By knowing and understanding our history, we get to discover our origin and purpose. As future leaders, we will not repeat the mistakes that have been made in the past. Knowing our history allows us to correct flaws that our ancestors weren’t able to.
Without appreciating the humanities, we are left with a dull and awful world, one that’s devoid of passion and creativity.
The school system has shaped students’ minds to not prioritize the humanities and always put the sciences and math first. The institution is obsessed with rules and, as a result, creativity is being filtered at such a young age. What the humanities require (and provide) is liberty to express and think for one’s self while one is still young.
Philosophers are more than just dead people who have been turned into statues to be photographed by tourists. Philosophy is knowledge and beliefs we create in our minds. Therefore, with enough curiosity and eagerness, we can be philosophers.
Narrative of our lives
Meanwhile, literature is our companion. When we talk to people and tell them the narrative of our lives in conversations, that’s oral literature. Often, we write down our thoughts. The philosophies we create, the literature we write are ways of making our thoughts immortal.
We are remembered in our music and lost poems. Our lives are converted into chapters, with future generations unlocking them in books we have written. It is very satisfying for a young person to communicate with the dead through songs and books.
The process of creating is a journey that makes us who we are and molds us as humans. Anyone can be a philosopher by thinking wider and deeper, even though it may seem scary to dig too deep and lose one’s self in the act of thinking too much.
We come across the humanities every day, and yet we often fail to admire its beauty and the inspiration it can give us. With all the pressure life throws our way, philosophy can help us get perspective, allowing us to minimize conflict and forge our path.
Reading and appreciating literature can reveal the stories within us, which we carry through our lifetimes. Not everyone dares to leave their stories behind because of the mantra of being busy, and going on and on about the cycle that we have cocooned ourselves into.
But if you only live for the idea of earning and maintaining a life, are you living at all? Carpe diem means “seize the day.” If you seize the day and start absorbing the full potential of being human, you are closer to finding yourself and what you truly want to become as a person.
Once you value deep thinking and the lifelong commitment that philosophy offers, you witness the progress you make. By appreciating centuries-old traditions, by rekindling that small spark, we can create a flame that will light a whole generation for more years to come. —CONTRIBUTED INQ
The author is a 15-year-old high-school student living in Manila.
