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“The Never Ending Process”

Writing is a never ending process. Immediately after you finish the last step in the process, you are to go back to where you began. There are people who say that it is a never ending process of learning and growing. However, for most of my experience with writing, I did not share the same belief. I used to live by the notion that writing was not a never ending process of learning and growing, but instead, a never ending process of frustration and self-doubt. While people praised me for my skills in writing, I could not help but scoff at their admiration, because they did not know how much of a burden writing was for me. It was a burden, because I could not turn my thoughts into words, and I was (and still am) my own worst critic. However, there was a string of experiences that made me reconsider my penchant for writing.

Orientation day for courses are usually held on the first week of classes. On the orientation day of ENGLCOM, a course that focuses on the development of the students’ skills in reading and writing, I already knew what to expect. Considering its course description, I only expected that this class would be full of writing and reading, and it was just as I expected it to be. However, there was one thing that I didn’t expect and it surely hit me hard when I realized it – ENGLCOM has changed my perception of writing in a multitude of ways. I found myself enjoying the task of writing, because I have forgotten all of the burdens that came with it.

For the first few weeks, it was difficult for me, because I had to deal with three obstacles: my writer’s block, the time pressure, and my lack of knowledge about the topic. Completing that assignment was troublesome for me, and I consider it a miracle that I was able to finish it and pass it on time. That was usually my attitude towards writing: Just do it and get it over with. However, it was through the help of my professors and the warm, inspirational environment of my writing class that I was able to develop a genuine liking for writing.

Moreover, the class has enabled me to be more open-minded about the ideas and opinions of other people. Once in every while, we are given a chance to share our works and insights to the class. This has taught me to be considerate towards the perspectives that other people may have about certain issues and topics. What I admire about ENGLCOM is that the students do not write to compete with each other and solely showcase their talents in writing; the students write to express their thoughts and sentiments and to further improve their skills.

I know that a lot of first year students take ENGLCOM as well, but I believe that there is something different about the particular section that I was enrolled in. In every class, there is a teacher, the students, and the lectures. However for this class, there was mutual learning between the teachers and the students. The lectures that were discussed were not just topics that needed to be discussed because they were on the syllabus. The lectures were substantial lessons that every student could keep embezzled in their minds and use in their daily lives. If I was given the chance to take it all back, I wouldn’t, because this class has somewhat changed my life for the better. My experience with the class was truly worthwhile, and I sincerely hope this wouldn’t be the last time that I’ll encounter the people I’ve shared this experience with.

With the help of ENGLCOM, I was able to move past my dislike towards the process of writing. I discovered that writing shouldn’t be viewed as a task; writing should be viewed as a passion. It is through writing that we are able to develop our talents to its extent, express our innermost feelings, and ignite a call to action. Writing is not a never ending process of frustration and self-doubt. Writing is the never ending process of enlightenment and self-discovery.

#reflective essay

Not a Costume

In modern day society, new fashion trends are always just around the corner. The members of this generation, in particular, are constantly eager to keep up with the ever-changing trends in fashion. People can’t wait to have their hands on the latest issue of their favorite fashion magazines in order to indulge their curiosities as to what the hottest celebrities have been wearing lately. In addition, past fashion statements from the early 1990s have also made their comebacks, such as tattoo chokers, leather jackets, denim skirts, and Doc Martens boots. However, these are not the only fashion statements that are finding their way into the closets of many.

Coachella is an annual arts and music festival in the United States. For its attendees, Coachella might as well be a festival showcasing fashion. Every year, thousands of people travel to the Colorado dessert to enjoy the music and the environment. Aside from its dedication to art and music, it is an unspoken tradition for the people to dress up for the mentioned festival. People forego their usual clothes and partake in the glorification of indie chic fashion. Headdresses, Indian nose rings, and bindis galore – These are articles of clothing that are incessantly worn as accessories by those who go to Coachella.

The use of the aforementioned clothing has caused a nationwide controversy, particularly because it is an example of cultural appropriation. According to an article by Jessica Metcalfe (2012), “cultural appropriation is a sociological concept which views the adoption or use of elements of one culture by members of a different culture as a largely negative phenomenon.” In simpler terms, cultural appropriation is when one culture takes customs and practices from another culture without carefully understanding them or using them properly.

