Idealism: The Mindset of People Who Think They Can Change The World

Idealism: The Mindset of People Who Think

They Can Change The World 

A Narrative Inquiry

By

Marcial I. Enginco

MA, Educational Psychology

UP Diliman, College of Education

For

Prof. Maribel R. Gaite

Methods in Educational Research

INTRODUCTION

Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino once famously declared, “The Filipino is worth dying for.” During that time, the Philippines was ruled by an iron-fist dictator – Ferdinand Marcos -- who used the might of the military and the police to intimidate the citizenry into turning a blind eye on the widespread abuse and corruption in the government, which was also undermining the moral foundations of a society still struggling to find its identity.  While Marcos and his cronies were wallowing in gold and ambition, the rest of the country was quickly spiraling into debt and despair.  Those who refused to be cowered chose to speak out; using the ember of truth to light fire in the hearts of people who have grown comfortable with their fear.   Scores among them were arrested, jailed and tortured; they were the lucky ones, they survived to tell their tale.  Many simply disappeared into the night, never to be seen or heard from again.   Others opted for armed struggle where a fate of either a violent end or a life of a breathing, crawling shadow awaited.

Ninoy Aquino became the face of the opposition.  He, too, has a story; told and retold by people eager to extol his greatness, hoping that those who will hear his tale will be inspired to do great things as he did.

Ninoy came from a powerful political clan in Tarlac.  And this influence and potential was further magnified when he married into the landed Cojuangcos, also of the same province. He was ambitious, intelligent, and eloquent; quickly capturing the imagination of the populace secretly pining for a force that will change the course of its miserable history, as well as the ire of Marcos who saw in Aquino the glib likeability that he once possessed but lost as he greedily sought permanency in power.

Like many of his peers who demanded change, Ninoy was also arrested, tortured and jailed.  But instead of serving to dampen the spirit of oppositionists, Aquino’s incarceration served as a glaring example of the regime’s lust for power and allegiance to brutality, which further, albeit slowly, shoveled fuel to the growing unrest.  Ever cunning, Marcos found a weakness in Aquino and a way to minimize the impact of the opposition leader’s growing defiance – his failing heart condition.  At the specter of dying uneventfully in his tiny jail cell, Ninoy accepted a heart bypass operation and eventual exile to the US.

At a time when the world wide web was not even a dream and long distance communication was limited to telephone calls and telex (which was a limited text messaging device also hooked to the telephone), and mass media was but a couple of censored networks and newspapers, Aquino’s health issues, distance and apparent settling into a more quiet, domesticated life in Boston, meant that Marcos was able to enjoy some breathing space from the person whom many considered as the one who can and would topple him from power.

The 70s to the 80s was a crucial juncture in modern Philippine history as exported Filipino labor, and essentially brain drain and migration, became practically a state-sponsored phenomenon.  And in the US Ninoy, his wife Cory and their children were enjoying their best times as a family; peace, togetherness and normalcy built around routine and predictability -- things that were cruelly denied them in the Philippines -- were theirs, permanently if they wished.  For many Filipinos, the privilege afforded the Aquinos meant not only a fresh start, but a way out of the political and economic quicksand of their nation. But to Ninoy, his time away from his homeland only strengthened his resolve that something must be done, and whatever that was, it had to be done going home.

Ninoy believed that he was meant for greater things, and this purpose went beyond what was good for himself and his family.  He was certain that it was his responsibility to the people to return. In his mind he alone, dead or alive, can lead the nation against Marcos, who was reportedly seriously ill that time, but who still had absolute control over the military and the nation’s coffers.

There was a sense of inevitability and acceptance in Ninoy’s demeanor when he, aboard that fateful China Airlines plane, intimated to reporters: “My feeling is that we all have to die some time. Now, if it's my fate to die by an assassin's bullet, so be it. But I can't be petrified by inaction, or fear of assassination and therefore stay in one corner. I have to suffer with my people. I have to lead them because of the responsibility given to me by our people.”

            The reporters’ television cameras followed Ninoy as he got up his seat and walked down the aisle towards the plane’s exit, a few seconds later, shots were heard and the nation’s history turned on its axis.

Difficult times and the rise of Idealists

Benigno  Aquino was an idealist, a visionary; in his mind, he saw the kind of life that Filipinos can have if they are free and able to pursue opportunities without fear or favor.  That Marcos loomed large to cloud that vision only made Aquino more passionate and determined about his self-imposed mission.

It would seem that difficult times give occasion for certain personalities to rise above the crowd, confidently and passionately showing them that things will be better.  Nelson Mandela emerged from 27 years in prison to end apartheid.  Bono of the Irish rock band U2 uses his clout and connections to raise hundreds of millions of dollars to stave off starvation in Africa.  Mother Teresa gave new meaning to compassion by taking care of the poorest and lowest classes of India.  Malala Yousafzai, then a Pakistani 15-year old student, survived the bullets of Taliban assassins who targeted her for her insistence to continue her schooling.  At 17, she became the youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner for her campaign on women’s rights, particularly to equal access to education.

