Personality Complex Case #3

 

He was crowned King even before he gets a throne. For all his talent as an athlete, he deserves the accolade. But he ain’t got the attitude to truly become one. For a King, it is said, must be both loved and feared.

LeBron James was a “marked man” even before he came to the NBA. He was a dominating High School player in Akron, Ohio. He was too big and too skillful for his contemporaries. He was a phenom by sports standards and quickly made headlines catching the eyes of not only collegiate and pro basketball teams but also international sports brands such as Nike. He was seen as a good investment in and out of the court – apparently dubbed as the next Michael Jordan, who exudes an aura of greatness.

Alas, he was top pick by Cleveland, a team desperate for victories, much more a championship. He never disappointed in his pro debut. He grew better and stronger after every season. He is the best as others proclaim because like Mike, he can slash through, soar, and score. Like Mike, he can grind, pound, and rebound. Like Mike, he can wow and make opponents vow.

The comparison with MJ, however, stops right there – for he was good only while he is winning, not when he is failing. He refused to shake hands in defeat. He believes too much in himself yet loses himself when it matters the most. He does not acknowledge his shortcomings. He knows no loyalty and would rather take a short cut to his goal than achieve it through hardship.

No wonder he is more hated than adored by many. That critics see more of his weakness as a person than his strength as an athlete. It is because he is bent on proving others wrong rather than making himself right. It was our fault we made him believe he is King.

He will someday eventually get what he aspires for through sheer skill and with the right company – a championship.

But until he changes from within, he cannot attain the price of ultimate glory – respect.

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Image taken from:

http://www.faniq.com/blog/LeBron-James-And-The-Cavs-Play-Tonight-Nightly-Wrap-Up-Blog-24156

Rx for RH: Change of Perspective

IT IS said and it is a fact that our country does not lack on laws that protect our rights and interests as individuals and citizens of a State. It even seems we have so many; with some laws covering trivial matters and some having little or no significant contribution at all to our development. Still, there is a need for new legislation as our laws need to keep up with the evolving times and heed the demands of a changing society.

Spawning a great debate in and out of the House of Representatives is the proposed Reproductive Health Bill. This House Bill No. 4244 is an Act providing for a national policy on reproductive health, responsible parenthood and population and development as its formal title suggests.

The RH Bill, as the proposed legislation is popularly known, is in consonance with what the Constitution espouses – protecting the life of the mother and the unborn from conception, development of the family, the right to health, and liberty of choice. The Bill intends to serve not only the welfare of women, but also of men as part of the family. It also seeks to strengthen society by providing aid in family planning to ensure sustainable development.

A “touchy" issue, however, threatens to tear the Bill apart with the Catholic Church branding the Bill as “Anti-Life” because it promotes the use of contraceptives as a family-planning method. The Church sees the Bill as a population-control mechanism that goes against its “Pro-Life” doctrine.

The Church tends to focus on its main enemy – the contraceptives – and lose sight of the overall picture that offers a solution to a huge yet often ignored "illness" that plague most Filipino families, especially the poor. The Bill does not impose the use of contraceptives but rather gives information and guidance on the options available so that one can discern properly what control method to use. We cannot speak well of reproductive health, responsible parenthood, and population development if we turn our blind side to some already existing things that could have an impact on these concerns.

There is nothing in the Bill that is immoral either. Morality has always been the basis of our laws. Morality here is not the standards of any particular religion, but what is naturally right and proper. The proliferation of contraceptives in the market is an indication that they are not perceived by the public as a natural evil that society must get rid of.

It is also impossible to think that the Bill would endanger or kill our population. The Bill is neither about creating nor destroying life. It is about “health” that sustains life – health of the women who carry life in their wombs; health of the families that provide children with a better life in the future; and health of a nation that ensures greater opportunities for all in every aspect of life. And in this regard, we can trust our lawmakers to represent our best interest.

To put a clamp on what could be the most sensible law to be ever crafted by our legislators in years would move us further back in time. We need a change of perspective from our old views. Our world constantly evolves and we cannot afford to stay stuck in our belief, when everything that surrounds us tells otherwise. Our laws must cope, and so should we.

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Image taken from: http://www.chikkadora.com/the-rh-bill-battle-escalates/

The Law Student's New Year's Wish List*

THE COMING of the New Year brings people a lot of positive vibes and

energy. Suddenly, people can forget about the awful things that happened in the previous year and become really hopeful that the New Year will be much kinder to them.

To reinforce this sense of rebirth, people make a list of their New Year’s resolution and wishes. Though often this turns out to be a meaningless exercise because most of the items in the list are either too ambitious or too imagined, still it evokes inspiration for them to do better this time around.

