Politics and the Lifeworld

“Kapag namulat na ang iyong mga mata, kasalanan na ang pumikit”

Opening our eyes comes with a price that we must pay. Perceiving the world around us
wherein others may find disruptive and uncanny can cost us a lot since being able to
see what others cannot remain a conquest which everyone faces every day of their
lives. We are all born with a diverse set of minds streamed with unique outlines of
thoughts and ideas that shape our being. Some people may prefer to wear rose-colored
lenses to protect their eyes from the sun, and some people prefer to see the sun.
However, we must remember that we cannot regulate what others may think of us and
our preferences. Throughout the years of being in the competitive field of the academic
environment, I have realized that it never really mattered whether you like the shade or
being in the sun, what is important was that our eyes should remain open. We must also
keep in our minds that sometimes opening your eyes can be one of the most painful yet
fulfilling thing in this world; because we get to break free from the illusion that life offers,
making us critical of our perception towards the world that we live in.

We can correlate this idea to Politics itself; where it can be viewed in plentiful ways
more than one. Politics can also be defined in so many ways it could be “where we
make, preserve and amend general rules under which they live” (Heywood, 2013) or
just the activity where people talk and disagree most of the time due to their ideologies
clashing together causing a great divide between resulting in conflict. People offer
mixed opinions about politics itself and If you were to ask anyone about their thoughts,
they tend to view politics as a challenging field where people exchange high-end
vocabulary words and terms only the enlightened ones would understand. Politics
seems to have trouble following it whenever it is mentioned or talked about. “Politics is
the dirtiest plate in the kitchen.” My grandfather used to exclaim every time I overhear
him and his buddies arguing about Aquino and Marcos. I could still remember his
booming voice while he argued about how the latter was smart and successful in
manipulating the Filipino people to a false sense of progress. It was my first-hand
account on hearing them talk about and I remember being amazed at how they
constructed their opinions with such insight that it made me want to participate in the
narrative but growing up in that same family with a politically opinionated patriarchal
figure made me feel inferior due to the fact that my knowledge about politics were only
limited. After being shot down by my own grandfather for having an opinion, it
encouraged more me to think ‘politically’ in a sense and improve on my arguments.
However, I do remember often being frowned down upon whenever I try to say
something politically related; they would often say that I was too young to engage in
political discussions; that a young lady like me shouldn’t talk about political matters and
I should practice keeping my thoughts all to myself. Now that I am older, I realized that
one does not need to be a politician to contribute in the act of politics; as a part of the
youth, I can participate in such institutions in ways that are productive and beneficial to
the betterment of the country; which is then supported by the constitution precisely in
Section 13, Article II of the 1987 Constitution where it delivers the constitutional
foundation for youth empowerment in the country. The account that I shared was the
effect of Politics and the application of Political Science in our daily lives. Both fields go
hand in hand together and yet they are different from each other just like how people
often mistake the meaning of the government, state, and nation wherein they think that
these terms are the same thing however in Political Science, they all differ in meaning.

Now, let’s go and dive into the realm of Political Science, where in this field of
knowledge we are taken into a world of lucidity; this is where everything makes so much
sense. We discovered the roots of Political Science, although we are given the fact that
political science is practically the brainchild of the combination ‘science’ and ‘politics’
hence, ‘political science’ special thanks to Jean Bodin who coined the term. We are
introduced to the father of political science, Aristotle and one of the most notable
political scientists, Niccolo Machiavelli. I honestly adored how we got the chance to
know the contribution of these remarkable people, all of whom largely contributed to this
branch of social science; the thought of them dedicating their own time and effort in
making this discipline inspired me to leave my mark on this field someday.

References Read and Used:

1. Heywood, A. (2019). Politics.
2. Ayson, F. G., Reyes, D. A.-, & Ayson, F. G. (2000). Fundamentals of political
science. Mandaluyong City: National Book Store.
3. Thompson, Mark. (2008). Philippine Politics and Governance. Philippine Political
Science Journal - PHILIPP POLIT SCI J. 29. 117-124.
10.1080/01154451.2008.9723510.
4. The Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines. Retrieved from
https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/constitutions/1987-constitution/