The power of one person to change the lives of many and alter the world as we know it is rare but real and should never be underestimated nor ignored. What distinguishes the real game-changers from ordinary dreamers is their supreme confidence that, no matter the circumstance or seeming hopelessness of a situation, or how heavy the sacrifice may be, he can and will effect the change that he so desires.  This kind of mindset is what makes idealists such unique and potent individuals, worthy not only of appreciation but, more importantly, of emulation.

Understanding the Idealist’s Mindset

However, any attempt to use an idealist’s perspective as a template for molding one’s character, especially of students, begins with understanding how such a personality is formed and transformed, acquired and developed by looking into events, experiences and personalities that have contributed, in one way or another, to the development of such a transformative outlook in life.  Likewise, it is also important to examine significant junctions in the lives of the idealist to understand how such life decisions have led – serendipitously or by design into such a very ambitious role and/or purpose. 

This study will attempt to understand the mindset of idealists by closely examining the lives of two exemplars of idealism: Tony Meloto, of Gawad Kalinga, who dreams of a first-world Philippines where everyone has a roof over his head, abundant job and entrepreneurial opportunities to pursue, and genuine love for nation and compassion for others, and; Efren Penaflorida who believes that he can take away teenage gang members from a life of crime, violence and failed dreams into the realm of community, productivity and purpose through education.  Penaflorida was named CNN Hero for 2009 for his pioneering effort of bringing education to the slums through his roving library set on a kariton, a wooden pushcart.

The researcher will conduct a narrative inquiry into the personal and professional lives of the two subjects.

Idealism in schools

Different schools have different ideals.  Ateneo de Manila extols its students to be Man/Woman for Others, De La Salle molds its scholars in Religion, Morals and Culture, while University of Santo Tomas inculcates in theirs that there is Truth in Charity, UP simply instructs its men and women to go, Serve the People with honor and excellence.

None of these ideals, however, are individually taught in the respective schools as a specific subject or domain to master, but rather the sum total of values and teachings that may be learned, gleaned and experienced through various subjects, disciplines and activities.   While each university may have varying perspective to what is ideal, all share in the basic foundation that the internalized values are meant to be shown outwardly, with the larger public and community benefiting from such high moral grounding.  At least that’s how, on paper, it is designed to work.  You would think that with all the graduates of these universities proudly stepping into all kinds of fields and communities that social, economic and political ills will be extinguished, or at least diminished, and that the world will grow more humane and concerned for the whole, and not just for a part – sadly, that is not the case.  

In reality, many graduates of the top schools, UP included, leave their alma mater, ready to conquer the world, but not serve, change or better it.  Not a few of the best educated but with questionable motives end up in politics, business and industries; perpetuating inequalities that their alma maters instructed them to douse.

Ninoy Aquino must now be stirring in his grave.  His sacrifice has freed his countrymen from decades of silence.  But instead of rising up to empower themselves and their communities, many have grown dependent on what others can do for them.  And in the age of the internet and social media, many are making up for the years of being voiceless by making ranting and complaining a default mechanism to just about every problem that comes their way.  The Philippine society has grown noisy, not active.  That two of Ninoy’s immediate family members were catapulted to the highest position in the land, with varying degrees of success and missteps, did not succeed in bringing to total fruition Ninoy’s vision for his countrymen.

There are so many things that so many people can do to improve their or their community’s station.  But unfortunately, there are a lot more cynics than doers.  And those in the middle who are willing to help foster change are just waiting for leaders to show them what to do, and convince them with the sheer strength of their personality that it can be done.  We need heroes, idealists; those with the mindset that can tune out the noise and the apparent improbability of a cause to actually do something about what bothers them. 

I believe that a school’s ideals, as encapsulated in their mottos, should be revisited and examined if they are actually taking root in the way their students think and behave.  Failure of the students to imbibe such lofty principles is the failure of school to contribute better citizens and human beings.  By understanding why idealists think and behave the way they do, I believe that the information that will be gathered from this research will help educators – administrators, school psychologists, teachers -- to examine, recalibrate and direct their values formation to include such discovery.

Every person has the capacity and potential for greatness.  But how one accounts, interprets and integrates the lessons from his life’s challenges, decisions and circumstances often dictate which  finds, recognizes and uses this immense power and which one lets it slip away, often, not knowing that it was even there.  Essentially, idealism is a set of character traits – a mindset that allows and even compels one to take on challenges that many consider too big, too impractical, and too impossible for one person to think about, let alone accomplish.  

This research, Idealism: The Mindset of People Who Think They Can Change The World aims to identify and discuss this unique combination of traits by examining, observing and analyzing, through the lens of narrative inquiry, the lives of known idealists Tony Meloto and Efren Penaflorida.