Monday, December 7, 2009

FALSE GENEROSITY

True generosity consists precisely in fighting to destroy the causes which nourish false charity. False charity constrains the fearful and subdued, the "rejects of life", to extend their trembling hands..

True genrosity lies in striving so that these hands - whether of individuals or entire peoples - need to extend less and less in supplication, so that more and more they become human hands which work and, working, transform the world..This lesson and this apprenticeship must come, however, from the oppressedthemselves and from those who are truly solidary with them. As individuals or as peoples, by fighting for the restoration of their humanity they will beat tempting the restoration of true generosity. Who are better prepared than the oppressed to understand the terrible significance of an oppressive society? Who suffer the effects of oppression more than the oppressed? Who can better understand the necessity of liberation? They will not gain this liberation by chance but through the praxis of their quest for it, through their recognition of the necessity to fight for it. And this fight, because of the purpose given it by the oppressed, will actually constitute an act of love opposing the lovelessness which lies at the heart of the oppressors' violence, lovelessness even when clothed in false generosity...by Paulo Freire
******************

This what I'm sharing with you all is an exerpt from the book I'm currently reading 'Pedagogy Of The Oppressed'..I spent all my life fighting for freedom from the dysfunction of my childhood,the culture I was brought up in and it's disgustingly corrupt system.. I am truly happy to come across this book that explains everything that I was desperately trying to convey or explain to others what i mean by having a dignified life as human beings..

I desperately wanted to understand why with all my love and desire to help my family get out of desperate situation, I ended up being an "outcast".. I stood up for principles that no one taught me of.. I was the 'evil one' for working hard to make sure that I have more than what my children need and for refusing to sacrifice myself...not generously giving out to whom I thought don't deserve my hard earned money... and I'd rather create jobs for them so they can free themselves from being charity cases..

But we can't give up in sharing new mindset with them if we want a better Philippines.. There are lots of unlearning to do before they are able to embrace new mindset.. The less educated who don't have loved ones who send them dollars whenever they need, are more willing to learn new skills and they work hard and most of all they show appreciation.. They try very hard to appreciate every little help given to them...Those are the people that keep me going back making me inspired to share with them my hard earned money... not so they can look up to me but the intention is so that they can be lifted up from desperate poverty and for them realising that only them can free themselves...