While the people who partake in the act of cultural appropriation excuse it as cultural appreciation, it should be know that there is fine line between appropriating a culture and appreciating a culture. In the case of those who went to Coachella, traditional clothing from various cultures has been appropriated. The Indian headdresses, for example, are only permitted to be worn by Native American Indians who have earned a great amount of respect from their tribe. In April 2013, Hindu leader Rajan Zed demanded an apology from American singer Selena Gomez for donning a bindi during her musical performance, citing that the bindi has religious significance and that it should be not used as an accessory. Before one decides to borrow a custom or practice from a different culture, one must first know its true purpose and use it for its intended purpose only. Otherwise, it is disrespectful towards the people whose culture it was borrowed from. It is incredibly disrespectful and offensive to reduce elements of one culture to a mere trend. These elements were strongly built on hundreds of years of culture, and it is such a travesty to degrade something with such cultural and religious significance to a fashion statement. People do a lot of ridiculous things in the name of fashion, but that does not mean that society should sink low enough to make a trend out of something with cultural significance. One’s culture is not a fashion statement, a trend, or a costume. Treating it as such is a gross act of disrespect and human indecency.

Sources

Cultural appropriation. (2007). Retrieved November 20, 2015 from http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095652789

Avila, T. (2015, July 20). Here Are 5 Cultural Appropriating Outfits It’s Time to Retire for Good. Retrieved November 27, 2015, from http://everydayfeminism.com/2015/07/cultural-appropriating-outfits/

Sieczkowski, C. (2013, April 17). Selena Gomez Bindi: Hindu Leaders Demand Apology For MTV Movie Awards Costume. The Huffington Post.

#exit essay #exit

The Family Business

"Who should I vote for?" This has been an impending question in the minds of the Filipinos, despite it still being several months before the elections. A number of people are sensible enough to rely on the capabilities and experiences of the candidate in choosing who they want to vote for. However, it is unfortunate that rather than relying on the candidate's political prowess, some people are choosing to invest their vote depending on the last name or the heritage of the candidate, resulting in many politicians from the same political families to dominate the polls during elections. Such phenomenon is the act of condoning political dynasties. As defined by Mendoza et al., (2013), "One definition of political dynasties refers to members of the same family occupying elected positions either in sequence for the same position, or simultaneously across different positions."

Nonetheless, one's last name or the political history of their family should not be considered when electing someone into office. In the Philippines, a plethora of successors to previous politicians are being considered for president or a senatorial position in the upcoming elections -- Vice President Jejomar Binay, Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., and Senator Mar Roxas, just to name a few. Even the country's current president, Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III is a political heir. It should be known and engraved in the minds of the people that one's family lineage does not constitute in any way to the political capability of the candidate. The last name of the candidate often clouds the judgment of the people. In turn, products of political dynasties are almost always guaranteed a place in office, despite their lack of prowess. Therefore, there is a need to stop condoning the actuations of political dynasties through the act of passing the Anti-Dynasty Law in the Philippines.

The products of political dynasties are unfairly given an advantage, because of their family lineage. Beginning from their birth up until the day they decide to run for a government position, these heirs already have a strong and consolidated support base. The growing popularity and support that dynasties receive from their proponents provides added assurance that they will succeed in the elections. As a result, nonmembers of political families are overshadowed and taken for granted by the public, despite the possibility of having a greater political prowess. According to Tuazon (2012), “since 1903 to the present, dynastic candidates have had about 30 percent greater chance of winning over nontraditional rivals.” Due to the prevalence of dynastic candidates in the polls, the voters are not given much freedom in choosing, because they often select dynasties out of convenience and lack of other choices.

While consenters may argue that by electing political heirs, the same ideals and past projects of their predecessors will be carried out; these dynasties should not bask in the glory of their relatives. Who could forget incumbent President Noynoy Aquino's paid advertisements wherein he had to mention countless times what his mother and father did for the country? Rather than reclaiming the glory and credit of their ancestors, they must be able to pull themselves out of the gutter and make a name for themselves on their own. These political hopefuls should refrain from harvesting the fruit that was planted by their ancestors years ago. However, instead of doing so, these candidates continue to drag the reputation of their ancestors with them in order to reap the benefits. This results in an unfair competition between dynasties and candidates who are not members of any political family. Politics must be a just and fair environment for all its contenders. As it was said by Defensor-Santiago (2013), “the playing field of the political arena should be leveled and opened to persons who are equally qualified to aspire on even terms with those from ruling politically dominant families.”

