The document discusses the tension between competition and cooperation in society and argues that politics should promote the common good and union between neighbors rather than conflict. It proposes that societies should operate based on the vision of a god who promotes social justice without conflicts like oppression.
The document discusses the tension between competition and cooperation in society and argues that politics should promote the common good and union between neighbors rather than conflict. It proposes that societies should operate based on the vision of a god who promotes social justice without conflicts like oppression.
The document discusses the tension between competition and cooperation in society and argues that politics should promote the common good and union between neighbors rather than conflict. It proposes that societies should operate based on the vision of a god who promotes social justice without conflicts like oppression.
The document discusses the tension between competition and cooperation in society and argues that politics should promote the common good and union between neighbors rather than conflict. It proposes that societies should operate based on the vision of a god who promotes social justice without conflicts like oppression.
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Richard T.
Galera Third Year-College
Mr. ZardoToroy Social Philosophy
Union of Neighbor: the Vision of a God
Societies in the early history, in this century and the centuries to come are competing
for their own intentions. This personal intention leads them to conflict. I can trace the rationale
behind this problem if I go back to the basic principle of economics. It states that there are
limited resources against the unlimited desires and wants of the consumers. Thus, conflict
between my desires and the desires of my neighbor is inevitable to some circumstances.
Whether I like it or not, society makes me a friend or an enemy to others. But my question: Is
it really possible to live in a society where there is no conflict and the common good is present
to everyone?
If I live in this world with predetermined resources, then what should be my motivation
and strength to resolve conflict and promote common good? Even if I know that by existence,
we human are thrown into the finite world to compete with each other. We are born in order
to compete because our world we live has limitation of all her goods and services might offer to
us. As human, it is very concrete to our day to day experiences. In fact, from the beginning of
procreation by our parents, billions of sperm cells are competing just to survive and come into
existenceto be called human being. This is the introduction of human life.
However inspite of the reality of competition, the desire to unite between me and
others is also undeniable. Millions of people sacrificed their life just to realize this idea of peace
and unity. Thus, despite of my nature, i.e., to compete them as what my life-introduction tells
me, I still able to submit myself to the society. The time that I became conscious of myself
belonging to a society, it is also the beginning of my affirmation whether my existence is a
socius or a neighbor to others. Becoming a neighbor is to have a good life with others.
Becoming a socius is someway a sense of competitiona competition for position, for wealth,
for fame and glory, for partner, and for life.
Then, to avoid the devastation between me and the others, politics comes into its
existence. If I look back at the history of mankind, ancient Greek civilization develops the idea
of politics as dedicated to the pursuit of good life. As what I learn in the discussion, good life
here means to promote common good. When I think about common good, it means that
everyone savors the beauty of life without any conflicts such as injustices, corruptions, killings,
etc. Thus, everyone will have the basic needs in their life as citizen and as well as social human
being. The poor will be able to taste delicious and nutritious food; to sleep in a comfortable
bed; to live in a house where they can say that it is my home without any discomfiture. The rich
will treat the poor as their neighbor as well. Even there are differences when it comes to
ownership of property, as neighbor, he must concern to help them for their needs. Thus,
sharing properties to each other is like living in a vision of a god, i.e., a society without hunger,
without oppression, and without crime.
However what I see as I unfold the reality of society in different events in time, politics
becomes the malevolence of society. The distorted view of politics is the source of world war,
famine, hunger, death, sufferings, and injustices. The emergence of politics that entails a
responsibility to resolve conflicts between citizens becomes now the enemy of a god. The god
here I mean is that anyone who promote the social justice; thus, there is a union of neighbor.
Resolving social conflict, what I need to do is to act like a God. For I believe, that promoting
common good and resolving social conflicts are God-like actions. As what the Bible says that human being is like a God, created in his image and likeness. As Christian, I believe that God is
the source of justice, faith, love and the propagator of common good. Thus, in our society, what
we need today is the thrust and love to each other to unite as one community and a neighbor
to each other. But our epoch nowadays, seems like fighting against God. As citizen in this
world, I need to carry out the vision of a God in order to make the world a better placea place
between neighbors and not a place of a mere socius.
Thus, what I am trying to present in this paper is that there must be a paradigm shift to
change the incumbent flow of our society nowadays, particularly, in the operation of our
political system. The vision of a God might be of great help to us, as our bedrock of new
creation and the beginning of a new paradigmthe union of neighbor. Thus, we all carry the
vision of God and becoming a god. Furthermore, the first problem to resolve is the problem of
ownership because the world cannot guarantee us to fulfill all our needs as citizen of the world.
Besides, as human as we are, private property dignifies our being. However, the danger is that
socius treats private property as a matter of power. Those who have great power will have
abundant property. To the worst that the union of neighbor is taken for granted and
individualistic pursuit of ownership is vindicated.
In the end, the vision of a God seems an idealistic stance. But we can make this ideal
into a reality if we united together as neighbor to each other. The challenge to us is that the
society today needs a God. It is so ridiculous for some who do not believe in God. I cannot see
God but at least even in small bits that give hint of His presencing might be of great help to me
as human who is neighbor to other. I believe that the hint can be found if I pursue the
promotion of common good. Thus, there is what we called a union of neighbor.
