Friday, August 24, 2007

Balanced View

Here's a little something I typed out and saved unto my laptop the other time, recently; I'm pasting it here due to the lack of time to type something now. It's a brain-spill, an opinion, something my mind chewed on for sometime before I put the thoughts into words.

Balanced view.
Often we coin that term up quickly in situations where an urge to draw a middle-ground between two extremes of opinions (usually strong ones) arises. In many cases the balanced view stand is a commendable one- it makes the most convenient conclusion when there is a dead-lock in opinions, it solves two arguments in a negotiated agreement, it makes moderation the answer and generally satisfies the mass.


In fact, it is so heavily used; it is my contention that the BV (balanced-view) has in itself, become an irony of its own. If ‘balance’ is the point between two extremes, and drawing the balanced view has become a norm (the most common way of making decisions) in itself, where then is the balance in making decisions, or as we say, looking for the ‘right balance’? For if everything is settled by drawing a balance, ‘everything’ is obviously going to be imbalanced.

I don’t think the balanced view works all the time. Here are my reasons why:

1) It is often used as a convenient way to settle an issue; and convenience, by nature eases difficulty but may not always be the best solution. Sure, if two children fight over the ownership of a ball, you could make them play together and save the day with both parties playing happily, but the core issue of the children fighting is not directly addressed and the question of who rightfully owns the ball is not answered.

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2) Balance is relative. One man’s balanced diet may be another man’s sinful indulgence. So is ‘balance’ really the balance? Is a balanced view truly the solution or is it merely a compromise, and in actuality, a third view by its own? Who is to say the ‘balance’ is truly a balance, and even if one piously makes a calculated middle-point, would measuring a situation rigidly is the best solution?

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3) We are losing the ability to make decisions, to discern between right and wrong. Truth is more confusing than lies now: is good good, or is good something that is acceptable to be good, or is good even necessary, since every man has his own opinion about good? In the same way a Multiple-Choice Question answer sheet has no 'in between' answers, there are instances when finding the 'balance' is not possible. In some cases, the answer will always be A.. or B...or C, but never A-B or B-C. Sometimes finding a balance could be a form of escapism. Sometimes making a 'balance' could dilute the truth for something more 'acceptable'.

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4) A balanced view, is a view. Views are subjective, unless based on solid references. But which reference is sound, then? This is where one's personal beliefs come in; one who stands strong on principles knows where to draw the line between an instance to make a 'balance', or not. The truth is while balance can be found in some instances (and probably be the wisest solution), there is never a balance between 'good' and 'evil'. And you can't find a balanced view for that.


So which are you?

On the fence, or just escaping? Politically-correct, or just afraid to make a stand? Wise or just cowardly? Balanced, or just compromising?

Monday, August 13, 2007

We fight in the shade

Long week ahead - 2 assignment handups, 1 presentation, 1 performance, 1 major event.

Here's a little shout-out to someone dear to me, Ms Tagal, who made a short and surprise trip back recently to this part of the world. She is now back in her hometown, Kuching (where the pace of life is slow) and will be leaving for the US at the end of this month. I must say her company was the highlight of last week, and will miss it dearly. She is someone I treasure very much because of (among other reasons) the sweetness of her character, her pleasant demeanor and her genuine care and concern. And beneath the mask of an 'aunty', there is a beautiful person :> This friendship is a blessing

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On another note, for the 300 junkies (I'm clearly one myself):

Queen Gorgo: Spartan!
Spartan King Leonidas: Yes, my lady?
Queen Gorgo: Come back with your shield, or on it.

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Daxos: I saw those ships smashed on the rocks. How can this be?
Stelios: We saw but a fraction of the monster that is Xerxes' army.
Daxos: There can be no victory here... why do you smile?
Stelios: Arcadian, I've fought countless times, yet I've never met an adversary who could offer me what we Spartans call "A Beautiful Death." I can only hope, with all the world's warriors gathered against us, there might be one down there who's up to the task.

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Queen Gorgo: Freedom is not free, it requires great sacrifice. The price is paid in blood.

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Dilios: We did what we were trained to do, what we were bred to do, what we were born to do!

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Dilios: The enemy outnumber us a paltry three to one, good odds for any Greek!

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Dilios: Hundreds left, a handful stayed, only one looked back.

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Dilios is putting a patch over his eye
Spartan King Leonidas: Dilios, I trust that "scratch" hasn't made you useless.
Dilios: Hardly, my lord, it's just an eye. The gods saw fit to grace me with a spare.

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Perhaps the gore was overdone in the movie, but I will always be inspired by the fight of the Spartans- to the death. In many ways, life is a great fight/struggle. Here's to one good week :>

Friday, August 10, 2007

Respect

I'm too busy to post something substantial, although I've been wanting to =/ Nevertheless since I try to maintain a post a week (at least), here's a thought I wrote and saved into the computer sometime ago.

"Respect is like a rope. It must not be tied too loosely, for the bound object would be lost or stolen; or tied too tightly, for the bound object would be choked or damaged, yet it does its job to hold the object in place. The strongest knots are always formed when two parts of the rope are brought together to make a loop- but as one end is sometimes longer than the other, so are people made to have different measures and expectations of respect. For some respect is harder to earn: the rope must prove its strength and durability. For some respect is an easy thing to attain: some ropes already look strong. Every rope has a breaking point, and I must remember my own breaking point."