philippines as Operations Supervisor for Investigation and Inspection. I'm not rich neither middle class, I am not ashamed to say that I'm poor, that I belong to the ghetto. I was born and grew up in a poor family and many of my relatives are poor like me. When I was studying from elementary to college I wasn't a good student; my academic life was filled with pain and sorrows but I don't want to discuss it here in details. When I was starting in my career I dreamed to become a security manager, to earn big salary, to work in a multinational corporation, to have a fat bank account, to own an expensive car, to travel to abroad and to possess a house and lot in an exclusive subdivision. All these didn't happen; I'm still living in the ghetto up to now. Now, I'm forty-three (43) years old, with diabetes, my vision is blurring and my two daughters are still very young. So, this is the summary of my life and I believe there's no need for me to discuss my whole life in details, since this document is not intended to be autobiographical; this is about my philosophy.

I have frustrations, failures and disappointments in life but in the final analysis at this stage I can pompously say that there are two things of which I am proud about myself. I'm happy to say that I'm a book lover and I love writing, I'm not a professional writer but I like writing. I loved reading books from contemporary novels, classics of literature, history, law, philosophy, psychology, poetry, religion, occultism, Satanism, atheism, Marxism, banned books, books about leadership, self-help books, books about stock market and investing, books about entrepreneurship and almost any type of book that would catch my interest I voraciously devoured it. My penchant for reading started when I was in my 1^st year in college and the insatiable thirst for books is still alive in my system right at this very moment.

My love for writing started when I was working; it started as an obsession to excel in report writing. The rule of thumb in the corporate world is that, if you want to shine you have to be good in report writing. From there it was developed and so I started experimenting; I dabbled in writing poetry, daily journal, essays and articles. I also joined various writers group in the internet where I posted my works. I always do my writing in the English language because English is the universal language.

The good thing about being a human being is that you can be anything you wanted to be. In my case I decided to become a philosopher at my own right. I choose Philosophy because I want to be happy and satisfied and the only way to achieve these two is to understand life and myself. This is what I want to accomplish now before my time of departure from this life comes. "Philosophy bakes no bread" but according to Jesus Christ who is vividly described by the Bible as a philosopher and revolutionary "man does not live by bread alone" and I agree with him though I don't accept the myth that he is Lord and Savior. Yet, I agree with Christ when he said that because I believe that man is a thinking mammal that needs to feed not only his stomach but his brain as well.

Philosophy bakes no bread nevertheless every civilization is created by the power of philosophy; every empire is a product of philosophy. Philosophy is the reason why there are nations and government; it is philosophy that gives order to mankind. Philosophy bakes no bread but philosophy separates man from the animal. Philosophy is behind every scientific and technological breakthrough; it is the motivating power behind every novel or poetry; philosophy is the inspiration at the back of any songs. Philosophy bakes no bread yet it is the catalyst at the rear of every progress. You want to be happy? Sad to say Mathematics will not help you. You will be entertained by the lyrics of the song and the beauty of the painting at the museum but if you want to understand the true meaning of these artistic works you have to understand the philosophy behind these masterpieces.

The older you become the more you seek understanding, you want to understand the circumstances surrounding you. You want to know why the world is full of assholes and why idiots are everywhere, why many people are so stupid and why cruelty, treachery, hideousness and horrible injustices are pervasive all over the globe. You can ask all kinds of logical and even stupid questions and you will hear the explanation and rhetoric of many people; in the end believe me you will not be satisfied. This is because your perspective is different from the perspective of other people; your experience is not the same with others. In the end it is only you who can answer all your questions. You can only do this by applying the art of Philosophy. By using your own thinking, emotion and analysis you will ultimately arrived at the right conclusion, only then you will be satisfied. Once you're satisfied you will be happy and you will no longer fear loneliness or even death because you've finally made peace with yourself; you did it by answering honestly all the questions inside your head. This is what the philosophers called the "Sommum Bonum" or the highest good. Knowing yourself and understanding the happenings in your surroundings for the philosopher is the highest good.