Moreover, there must be an end to the act of condoning political dynasties, because of the negative repercussions it has on the socio-economic state of the country. The 2016 elections are well on its way, and it is almost impossible not to notice the dominance of political dynasties in the polls. If a politician reaches the limit for number of terms or if they choose to retire, a relative, usually the initial politician’s offspring will carry on the same position. There are people who do not see the wrong in allowing political dynasties to proliferate, because they suggest that dynasties “imply extended time horizons for socio-economic reforms and enable adequate planning and implementation of policies with long-term goals” (Mendoza et al., 2013) Consenters of political dynasties stand by their ground that by allowing political heirs to take over a position, an opportunity is opened to prolong the ideals and continue the projects of their predecessors. This can be seen in the likes of the Binays. From 1986 to 2015, Vice President Jejomar Binay had alternated with his wife and son in being seated as the mayor of Makati.

However, according to a study conducted by the National Statistical Coordination Board in 2012 about the correlation of political dynasties with poverty, it was found that the socio-economic development of a region is closely related to the prevalence of political clans in the area. The poverty incidence of a region is directly proportionate to the dynastic share of political families. This can be seen in the case of Maguindanao, having a dynastic share of 68.18% and a poverty incidence of 63.7%. Furthermore, according to Mendoza et al (2013), while it remains undeterminable if graft and corruption are involved, it is highly likely that dynasties in political power could use their position for self-serving intentions. Placing an individual with perverse intentions in political power only provides a gateway for corruption. In Philippine politics, it is no longer a rare occurrence that relatives who join the political field are involved in cases of plunder.

Politics has become a family business. There have been many instances wherein individuals from the same family heritage enter the field of politics. The Binays, the Aquinos, the Estradas, the Marcoses, and the Roxas family – All of these are well-known political dynasties and at present, at least five from each clan are in the field of politics. Whenever there is an election, it is always the battle of the same names and same clans. While political dynasties give way for the continuation of ideals and long-term developments, it does not give much opportunity for change and reformation. The prevalence of political dynasties prohibits the political playing field from being a fair and just environment for political hopefuls, particularly for those who are nonmembers of any political family, but are still just as qualified as the other candidates. Political dynasties often result in corruption and the election of inept individuals, causing hindrances to the growth and development of the country. Therefore, the proposed Anti-Dynasty Law must be approved.

Sources:

The Anti-Political Dynasty Act of 2011, S. 2649, 15th Cong. (2011.)

Mendoza, R., Beja, E., Venida, V., & Ii, D. (2013). Political Dynasties and Poverty: Evidence from the Philippines. SSRN Electronic Journal SSRN Journal.

Villanueva, J.E., & Mauricio, M. (2012). Political dynasty and local fiscal performance (Undergraduate thesis). Quezon City: UP School of Economics, UP Diliman.

Tuazon, B. (2012). Six Centuries of Political Dynasties: Why the Philippines will Forever be Ruled by Political Clans? [Powerpoint Slides]. Retrieved from http://www.cenpeg.org

Rozario, R., Rozul, R., Ruiz, J.W., Santos., R., & Vallejos, E., (2010). The causes and theimpacts of the political dynasties in the political sphere of the Philippines. (Research paper). Manila: Mapúa Institute of Technology

Shahani, L. (2015, August 10). Why regulate political dynasties? The Philippine Star.

Francisco, R. (2015, October 15). Political dynasties to dominate Philippine polls in 2016.Reuters.

Villanueva, J. (2012, October 12). Family affairs: The two faces of political dynasties.BusinessWorld.

Paterno, B. (2014, December 1). The Philippines Must Break the Power of Political Dynasties. Retrieved November 17, 2015.

#argumentative essay

#SEPANX

Words no longer mean what they are supposed to mean. With the advancements occurring in social interaction, the conventional words people make use of have been replaced with contemporarily re-imagined words, terms, and expressions by the general public in an effort to express their feelings more accurately. One of language’s best characteristics is its ability to adapt and change to correlate with the times. In the contemporary world, a new wave of unique and peculiar words have worked their way up into the mouths and social media platforms of this generation. A photo that you take using a camera is no longer called a picture, but a selfie. Terms of endearment are no longer limited to love, honey, and sweetheart, because the word bae is said to be so much more romantic. Recently, a new term has taken the world by storm. Dreading the absence of someone has ceased to be referred to as “missing you”, but rather – sepanx.

