Success can be measured in many ways. Some use material wealth as a yardstick, while others use fame and public adulation. And of course, the idealist in all of us sets aside these worldly and temporal trappings and finds true reward in the personal and emotional fulfillment of a satisfying career.
While there may be many definitions of success, there are only a few ways to achieve it. Of course, hard work goes without having to be said. But in a class-conscious society such as that which we have in the Philippines, diligence and perseverance alone are not enough to enable one to reach for the stars. It is a sad reality that the complex interaction of social status, family affluence, and educational background usually carries more weight that personal merit.
De La Salle University (DLSU) has produced graduates who have excelled in their chosen fields of endeavor. Lasallians have been in positions of responsibility in respected private as well as government organizations here and abroad. This, as well as high academic standards, a well-rounded curriculum, and state-of-the-art instructional facilities and equipment have contributed to the respect that La Salle enjoys as an educational institution. This has given La Salle graduates a crucial edge in life.
I have a dream
At a certain point, however, personal success simply becomes a routine and boring for some people. In a world whose only permanent mark is change, people constantly seek new areas to find fulfillment. Personal achievement is more often than not temporal. But success attained through meaningful contributions to society is a legacy that outlives its architect. With the goal of arming Lasallians with the mindset and attitudes necessary for being a worthwhile member of society, DLSU President Bro. Rolando Dizon has outlined his vision for the Lasallian community thus: “To build a counterculture that shall challenge the present one.” Bro. Roly has outlined six principles that will serve as the basis for this lofty ideal. These are common good, honesty, integrity, meritocracy, excellence, and service. The acronym for these values is CHIMES. Lasaliians have been urged to “let the CHIMES ring.”
All of these are high-minded ideals that evoke visions of grandeur. But before we can hope to change the world, we must change ourselves. The only way to create a counterculture is to improve our own.
Who are we?
Many have lambasted the Lasallian culture as being one of apathy. This indifference is caused in no small part by the ease and comfort that material luxury brings. As this way of thinking goes, rare is a Lasallian who denounces the ills of society, much less undertakes active measures to change them (unless it is part of his or her academic requirements). Time and again, Lasallians have had to endure the humiliation of being characterized as spoiled brats.
Perhaps our critics have been too harsh, and maybe some people are just too judgmental. There are actually many Lasallians whose concerns extend beyond bars, malls, and text messaging. Unfortunately, there are also students who are at best indifferent and at worst scornful about changing the system. In fact, they probably don’t even know that there might be something wrong.
Next to indifference, ignorance is the worst crime a student can commit. To be apathetic at a time on one’s life when there is everything to be gained and nothing to be lost is bad enough; to not even know that the opportunity is there to be a catalyst for change is worse.
There are others who defend the seeming lack of conviction of La Salle students in principled beliefs. According to them, this is largely due to the conservative, middle- and upper-class background of the majority of students. “It’s not so much because they don’t care, it’s more because they’ve been taught by their parents, as well as the environment in which they grew up, that they shouldn’t fight the system. That they are the system, so they shouldn’t rock the boat,” says a member of the Student Council (SC).
Guardians of the flame
Student activism in the country reached its height during the early 1970s. the protests of young and idealistic college students, who lambasted the Marcos government for its repressive measures, rocked the streets. It was during this period of the so-called First Quarter Storm that children turned into adults and heroes were born amidst the spray of water cannons and the thud of truncheons. After almost thirty years, the streets are still cacophonous, this time because of the hum of expensive cars and the bustle of well dressed yuppies going about their business. Our only heroes are those whose incomes are in six digits or more.
Times have indeed changed; student activists constitute a marginalized sector of society. After all, there is no longer a repressive regime to rise against. Nonetheless, our society is a long way from Utopia. While chanting slogans and waving placards in the streets may be memories of a bygone era, the things that our fathers spoke out against twenty years ago are still present. They are different in form, but excesses by those in authority and ignorance by those who fall under their jurisdiction always have the same effect. When a country accepts as the norm abuses committed by authorities, this mindset seeps into all branches of society that have the same superior subordinate structure.
This debunks the argument of some students that they can afford to remain indifferent, since their affluence renders them immune to the inequities brought on by a sometimes unjust government and apathetic society. While they may be spared from the immediate effects of their indifference, its long-term consequences for the national psyche affects everybody. Students have always been and shall always be the guardians of the flame of knowledge and liberty. Knowledge not just in terms of academics, but more importantly, awareness of the flaws in the environment. This hard-earned knowledge holds at bay those who, to achieve their selfish interests, would curtail the development of the proper perspective.
Values
Lyn, Stella, and Karen, all juniors, share a passion for the latest fashion and technological trends. They like talking about guys, the UAAP, and the latest actor hunk. “I guess we just can’t relate to thinks like the government or the things that are wrong with society. We know (they’re) important but (they) just (don’t) interest us,” Karen explains.
On the other hand, Mon, a sophomore and deal’s lister, is well-informed about issues inside as well as outside school. “I see what is going on. Some of them are good. But there are some things which I feel must be corrected.” But Mon is not looking to change the whole world. “Gusto ko na malaman ng mga people in authority that I am not indifferent like some of the others. And I’m not afraid to speak my mind. And I do whatever I can para mabago ‘yung mga dapat baguhin. For me, if young people want to improve themselves, they should start by getting involved.”
Go, tell the world…
It would be unfair to say that all Lasallians are apathetic hedonists. After all, the name La Salle continues to be synonymous with success, character, and the ability to get things done. Yet if we continue to allow the culture of indifference to gain a stronger foothold, we may soon lose the esteem and self-worth that allow us to blaze trails in any endeavor that we choose. Rather than murmur in passive, individual discontent when we are dissatisfied, we should let our voices be heard in unison. Rather than allow ourselves to be swallowed by the material comforts that our affluence allows us, we should use our privileged position to make our mark in society.
We cannot possibly achieve what Bro. Roly is asking us to do, which is “to leave a better world to the generations that will follow us,” if apathy pervades our present world. Let the CHIMES ring, not with the silence of indifference but with the resounding clamor of youthful determination to change things deplorable about the system.