Philosophy bakes no bread but I don't care; I like philosophy. I like it very much; I know that by pursuing this vocation that I've chosen I will find peace and happiness. Philosophy will give meaning to my life before I die as all mortals are destined die. I shall start my philosophical journey not by reading but by writing; majority of the philosophers are writers. I shall answer the philosophical questions in my writing, I shall have it documented. Who will read my work? I don't know and I don't give a damned about that. With or without his audience the ghetto philosopher shall finish the task; he'll do it for himself. Philosophy bakes no bread but it will complete my life, it is like being one with the universe. Much has been said, enough of the rhetoric; it's time to work. Life is short and time is gold. I shall now start my philosophizing by answering the following questions, to wit:

What harsh truths do I prefer to ignore?

Sickness and disease are harsh realities in life and like many people as much as possible I want to ignore these certainties. These are the ugly sides of life; the two great destroyers. Mentally speaking we can ignore these two; we can pretend that it will not happen. However, the fact remains the same, one day death and disease will one day knock at our door. One day these two great destroyers will take away from us our love ones; one day these monsters will dragged us to the grave. No matter how strong and how health your body is, one day it shall be destroyed by sickness and death. If we cannot escape death and disease what shall we do now? The Stoic philosophers (Marcus Aurelius, Seneca and Epictetus) believe that the remedy to all the sorrows in life is "acceptance". One must accept his fate no matter how painful it is in a calm manner. Resist not the Stoic said, don't go against the flow because in the end you will find solace. Beyond pain and sorrow there is still redemption. The philosophy of Stoicism is similar to the message of the Algerian philosopher Albert Camus in his philosophical essay called "The Myth of Sisyphus". According to Camus if we will juts learn how to accept the harsh realities in life eventually we will find the true meaning of our existence and ultimately we will be happy. I've learned through experience that there are harsh things in life that I cannot ignore; that there are situations that I cannot change. Like Sisyphus I've learned how to push my own boulder without complain and without asking why.

Is free will real or just an illusion?

The doctrine of free has actually emanated from the Judeo - Christian doctrine. According to this doctrine god gave man (his creation) the free will to choose between right and wrong. In his magnum opus, "Summa Theologica" the theologian and philosopher Thomas Aquinas provided a pompous and complicated explanation about this doctrine of free will. Now, if this religious dogma is true why there is hell or eternal punishment that waits in the afterlife, what is that for? If I choose not to obey god, if I choose the path of evil, why punish me? I thought I was free to choose? In analyzing deeply the doctrine of free will, we will see that the writers of the "holy books" are just playing with words - that there is really no free will at all. I don't believe in god hence I'm not covered by this doctrine of free will from the religious point of view. For me free will is real not in the spiritual realm but in practical life. I believe that man can always choose what he wants to pursue in this life though he has no control of the outcome of his adventure. Nevertheless, the choice is always his to make. Man can be whatever he wants to be (through his mind) even without the approval of anybody. For example, if you love writing you can be a writer anytime you want to be; just write anything that enters into your head as simple as that. Nobody can stop you from writing, write and write to your heart's satisfaction. Be happy and contented, never mind if your work is not publish or appreciated by the people. What matters is that you love writing, you decided to write and you have written something, mission accomplish.

Is there a meaning to life? If so, what is it?

Life is like a Tabula Rasa (blank sheet), it has no meaning, it is we who will provide the kind of meaning that we want to assign in our life. It is the individual who creates the meaning in his life. What you do define the meaning of your existence. Some people define the meaning of their life by the amount of money they accumulate; others associate their life with power and prestige. For Robert Kiyosaki the best-selling author of the phenomenal book "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" and financial guru the meaning of his existence is identified with the amassing of wealth and building business empires. Mr. Kiyosaki was so obsessed with the idea of getting rich that he intentionally maligned and ridiculed his biological father (Poor Dad) in his book in order to praised and disseminate the gospel of money making that he learned from the father of his best friend whom he reverently called Rich Dad. The meaning of life depends on what we value as individual. What is valuable to me may not be valuable to others or vice versa. According to Ms. Ayn Rand the author of the novels "The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged" and chief proponent of the Aristotelian philosophy of Objectivism (which she dubbed as Rational Selfishness) if you want to determine what you really want in life you have to check your premises. There's no contradiction in reality according to Ms. Rand, check the basic idea behind your emotion and you will learn what really it is that you value in life, then go for it. Only then you will find the meaning of your existence; the moment you find the meaning of your life only then you will be happy.

