Dr Strangelove

I finally watched this film by Stanley Kubrick today after attempting to watch Singing in the Rain with a badly scratched DVD.

Dr Strangelove perfectly captures the absurdity and the farcical nature of American hysteria and paranoia during the Cold War. I can only imagine what it was like to fear total annihilation. Some constructed bomb shelters at home while schools taught children bomb drills, but, there was ultimately nothing that could be done in the event of a nuclear war. And it is this assurance of destruction that kept the heads in Washington and Moscow rational enough not to shoot first.

George Scott was brilliant. His portrayal of a jingoistic, Commie-hating general was hilarious. I now wonder whether my image of the irrepressible Patton was really Patton or George Scott himself. I just realized this now after reading Wikipedia, but Peter Sellers also gave an outstanding performance by acting as the President, Col Mandrake, and Dr Strangelove himself.

All in all, this was a great film to start the weekend. It allowed me to have a better understanding of the spirit of the times during the Cold War while giving me a several great reasons to laugh.

Places That Scare You

I have long felt a sense of spiritual emptiness. I tend to worry a lot despite having read many Western self help books. I finally realized the trouble was with the mind and my lack of mastery over it.

Reading a book on three minute meditations introduced me to the mechanics of watching my thoughts. Finally, after dismissing my wife's books on spirituality, I gave a chance to Pema Chodron's Places That Scare You. I am deeply grateful I did for it gave me an entirely new worldview, and a greater appreciation for the teachings of Buddha.

When Shakespeare calls the world a stage, and in Macbeth laments life as a poor player full of sound and fury signifying nothing, there is a sense of resignation at the troubles of life. Chodron, however, presents a more compassionate, and accepting view of life: "It is possible to go through the drama of our lives without believing so earnestly in the character that we play."

We have lost perspective. Ego leads us to believe that each of us is so important that life's challenges are specifically designed to torment us. We forget there are so many other people like us who suffer and who probably suffer even more. We have lost our ability to laugh at the absurd things that happen in life. As Chodron says, "We prefer the selfish cocoon of ego when we can have the freedom of a butterfly."

Philosophy of Hegel

This book edited by Carl Friedrick is a collection of Hegel's most important works such as Phenomenology of Spirit, Science of Logic, Philosophy of Right, and others. This is perhaps the toughest work of philosophy I have read, taking me about three months to complete. Six months later, I can hardly remember the key points other than those I remember from my college political philosophy classes.

The Hegelian theme that most resonates with my outlook is the idea that the Spirit animates history. Zeitgeist, or the spirit of the time, is an idea I agree with. There was a spirit of freedom and democracy when the Berlin Wall crumbled. There was a spirit of fear and insecurity as the World Trade Center towers fell. There is now a spirit of risk aversion and wait and see as Wall Street collapsed in 2008. And now, in the Philippines, there seems to be a spirit of change, hope, and renewal after the election of a new President with moral integrity. This spirit not only influences history and culture, but thought itself: "Philosophy is its own time raised to the level of thought."

All this may seem like the metaphysical crap that Kant sought to dismiss. But I am now so far removed from my skeptical, rationalist past that I feel I understand the Spirit even if I cannot defend it rationally. Perhaps this is another instance of synthesis where the rationalist critique of dogmatic metaphysics does not end in the absolute triumph of rationality, but the emergence of a deeper, wider understanding of reality.

100 Best Worldwide Vacations to Enrich Your Life

This book by Pam Grout, traveler and advocate of living big, inspired me to go on vacations that make me feel more alive. My dream vacation in the book is the round the world journey to the wonders of the world such as the Pyramids at Giza, Angkor Wat in Cambodia, and the Himalayas while accompanied by top notch scholars on these places. I hope to make this trip before I am too old to climb the pyramids.

I have been trying to change the way I go on vacations by moving beyond seeing tourist sites and having my picture taken. Pam Grout inspires the traveler to learn and to experience. In my recent trip to Baguio, I spent some time hiking, rappelling, learning how to ride a horse, dining on Cordillera food, learning about Cordillera culture, and having my portrait done. This trip was so much more enriching as a result than my five previous trips to Baguio where I spent most of time jostling with other tourists while buying cheap souvenirs at places such Minesview and Burnham Park.

This is just a first step though. I would like to be really immersed in the culture of the place I am visiting. Instead of having my face sketched, perhaps I should do the sketching next time. Instead of simply eating, I should learn to cook local food. And instead of squeezing so many activities in four days, I should learn the art of doing nothing for two weeks.

Peaks and Valleys

It is half a year since I read this book by Spencer Johnson and I can no longer remember any profound insight. All I know is it contained advice about how to achieve success in life, but I also remember that I already knew most of what it said. The message is given in the form of a story of a man who moves from the valley to the peak and learns about the ups and downs of life.

Since the story is mostly an exercise in stating trite life lessons, the main value of the book is as a reminder to be patient and appreciate the journey instead of simply waiting for the next peak, or complaining about the current valley.

From the valley of my quarter life crisis, when I struggled to complete my degree, juggled three different jobs, and became a young father, I look back and see several peaks, each higher than the one before without any really deep valleys in between. It's good to appreciate how far I have come as I scale the next peak ahead of me.

Lakbayan Grade

My Lakbayan grade is D!

How much of the Philippines have you visited? Find out at Lakbayan!
Created by Eugene Villar.

Nakakahiya ang grade ko. Marami pa kong dapat lakbayin sa sarili kong bayan. Kagagaling lang namin sa Baguio. Boracay naman susunod. =)

Lonely Planet Philippines

It's hard to believe I have not posted anything in six months. I transferred to a new role as manager of a team in a critical situation so it is only now, after turning around the team, that I find some time to reflect on my readings. The "critsit" has taken it's toll on my reading: I only finished six books in the past six months whereas I completed twenty for the same amount of time last year.

Anyway, I am writing about Lonely Planet Philippines, a book I have always wanted to buy because I really wanted to explore the country. I was completely pleased with it: I read it from cover to cover. I now use it as a checklist for traveling. I'm raring to buy a car so I can take my family on road trips to nearby provinces, but we still have other priorities.

I did use the book to explore Manila and see the city with fresh eyes. My wife was not to keen on seeing places she already saw during her grade school field trip so I went to Fort Santiago alone. It was the first time I entered the fort. I saw facsimiles of Rizal's books and sculptures in the Rizal Shrine. I meditated on his sacrifice as I peered into the replica of his cell. I went up the ramparts of the fort and looked across the Pasig River. I sat there proud to be free, but sad that, a century since the Revolution, many remain as poor as they were when the Spaniards ruled.

I admire Rizal as the greatest Filipino. I see his sacrifice as a call to leadership. Our people deserve no less.