The origins of the word sepanx remain unknown and untraceable. It is also unclear if the word was coined by only one person or by different people who had the same thought. The etymology of sepanx, however, could easily be determined by the average Joe. Sepanx stems from the mental illness, Separation Anxiety Disorder. The first two syllables of the first two words were taken and combined in order to form “sepanx.” Sepanx is defined as the feelings and emotions one obtains from yearning for someone’s presence from a short-term or long-term absence. It was based on Separation Anxiety Disorder, because the effects and symptoms of the previously mentioned mental illness are said to be mildly similar to that of sepanx.

Sepanx easily became a trend especially among the youth. It is evident on social media and by day-to-day interactions that sepanx is now the go-to word to use upon missing someone. On social media, it is often stylized as #sepanx and used as captions for photos and statements that aim rewind the past and bask in old memories. However, the use of sepanx has caused an anti-climax in terms of endearment. By making use of sepanx as a substitute for simply saying that you miss someone, showing affection has never been this casual. Teenagers have resorted to a less heartfelt way of telling their friends and family that they feel the loss of their presence by reducing it to nothing but a simple hashtag. The term sepanx is an ocean of familiarity, yet it washes away all of the love and affection.

Why do people prefer saying sepanx rather than the traditional “I miss you”? Were these three words simply not enough to encompass the dread one feels over the absence of someone? Saying “I miss you” is surely old-school, but this does not mean that it is inefficient or ineffective. When compared to sepanx, “I miss you” is a boulder and sepanx is nothing but a speck of dirt. “I miss you” is substantial, affectionate, and it goes beyond than what was just said. It is felt by the heart, and it is able to disclose the true gravity of one’s feelings. Sepanx is concise, casual, and it lacks the warmth and sentiment. It is superficial, and it may scream familiarity, but it only conveys its true meaning in hushed sounds. It is not as intense and profound as the real thing, but the message is still implied.

Another detail about sepanx that should be acknowledged and reconsidered is how it is based on a mental illness. Unfortunately, sepanx has joined the likes of “That’s so bipolar!” and “I’m so depressed!” which is also known as the league of mental illnesses that have been romanticized by the general public. The current generation of teenagers has made it a trend to use mental illnesses as expressions, and that is most likely how sepanx came to be. The act of using sepanx as an expression is an act of mockery towards the people who actually have Separation Anxiety Disorder. People who have this illness may feel as if their condition is being made fun of, because of how their illness has been degraded to a social trend. The term should be used with high discretion, because there is a high possibility that using it will offend those who have been diagnosed with Separation Anxiety Disorder.

Sepanx has already been accepted and embraced by many people, and it is possibly one of the many neologisms that are on their way to being included in the dictionary. Sepanx has become synonymous to the words “I miss you”, but there is still a fine line between the two. “I miss you” is an expression of affection, and sepanx is a hashtag. However, despite being such a nonchalant expression of fondness and attachment, sepanx could still be used as an alternative to telling a person that they are greatly missed. Given that consideration, it should be remembered nonetheless that hearing the word sepanx may be enjoyable to the ears, but it could only be faintly felt by the heart.

Sources:

24 Brilliant New Words That Must Be Added To A Dictionary. (2015, March 1). Retrieved October 30, 2015, from http://www.demilked.com/new-modern-funny-random-words-portmanteus/

Separation anxiety. (n.d.). Retrieved October 30, 2015, from http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=separation anxiety

#extended definition essay

Media Log Entry #3: Media and Self-Perception

November 14, 2015

“I’m only human.”

TYPE: Music Video TITLE: Human ARTIST: Christina Perri Label: Atlantic Records GENRE: Power pop

It is undeniable and irrevocable that media has heavily influenced each and every one of our lives. The movies that we spent most of our allowance on, the TV commercials with the catchy tunes, the filtered photos that we see on Facebook and Instagram – All these things, at one point or another, have left a large impact on us whether we are aware of it or not. We can deny it all we want, but at the end of the day, we have to face the ugly truth: We are the generation that lives under the restraints of the things we see and the things we hear. Media has captured and enslaved us all, and we are nothing more than just willing participants.

It is arguable that media does have its own redeeming qualities, such as when it comes to raising awareness about social issues. Also, it serves as an outstanding platform for worldwide communication. While those qualities remain as media’s strengths, these might as well be considered its own downfall. All forms of media can be used to send a message to the public, but there is no guarantee if the messages that are depicted send a positive meaning to those who encounter it. An example of this circumstance is the repercussions that various forms of media have on how people perceive themselves.