Is the meaning of life the same for animals and humans?

No. The meaning of life for human beings is much higher compared to the perception of the animals. Man can always re-invent himself according to the meaning that he wants to assign to his life. On the other hand the awareness of animals is limited and solely confined to their basic necessities such as food, drink, habitation, sex and instinct for survival.

Where is the line between art and not art?

Art is about self-expression, it is manifested in artistic forms such as music, poetry, paintings, sculpture and other forms of self-expression. The expression can sometimes be vulgar and it can also be deemed obscene. The basic thing that differentiate art from non-art is the message, artistic expression conveys message. A nude painting can be artistic if it conveys a significant meaning; pornography on the one hand is plain and simple animalistic, erotica and rubbish.

If someone you loved was killed in front of you, but someone created a copy of them that was perfect right down to the atomic level, would they be the same person and would you love them just as much?

My loved one and the person in the picture are not the same literally since the former is a warm body while the latter is just a product of technology. Nevertheless, the emotion inside my heart will always connect the two and yes I will always love the deceased person and the picture of that person. The good thing about picture taking is that it preserves things (good or bad).

Does fate exist? If so, do we have free will?

There are things that're beyond our control thus we call it fate; like death and disease for example. Nevertheless, in general man is always free to choose whatever he wants to do about his life.

What does it mean to live a good life?

Be good to yourself, be good to your loved ones, be good to your neighbors, be good to your co-workers, be good to the society and be good to all men in general. Seek wisdom by listening to your heart. Life is short, fleeting and mundane don't waste it in harboring ill feelings towards other people; always live by the golden rule. Celebrate life everyday by enjoying good moments with your loved ones. Read good books, go to the park and restaurant be merry while you're still alive. In bad times be staunch like a Stoic; in good times be merry like an Epicurean.

Why do we dream?

The emotions and thoughts that we suppress when we are in the state of consciousness, manifest when we are unconscious; this why we dream according to psychologists.

Is it possible to live a normal life and not ever tell a lie?

Telling lie is part of a so called normal life, so to speak, therefore, it is impossible to live and never tell a lie. I think the real issue is not about lying itself but rather it is the reason why people tell lie that should be the concern. People lie for various reasons; some lie because they want to cheat while other lies for good reason. People who claim that they don't lie are actually the biggest liars in the world.

Does a person's name influence the person they become?

A name is just a name, nothing more. The name of the person cannot influence him or her for whatever reason. Judas Iscariot became a traitor on his own volition and not because of his name in the same manner that Hitler became a monster because of his racist and twisted political belief and not because of his name.

What should be the goal of humanity?

Sharing the world and its resources is the number one problem of humanity; greediness is the main problem of the people. Therefore, I believe that the goal of humanity is to learn the art of sharing. The resources of the world are sufficient to sustain the needs of all the people however because of covetousness poverty and misery are on the rise. Greed must be defeated that should be the goal of humanity.

If you could become immortal on the condition you would NEVER be able to die or kill yourself, would you choose immortality?

No, I don't want to be an immortal because what is the use of eternity if you will have to live with it alone. I would rather be a mortal and live with my loved ones until my time of death comes. I've read the novels of Anne Rice about vampires; despite of their immortality they're miserably lonely creatures.

How will humans as a species go extinct?

Man is a cruel being, his murderous habit often directed against his fellow human being and his propensity to abuse Mother Nature will ultimately result in his own demise. Because of his own foolishness man invented weapons of mass destruction that can wipe out the entire humanity. Therefore, man the perennial problem of this world shall go instinct because of his own stupidity.

What actions in your life will have the longest reaching consequences? How long will those effects are felt?

I am now actively engaging in money investment activity through PAGIBIG M2 program and this is scheduled for five (5) long years. This action will definitely provide a positive financial effect in my life after I accomplished this project. Aside from that, I also embark for the second time in my life in a full swing reading of books therefore I expect a lot of good things (ex. more knowledge, expand my awareness and became more fluent in writing and speaking) to happen in the succeeding months and years through this productive endeavor.

