DUMAGUETE CITY, Feb. 19 (PIA) – Newspaper columnist and economics professor
Solita Monsod says the country’s problems on economy and politics can be solved
if more people will take the path of heroism than just being passive acceptors
of the prevailing evils in the society.
Monsod shared this in a
forum with mass communication students of Silliman University (SU) on Feb. 16
at the university audio-visual theater.
The event was organized
by SU College of Mass Communication, in partnership with Philippine Daily
Inquirer, one of the prominent newspapers in the country.
In her presentation,
Monsod pointed out that the country needs more heroes, ordinary people who do
social action in an extraordinary manner to counter the evil that is present in
the society which hinders the development of the country.
Monsod also emphasizes
that the evil triumphs when good people become passive acceptors or do nothing
to correct it.
“We can become heroes
when our thoughts move from me to we. We become heroes when act instead of
being passive. We become heroes when we deviate from the normal way of doing
things,” Monsod said.
“What is required for
this social action to be extraordinary? It is in an action in behalf of other
people or moral cause or principle. It is an action that is done without the
thought of reward,” she added.
Monsod urges young
people to be more sensitive to the needs of others and be critical thinkers for
this will encourage them to do more social actions.
On the other hand,
Monsod calls evil as the exercise of power to harm somebody or destroy an idea.
“That is why corruption
is evil. You exercise your power to benefit yourself or your family or your
friends. We are a nation that is afflicted with evil and we are a nation that
needs to have heroes,” Monsod declared.
“The way to solve the
problems in the Philippines, whether in politics and economics is for more
people to be socio-centric,” she concluded.
Monsod’s lecture in
Silliman is anchored on the study by social psychologist Philip Zimabardo who
believes that there is a permeable line between evil and
heroism. (ral/PIA7-NegOr)