Last year, I had a sudden yearning for art. The year before that, I was looking for spirituality, and I still am. It is, in my view, part of my own natural quest for meaning. It is my ascent in Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Three promotions in five years have earned me a good salary for my age and making good investments as everyone was risk averse because of the global recession has meant a higher level of material security than I felt five years ago. I obviously would not have been promoted if I had not earned recognition at work so I do not want for affirmation. It was only a matter of course that I began looking for the true, the good, and the beautiful as Imelda or, more accurately, Plato would put it.
So for my 26th birthday, I bought myself a copy of Michel Nuridsany's 100 Masterpieces of Painting. It was quite expensive, but it was all worth it. I was treated to page after page of full color reproductions of 100 masterpieces of art. While I did go through a high school subject called Communication through the Arts, and six units of Humanities in college, I never really appreciated art until I read this book. It was an immersion into the creative history of humanity from the cave paintings of Lascaux to the post modernist works of the late 20th century. My appetite for art was only whetted even more by an encounter with Ramon Hofilena of Silay, art connoisseur and raconteur par excellence. I almost bought a couple of abstract works by Hechanova from him. Maybe I should have given in to impulse.
I have since continued to read about art. I have visited art galleries and museums and went to the latest ManilART fair. But aside from a painting of a mother and child given by my wife's friend to her when she was pregnant, I have yet to really start my art collection. Armed with more knowledge, and, hopefully, a more refined taste, I hope to fill my home with art so my kids will grow up seeing beauty in a world that is often ugly and painful.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
Candide
Avant de travailler chez IBM, c'etait mon reve d'etre philosophe comme Voltaire pendant la Lumiere et Jean Paul Sartre et Michel Foucault au 20eme siecle. Ici aux Philippines, j'ai bien admire les intellectuels publique comme Randy David, professeur de sociologie et Winnie Monsod, mon ancien professeur aux sciences economiques. Je voulais faire mes etudes au troisieme cycle dans les grands universites au Royaume Uni - Oxford, Cambridge - ou aux Etats-Unis - Harvard, Yale, etc. Et puis, je voulais etre professeur dans l'Universite des Philippines ou j'enseignerais le science politique et ecrirais des livres, et, de temps en temps, ferais des commentaires sur les grandes questions du jour. Mais la vie s'est interpose. Je suis devenu pere a l'age de 22 ans et j'ai decide de faire carriere dans IBM. Cette semaine, je vais celebrer mon cinquieme ans dans la societe.
Dans l'oeuvre de Voltaire, Candide a perdu son optimisme apres des experiences incroyables et epouvantables. Il a appris que ce n'est pas vert que ce monde est toujours le meilleur de tous les mondes possibles. A la fin, il decide de s'occuper de sa terre, de cultiver son jardin. C'est par cela qu'il passe de la reflexion philosophique at a l'action concrete. Et moi aussi, j'ai passe de la reflexion vide et deprimante au travail, un travail fatiguant et ennuyant quelquefois, mais, en fin de compte, precieux et important pour moi-meme, ma famille, at la nation.
Dans l'oeuvre de Voltaire, Candide a perdu son optimisme apres des experiences incroyables et epouvantables. Il a appris que ce n'est pas vert que ce monde est toujours le meilleur de tous les mondes possibles. A la fin, il decide de s'occuper de sa terre, de cultiver son jardin. C'est par cela qu'il passe de la reflexion philosophique at a l'action concrete. Et moi aussi, j'ai passe de la reflexion vide et deprimante au travail, un travail fatiguant et ennuyant quelquefois, mais, en fin de compte, precieux et important pour moi-meme, ma famille, at la nation.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Sputnik Sweetheart
Reading Sputnik Sweetheart made me profoundly sad. I could not pinpoint any reason for the feeling of loneliness and desolation other than perhaps a residual reaction to the disappearance of Sumire and K's own longing for her. Images of Sputnik, the world's first artificial satellite, orbiting the earth in black, empty space, all alone, kept recurring in my mind as I read this book.
I do not always understand Haruki Murakami's symbolism. Sometimes I just read for the pleasure of it, and I think that's fine. I have come to love his quintessential lonely male characters who often drink scotch and have a strong liking for classical music. I am not exactly lonely, but I must admit there were several moments in my life when I really felt depressed, sometimes because there was a compelling reason like failing to graduate with honors or being heartbroken, but sometimes for no apparent reason at all. My wife says I am naturally melancholic and I tend to agree. I would rather be alone than be in a crowd unless, ironically, I am called to speak. And I am sad more often than I am happy. I would like to be happier. I would like to smile more as people see me as always serious. That's because I probably am always serious.