In the contemporary world, there is an intense desire to conform to the standards that have been set by our society. Through the use of media, our society was able to define and establish the qualities that one must possess in order to be considered as an individual that is worthy of respect and attention. Those who fail to obtain these qualities are either shunned or overshadowed by those who do. Because of this, our generation has become desperate to fit into society’s standards of beauty in an effort to feel a sense of belonging and acceptance.

What are these standards, you ask? As defined by society, in order to be beautiful, you must have white skin, plump lips, a tiny waist, perky breasts, a clear complexion, shiny and straight teeth, a flat stomach, and no stretch marks. In order to be worthy of someone else’s time and attention, you are required to have a pleasing personality, a great sense of humor, an impressive educational background, and an intriguing personal life. It would be quite a privilege to have all of these traits, or at least a mixture of several of these, because acceptance will not be much of a challenge to gain. However, if you are only able to obtain little to none of these traits, you are obligated to prove your worth to everyone.

As much as possible, we are reminded to mold and shape ourselves to conform to our society’s standards of beauty. The commercials that we commonly see on television are about lightening one’s skin tone. “Lighter skin in seven days!” the Fil-Am endorsers would say. Of course, these are marketed towards Filipinos who traditionally have golden brown skin. The shows that are aired on daytime and noontime television also take part in this frenzy of internalized racism. Why is it that in Filipino teleseryes, when a character has dark skin, they are automatically considered as the ugly one? Why does the “ugly” protagonist have to go through a head-to-toe transformation before they are finally considered beautiful?

Other than one’s skin tone, we must also be mindful of our size. Teenage girls, most especially, are pressured to fit into the ugly, hypothetical dress that society had picked out. We are taught that, unless you are a size small, you are way too fat and you need to lose weight. As a result, people have become body conscious and are willing to do whatever it takes to shed a few pounds. All around the world, there are people who are hunched over a toilet, trying to get rid of all the meals they had for the whole day. And at what risk? Just to be considered beautiful, of course.

The factor that is most considered with beauty is one’s face. Over the course of time, methods have been formulated to “fix one’s physical attractiveness”, such as plastic surgery and cosmetics. These were introduced into society, because it is frowned upon to have a flawed complexion or an asymmetrical face. However, when one finally submits to these methods just so they could be considered beautiful, members of our society put them down for being so unnatural and fake. Don’t they know that people only slice their faces with scalpels and cake their face in make-up just so they could satisfy the very people who judge them in the first place?

Because of the specifications that we are pressured to conform to, we are no longer in control of our bodies. Yes, we are still able move around as we please, but our actions have been calculated and dictated, most of which are dedicated to satisfy what is required from us. Unbeknownst to us, we have been taught to hate the bodies that we are in. We use society’s standards of beauty to determine what is wrong with us without ever stopping to think if there is really something wrong. We are not being forced to submit to these standards, because we are more than willing to do so.

We should not let ourselves give in to the pressure of being perfect. Our society should not be able to tell us if we are ugly or beautiful based on their social construct of beauty. No one deserves to feel bad or disappointed, because they don’t have white skin, a tiny waist, and a pretty face. Beauty will never be defined by conformity or by anyone else except us. It must be embedded in our hearts and in our minds that there is nothing wrong with who we are. We must learn to embrace the bodies that we were blessed with, because if there is one thing that’s more beautiful than us, it’s self-acceptance.

#media log #media logs

Media Log Entry #2: Media and Mental Illness

October 17, 2015

“It’s okay to not be okay.”

TYPE: Motion Picture TITLE: Girl, Interrupted GENRE: Drama RATING: Rated R

Girl, Interrupted narrates the story of Susanna Kaysen, a teenager who was admitted into Claymoore, a psychiatric hospital, in the spring of 1969. Her admission was due to a suicide attempt via drug overdose, but she constantly assured doctors that she was only trying to get rid of her headache.Despite having been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder by several doctors, Susanna insisted that there was nothing wrong with her. Her parents and her doctors advised her to stay at the hospital for a few weeks in order to make sure that her claims were true and that she was not a threat to herself.