Law students are not immune to this practice. In fact, they are the type who - year in

and year out - would always gripe and wish some miracles would happen to make their

life in law school less miserable.

So let us dig into the minds of law students and list down what they could possibly wish or resolve to have this New Year. As a caveat, the list below is merely a thought product though it can also be taken seriously.

Let us count it down like we do in the song “12 Days of Christmas”.

12. An iPad that can be borrowed or rented from the Library

The iPad is fast-becoming a must-have. The convenience it offers, most especially for students, cannot be ignored. We can have all the information we need in our hands with this device. It is pricey yes and we can’t afford it, but if we can borrow or rent one in the school library - that would be the coolest thing ever.

11. A Download and Upload Station for data and images

The idea is to have a repository of relevant electronic data and images that students can access anytime. This would mean less paper, less spending on photocopies, and less bulk to carry. This would also encourage sharing of files among students, virus included.

10. An electronic law book that can recite provisions in sing-song fashion

Isn’t it a wonder how we can memorize song lyrics in no time while a single codal provision we have been reading many times over cannot be retained in our head? So to make it easy for students, inventors should come up with a law book that does not only contain written words but can also sing them with an upbeat melody. Then we can all sing through and enjoy the recitation.

9. Eyeglasses with a see-through feature

Obviously, law students need keen eyes to read books. But we need more than just keen

eyes to save us from a hellish recitation. We need superhero vision to answer the grilling questions of terror professors who impose a close-book policy in class. Eyeglasses that see through book covers (not clothing) would really be helpful, especially if there are no sympathetic classmates near you.

8. Harry Potter’s Invisibility Cloak

We all have our share of embarrassing moments in class - those times when we just want to disappear from the world for a while. So Harry Potter’s Invisibility Cloak can come in handy if we can import one from Hogwarts. We can also use it to go near the Professors and see what they write in our class cards - to make sure they are not just doodling hearts or cartoon versions of them like we do.

7. A fast-forward remote control

Law is per se a boring subject. It is only when we inject facts to it and analyze its application that it becomes interesting. Still, a Professor or a classmate can make its study boring all the time. To cure this ennui attack, a remote control with fast-forward option should be devised akin to Adam Sandler’s in Click sans the ageing effect. This could save us daydreams and drools.

6. A seatmate with an on/off button

When the going gets tough in class, it is nice to have a seatmate to talk to. Someone who we can vent our frustrations to, elicit sympathy from, or gossip with. But there comes a time when a seatmate over-reacts or gets overexcited and starts to speak non-sense that it becomes an irritation. We will then wish we can turn on and off our seatmates for our selfish convenience.

5. A lecture-inducing tablet for Professors

How many times have we prayed that the Professor would come in late, realize he or she does not have enough time to cover the topics for the day, and just decide to give a

lecture in class so there will be no recitation? And how many times have that prayer been answered? Then imagine if we can just make an over-the-counter purchase of a quick-dissolving tablet that would induce a Professor to give a lecture. Isn’t it that they love bringing cups of coffee or whatever in class? Perfect.

4. “Lying In” Clinic

No, this is not the one for child birth services but one for students who cram for exams or recitations that they do not have time to eat, go home, or take care of themselves. They would just check themselves in at the clinic and have themselves inserted with needles for intravenous fluids. Presto! You can now study all you want without much disturbance. Bring in a nurse and the whole experience can be really amazing.

3. A full-time personal stylist

We have heard complaints of a dearth of beauties and hunks in law school. These are, however, not matter-of-fact statements but are simply made out of frustration because law students do not have time to groom themselves. So eye bags would accumulate, hairs tangle, shoulders slump due to weariness, and pimples break out after burning the midnight oil. Solution: Have a personal stylist in school to make sure you appear pleasing even if not. Go ask our President for its benefits.

2. An in-school entertainment and social lounge

Who says law students do not know how to have fun and socialize? We crave for these little rewards after every grueling battle of wits with the Professors. It is just that we need

these entertainment and social lounges to be just nearby or within the school premises because (again) of time constraint. Happy are the students who can party.

1. A Self-Reflection Booth

Finally and on a more serious note, every law school should have a self-reflection booth. This is to help the students realize if they are really meant to become lawyers. The clues often stare at us in the face but we can be blinded by our ambitions. A moment of self-reflection can also give us a boost in our studies if we are failing. Just do not let Boy Abunda in there to help us introspect and we can all go out perfectly sane.

There we go with our complete list. It is up to those who read this and have the power to change the Universe to grant our wishes. They better do so. Else, they will be included in our next New Year’s Wish List. #

* This article I originally wrote for the Arellano Law Gazette January 2011 issue

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