I love classical music too and many forms of old music, like big band music and military marches. People are very likely to find that weird. But I have learned to be comfortable with myself. I have learned to be okay with the idea of being alone sometimes even as I truly relish the company of the people I love. Perhaps my wife sometimes feel she has a Sputnik for a sweetheart.
I do not always understand Haruki Murakami's symbolism. Sometimes I just read for the pleasure of it, and I think that's fine. I have come to love his quintessential lonely male characters who often drink scotch and have a strong liking for classical music. I am not exactly lonely, but I must admit there were several moments in my life when I really felt depressed, sometimes because there was a compelling reason like failing to graduate with honors or being heartbroken, but sometimes for no apparent reason at all. My wife says I am naturally melancholic and I tend to agree. I would rather be alone than be in a crowd unless, ironically, I am called to speak. And I am sad more often than I am happy. I would like to be happier. I would like to smile more as people see me as always serious. That's because I probably am always serious.
I love classical music too and many forms of old music, like big band music and military marches. People are very likely to find that weird. But I have learned to be comfortable with myself. I have learned to be okay with the idea of being alone sometimes even as I truly relish the company of the people I love. Perhaps my wife sometimes feel she has a Sputnik for a sweetheart.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Tao of Physics
I dreamed of becoming a theoretical physicist when I was a science high school student. I used to spend my two hour bus rides to my home in Cavite - only twenty kilometers away but notorious for its legendary traffic - discussing physics concepts with my best friend James. I selected Physics with Computer Engineering as my first choice at the Ateneo and I would have probably finished that course had I decided to go there instead of UP. This fascination for science was partly responsible for my atheism back then, and my skepticism towards anything mystical or supernatural. It would take years, the wisdom gained from living a decade more of real life, and the influence of my wife before I overcame my aversion towards reading books like the Tao of Physics by Frank Capra.
As I read about Buddhism and other forms of Eastern Mysticism, I began to realize how arrogant I was to think that the Western rational scientific paradigm was the supreme and only legitimate way of looking at things. As one digs deeper into quantum physics, common sense notions of space and time almost become meaningless. Probability waves, rather than definite positions and velocities, define reality. These concepts seem far removed from Newtonian mechanics and are better explained by Eastern mysticism.
I find a lot of solace in Buddhism. The ability to meditate, to find moments of stillness in the middle of the drama of others at work who create a false sense of urgency, is something I treasure. It grounds me and gives me perspective. It is, therefore, especially satisfying to find a book that is attuned with both hard core physics and the great teachings of the Eastern sages.
As I read about Buddhism and other forms of Eastern Mysticism, I began to realize how arrogant I was to think that the Western rational scientific paradigm was the supreme and only legitimate way of looking at things. As one digs deeper into quantum physics, common sense notions of space and time almost become meaningless. Probability waves, rather than definite positions and velocities, define reality. These concepts seem far removed from Newtonian mechanics and are better explained by Eastern mysticism.
I find a lot of solace in Buddhism. The ability to meditate, to find moments of stillness in the middle of the drama of others at work who create a false sense of urgency, is something I treasure. It grounds me and gives me perspective. It is, therefore, especially satisfying to find a book that is attuned with both hard core physics and the great teachings of the Eastern sages.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Ten Best of Everything
I love lists because I believe life is too short not to be spending my time on only the best. I have a list of one hundred books to read because, at the rate I am going, I can only read about three books a month, which means I can only finish 360 books in ten years. For a bookworm like me, I can only echo the quote: "so many books, so little time." I have a list of 100 films to watch and a wish list of places to go and things to buy because no matter how rich I become, there is only so much time in the world to enjoy the fine things in life. This is why Lande and Lande's Ten Best of Everything was a joy to read. It was one of those books that gave me a sense of how best to experience distant places like Africa and South America whither, if it all, I may have but once chance to go.