Initially, Susanna was repulsed by the fact that she was admitted into Claymoore, because she insisted that she was not crazy like the others. However, as time passes, she grew fond of Claymoore and her fellow patients. In the span of the 18 months that she spent at the psychiatric hospital, Susanna easily befriended her fellow patients. Her newly found friends, all of which are diagnosed with various mental illnesses, helped Susanna realize that there is nothing repulsive about coming into terms with one’s mental instability. Eventually, she embraced her predicament, and in turn, her acceptance became her gateway to overcome her illness.

Over the course of time, people’s perception of mental illness has changed. In our society today, mental illness is either viewed as a human defect or as a rising social trend. Either way, both understandings of the subject are ridiculously misunderstood, displeasing, and misleading.

When viewed as a human defect, our society shuns all those who say that they have a mental illness. Those who are mentally ill are regarded as “crazy” and “unfit for society”. For the older generations, mental illness is a phase that people go through when they are deprived of attention or when they are bored out of their minds. Our society is full of people who take mental illness for granted, such that they always think of excuses to dismiss the symptoms that a person with mental illness shows.

Excuses, excuses, excuses. It is common to neglect flaws such as mental illness in our contemporary world, because it is practically frowned upon to stray from the norm. People still see mental illnesses such as depression, eating disorders, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, and obsessive disorders as abnormal and unorthodox things. Of course, people will try their best to cover these so-called abnormalities up with ludicrous explanations, such as “it’s just a phase”, “you’re overreacting”, and “you just don’t have the appetite.”

No matter how ridiculous it may sound, mental illness has become a rising social trend, most especially among the youth. It pains me to say that a crucial social issue such as one’s mental health has been reduced to something as casual and meager as slang. Via social media and as well as by word of mouth, people have been using mental disorders as expressions or slang. When one is sad or bitter, they say they are depressed. When one misses their friends terribly, they say they are experiencing “sepanx”. When something wouldn’t stop changing, people would regard it as bipolar.

It has come to a point where a plethora of people have started fetishizing and romanticizing mental illness. There are people who will inaccurately self-diagnose themselves with mental disorders just for the sake of saying that there is something wrong with them in hopes that someone will “fix” them. Our society fails to realize that there is nothing beautiful nor romantic about mental illness. People are not supposed to fall in love with things that hurt.

Our society’s perceptions of mental illness are harmful and disrespectful towards those who actually have mental illness. Instead of helping them raise awareness about their cause, people are only making a mockery of it. When it comes to mental illness, it is either people shun and neglect those who have it, or they make a trend out of it. Either way, it is not okay. In no way is our society making an effort to help the mentally ill.

In order to help the mentally ill, we must respect, understand, and support them in every conceivable way. We need to respect the lives they live and as well as their preferences. We need to understand the certain ways that they act, and the things that they say and do. We need to support them, because no one deserves to feel as if they are alone in their fight. We need to convince people that it’s not okay to make fun of mental illness, and we need to assure people that it’s okay to not be okay.

#media log #media logs

Media Log Entry #1: Media and Love

October 2, 2015

“Expectations vs. Reality.”

TYPE: Motion Picture TITLE: (500) Days of Summer GENRE: Romance, Comedy, Drama RATING: PG-13

(500) Days of Summer narrates the unconventional love story of a man and a woman. For most of his life, Tom Hansen always believed that love is the key element that he needs to be truly happy. Meanwhile, Summer Finn does not acknowledge the concept of relationships and true love. You might think that this is a slow-burn romance -- one of those situations wherein the two characters would slowly capture each other’s hearts. But from this point on, let it be known that this is not a love story.

The film presents the 500 days that Tom Hansen’s life was affected by the presence of Summer Finn. Of course, for the sake of having a diverse cinematography, the film is not presented in chronological order. Yet, this detail is what makes the film even more unique. It started with day 290, the day he lost her. She was the one who ended their relationship, citing that all they did was argue. However, he stood by the belief that despite everything, they were happy.

As the movie progresses, it shows how he met her, how he got to know her, how he fell in love with her, and how his heart was broken by her. It was the inevitable chain of events that go along with every other love story. But how many times do I have to say that this is not a love story? All that Tom ever thought about was how she gave their happy relationship its demise. He was left in a state of grief, but he was still determined to get her back.

Tom was able to cope with the heartache with the help of his two best friends. However, at various points of the story, it was always Rachel, his eleven-year-old sister, who was his voice of reason, but time and time again, he did not listen. Eventually, he had to accept the fact that what he had with her had officially come to an end, forcing him to reflect and reevaluate their entire relationship. On day 500, he finally lets her go. On the same day, he meets a new woman named Autumn, signifying the start of a new cycle.

