Bent Reasoning

Men are rational beings/animals according to some famous philosophers out there (I think it was Aristotle who have said this, and also Thomas Aquinas). Indeed, being rational is what sets humans apart from other species. To rationalize, is to think reasonably, or to employ reason, which is a unique and wonderful characteristics that we possess. Although this is a great craft, we sometimes go beyond our limits and we get lose of the reality.

A person, who do not pay the jeepney would reason out "nagtitipid kasi ako" or "ang taas na kasi ng mga bilihin ngayon, at ang dami kong gastos." Upon this reasoning, the said person takes relief on it because he or she removes the guilt, thinking that this reason is acceptable or enough to suffice his or her beliefts about what he or she thinks is right. In other words, that person tends to protect his or her ego thru rationalization, as a defense against the feeling of guilt, the feeling of regret, the feeling of having done something wrong. We sometimes overuse this defense and we lose touch of reality. In the case of this person not paying the jeepney, he negates the fact that the jeepney driver works his ass off just to have a living, to feed his family with his small amount of salary, basically to live just again for another day. This person may be aware of this fact that the jeepney driver is working very hard to earn a living, but this person will continue to rationalize, to reason out, to make excuses just to cover up his feelings of guilt. The scary part of this is, this person already have this habit of not paying the jeepney driver because he or she continues to rationalize things up to cover up his or her guilt, and eventually this pattern will be embedded to this person… unless he or she breaks this pattern soon.

Indeed, humans are really one of a kind.

To rationalize is human nature, but we should be aware at least about what we are thinking, what our reasons why we think such things, and our purpose for it, because everything starts in the mind. What is in our minds will manifest through our actions, and the actions that we will make shall lead to consequences.

There are many faces and forms of this defense called rationalization. It comes in different "shapes and sizes" and it can get as complicated as we imagine it to be. Our minds are powerful, we are so gifted because we have the ability to reason. This same gift of reason that we have will also serve as a defense against losing control over things. Let us think things carefully from now on. Let us use our gift for the good of all.