How long will you be remembered after you die?

I have no idea how long people will remember me since I am not a celebrity nor did I accomplished something worthwhile for humanity. Yet, I want to be remembered by my daughters as a loving father. Though my writings (like this one that I am writing right now) I want people to remember me. How long? That I cannot answer since normally when a person dies normally he or she goes into oblivion, except for the few with outstanding achievements.

If a child somehow survived and grew up in the wilderness without any human contact how "human" would they be without the influence of society and culture?

This question reminds of the fictional hero called "Tarzan" the lord of the apes. The human attributes of a human being will always be the same whether he grew up in the jungle with the apes or in the heart of the metropolis. Man is man, period.

Where does your self-worth come from?

From my writing, this is where my self-esteem comes from. I am not a good speaker but I am a good writer compare to other people; far better compared to my contemporaries in the private security industry. I am not rich, handsome, and charismatic but I can write. I can always express my emotion and thoughts through my writing. I find happiness and contentment in my writing; I'm proud about my ability to write. With or without the approval of other people I am a writer and I will always be a writer. The people that I work with appreciate and praise my writing skill. The appreciation and praise that I receive is like an accolade that inspires me to keep on writing. I am writing not for the sake of fame and money; I am writing because I like writing, this is my life.

How would humanity change if all humans' life expectancy was significantly increased (let's say to around 500 years)?

We will live like immortals just like the vampires of Ann Rice. Sounds exciting but it would be probably boring to other people. If this happen it will drastically revolutionized the system of living of all human beings. The system of penology in imposing prison sentence to convicted people will have to be dramatically increased too to hundred thousand of years up to millions unlike today.

Where do you find meaning in your life?

By my experience I can vouched that I always found solace and happiness in reading good books; books are cold they say but sure friends. I've learned lots of things from reading. Vis-vis, through reading I can study humanity and everything that is connected with it. Aside from my writing I also find meaning in life through my reading habit.

What do you think would be humanity's reaction to the discovery of extraterrestrial life?

They'll definitely be shocked by this discovery. There's been a lot of scientific theory and speculations about the possibility of other living species outside this world but up to now it hasn't been proven. Despite of the numerous explorations in the outer space the NASA hasn't yet found single conclusive evidence that there is another form of life beyond this world that we inhabit.

Will religion ever become obsolete?

Eventually it will become obsolete. Religion is one of the biggest bullshit in the world. Religion is the cause of many troubles, dreadful wars, killings and horrible executions, religion is also a money making organization that is untaxable. Religion thrives on the fear and ignorance of its members. Personally speaking I believe that religion especially the Abrahamic religions must be destroyed and their leaders should be hanged in public.

If you could teach everyone in the world one concept, what concept would have the biggest positive impact on humanity?

Love is the greatest concept in the world yet it is so elusive. If the idea of love is well indoctrinated in the hearts and minds of the people there will be no wars, revolutions, starvation, monopoly and all kinds of evils will be eradicated. The concept of true love if properly applied it will ultimately emancipate mankind from all its troubles; true love is like a panacea.

Is suffering a necessary part of the human condition? What would people who never suffered be like?

Suffering is not really necessary in life; the idea that man needs to suffer was just propounded by religious leaders as part of their evil doctrine to enslave man. In reality suffering occurs whether we like it or not it is wrong to say that it is necessary part of the human condition. Suffering is an abnormal state and it shouldn't be welcomed by any normal thinking person. Philosophers devoted their time in thinking how to resolve the issue of suffering, if suffering is a normal condition why dealt with it? Philosophers like the Stoic, Buddhists, Epicureans and other school of thoughts (including sensible theologians like Thomas Aquinas) are working in their own different ways on how they would deal with the problem of suffering. They're like a doctor who's endeavoring so much to find a cure; because suffering is a disease like cancer. As a sensible human being man one must face suffering using the art of philosophy if he wants to survive. However, it is an act of tremendous stupidity and diabolical foolishness to rejoice in the midst of suffering just like what Jesus Christ taught to his ignorant followers.

To be continued..............

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