(500) Days of Summer is regarded simply as a love story without a happy ending. Those who have seen it may be left with the impression that Tom is the victim and Summer is the perpetrator, because she broke his heart. I admit that I had the same impression when I first watched the movie. In truth, I was supposed to write about how people should not give other people false hope.

I was angered by Summer, because she played with his feelings and his head. For the longest time, I felt sorry for him because he was just another guy who had his heart broken, and he just wanted to get her back so desperately. I suppose I felt sorry for him, because I used to believe that the idea of wanting someone so badly was romantic. But after several months, I watched the movie again and I realized something. Tom Hansen is selfish.

On several circumstances, she warned him that she was not looking for a serious relationship, because she believed that she was better of on her own. Yes, friends do not just casually go on dates, kiss, and hold hands. But how could it have been her fault when she told him numerous times that she didn’t want to be in a relationship with anyone?

Despite all of her claims that they were just friends, he was selfish because he did not acknowledge any of it. They were not in a relationship. They were not serious. They were just friends. She could tell him that they weren’t together hundreds of times, but there is no point in trying to convince a closed mind. He did not give any regard to what she wanted, because he only focused on what he wanted.

And what was it about Summer that he loved so much? He said he loved her smile, her hair, her knees, and the heart-shaped birthmark on her shoulder. But aren’t all of these just the physical attributes of a person? Loving someone requires going beyond the surface and seeing what lies underneath. He never mentioned anything about what he loved about her personality, her quirks, or any other redeeming quality other than the fact that she’s physically appeasing. Tom Hansen was in love with the idea of Summer Finn, but he was not in love with the reality of who she was.

In the beginning of the film, it was already mentioned that Tom believed that he would never be truly happy until he found the one. That is the reason whyhe desperately wanted to be in a relationship with her. He thought she was the one and that she was the key element he needed to be happy. He began to form a slightly delusional obsession over Summer. He began to propel all of his fantasies into her, hoping that it would make him happy.

This is proven when he and Summer see each other again, and he has expectations about what their encounter would be like. Much to his dismay, his expectations did not line up with reality, leaving him heartbroken yet again. All that he loved about her were fabricated by his own mind. He turned an ordinary woman into the girl of his dreams and frankly, the girl of his dreams is a little far from who she is in reality. What’s worse is that he has the audacity to be mad at her when she proves to be different from his dreams.

(500) Days of Summer is a beautiful film that has a different approach to the concept of love, but not many people realize that. I think the message of this film was misinterpreted. This story is not about how a man fell in love with a woman and how heartbroken he was when she left him. This story is about how a man’s selfish desire to be happy drove him to create an imaginary notion of a real woman. This is not a love story. This is a story about love.

In our society today, media has convinced other people into believing that wanting someone so badly is romantic and attractive. A lot of people think that their lives will be more significant if they found a significant other who wants nothing else in life but them. That’s selfish and that’s unhealthy. It supports the notion that a person will never be important unless they are loved by someone.

Most young girls who see this movie want to be Summer Finn, because she has someone like Tom Hansen who has an intense desire to be with her. But he only wanted to be with her, because he believed that being in love with someone will give his life more meaning. She was just an ordinary girl, but he glorified her enough for him to start believing that she was the epitome of perfection. He wanted her to be perfect. He wanted her to be the girl of his dreams, because that, in turn, will give his life a sense of purpose.

But when she ended their relationship, he felt like he had lost his purpose. He lost the girl of his dreams. He believed that if he stopped loving Summer, his life would stop being meaningful. This was the reason why he wanted to get her back. The film gave so much emphasis on the fact that Tom believed that he would never be happy until he met the love of his life.

The message of this film is that because of love, we become so selfish and we lose our sense of reality. When we get attracted to someone, we start to idealize them, and that blinds us too much to see their flaws and we lose our sense of reality. Once we stop frolicking in dream land, that is when we get our hearts broken, because our expectations of them do not meet who they are in reality.

We need to realize that we don’t need to love and be loved by someone in order for our lives to have meaning. We need to stop developing far-fetched ideas of people and blaming them when they do not meet our expectations. We need to understand that just because someone is cute and he likes the same things that we do, that doesn’t make them our soulmate. It must be embedded in our minds and in our hearts that when it comes to love, reality will always be better than our fantasies.

#joyofenglcom #love #media log #media logs

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