The book also has lists of things like the ten best watches, pens and wines. At this point, much of the list is aspirational. It will take time before I can reward myself with a Rolex or a Patek Philippe and I already consider a one thousand peso bottle of wine expensive. I do not want to be too materialistic and measure my worth through the purchase of expensive trinkets. Yet I believe the aspiration for status symbols also has its value, especially if one does not mistake the symbol of achievement with the actual one. If I really wanted to, I can buy an expensive watch right now or perhaps take out a loan to purchase a luxury car. But to do so would be to remove the value of these objects for they are precisely the best because I need to work hard for them and earn the right to enjoy them. Cheers to the good life!
The book also has lists of things like the ten best watches, pens and wines. At this point, much of the list is aspirational. It will take time before I can reward myself with a Rolex or a Patek Philippe and I already consider a one thousand peso bottle of wine expensive. I do not want to be too materialistic and measure my worth through the purchase of expensive trinkets. Yet I believe the aspiration for status symbols also has its value, especially if one does not mistake the symbol of achievement with the actual one. If I really wanted to, I can buy an expensive watch right now or perhaps take out a loan to purchase a luxury car. But to do so would be to remove the value of these objects for they are precisely the best because I need to work hard for them and earn the right to enjoy them. Cheers to the good life!
Monday, July 18, 2011
Go Negosyo or Why I Want to be Rich
I read Joey Concepcion’s Go Negosyo to understand how successful Filipino entrepreneurs made it. I wanted to see which industries they ventured into and what methods they used to start and grow their businesses. Since the book is a compilation of two page profiles, it does not go into a lot of detail regarding how a particular entrepreneur decided on what business to start and the hard work and thinking that went behind building a business empire. Nevertheless, reading about the story of business moguls like Henry Sy, John Gokongwei and Andrew Tan, and realizing they all built their fortune from scratch inspires me to dream about generating my own wealth.
I want to be rich not just because I want to retire early. I want to have financial freedom, which will allow me to pursue things I have always wanted to do, but could not do because I needed to pay the bills. I want to be able to travel and immerse myself in other cultures. I want to learn more foreign languages. I want to appreciate art, and perhaps create art. I want to read history, do research, and write history.
Beyond my own personal dreams, I feel I owe it to society to be rich. I have been given with enough intelligence that it would be inexcusable not to become rich. And by having enough money to transcend my personal needs, I will be in a position to help more people have a better life.
I want to be rich not just because I want to retire early. I want to have financial freedom, which will allow me to pursue things I have always wanted to do, but could not do because I needed to pay the bills. I want to be able to travel and immerse myself in other cultures. I want to learn more foreign languages. I want to appreciate art, and perhaps create art. I want to read history, do research, and write history.
Beyond my own personal dreams, I feel I owe it to society to be rich. I have been given with enough intelligence that it would be inexcusable not to become rich. And by having enough money to transcend my personal needs, I will be in a position to help more people have a better life.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
1421: The Year China Discovered America
Gavin Menzies aims to rewrite history by making the extraordinary claim that not only did the Chinese discover the New World, they actually sailed around the world almost a century before Magellan did. Academic historians criticize Menzies for his claims, but I found many of his arguments plausible, and I truly enjoyed reading his work.
I actually envy Menzies because he is exactly the sort of historian I would like to be. Like him, I would like to pursue my passion in history by writing something revolutionary yet I do not see myself becoming a full time professor, at least not yet. I would like to research and write for the sheer pleasure of it rather than simply satisfy academic requirements or write theses only a few old historians would care to read. Why, if my wife can pay for my travel and research like his wife does, then I can probably write that Filipinos discovered Spain instead of the other way around!
Conventional history accepts that the Chinese did explore the Indian Ocean and reached all the way to East Africa. It is also acknowledged that Admiral Zeng He's fleet was the largest the world had ever seen. Whether they actually rounded the Cape of Good Hope or not does not diminish the greatness of Ming China.
I actually envy Menzies because he is exactly the sort of historian I would like to be. Like him, I would like to pursue my passion in history by writing something revolutionary yet I do not see myself becoming a full time professor, at least not yet. I would like to research and write for the sheer pleasure of it rather than simply satisfy academic requirements or write theses only a few old historians would care to read. Why, if my wife can pay for my travel and research like his wife does, then I can probably write that Filipinos discovered Spain instead of the other way around!
Conventional history accepts that the Chinese did explore the Indian Ocean and reached all the way to East Africa. It is also acknowledged that Admiral Zeng He's fleet was the largest the world had ever seen. Whether they actually rounded the Cape of Good Hope or not does not diminish the greatness of Ming China.
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