*This article is a reflection for our Christian Family Movement fellowship

I am reflecting on the question whether obedience has a positive or negative connotation in today’s society.

During the pandemic, my wife and I watched a few Asian dramas and Western films from Netflix and Viu. After watching several films, I couldn’t help but compare the values portrayed. In Asian dramas, there were many scenes where children would listen to their elders, while in Western films, parents and grandparents were often portrayed as annoying and inconvenient. In one scene from an Asian drama, the protagonist couldn’t go on a date because her mother asked her to look after her grandmother, while in the American movie, the teenager couldn’t have cared less. These films convey a clear message about how obedience and disobedience are practiced in certain cultures, which led to me express to my wife my disappointment. I’m not vilifying certain cultures, but some social practices can break societies and families.

Doubt towards traditional values is not only happening in media but also in institutions like traditional and conservative schools. I have observed that in most institutions much importance is given to cognitive development, skills and post-modern values at the expense of the interior dimension. There are also those in religious circles, who are progressive, and are open to modern social values that undermine obedience to divine authority. I remember that in one mass, less than a month after the desecration of Our Father, a priest called for the acceptance of those who are different from us. Short of saying, to love is to be open minded, accept and tolerate certain groups who assert their values. But then, GK Chesterton said, when we are too open minded, our brain spills.

Our society today sees obedience from the negative light. I dare say that our country’s exposure to Western media and institutions with modern western values has shaped the way we view obedience. Whenever we hear the word “obedience,” the phrase “submission to authority” comes to mind. So, when we are asked to submit, we often feel that we are surrendering our freedom to an authority figure whom we perceive as immoral, flawed, and greedy; why follow authority when many of them are unclean? But on the other hand, obedience is music to the ears of those in power who seek compliance from others.

As a son, spouse, and parent I grapple with the delicate balance between obedience and freedom. As a parent, I expect my child to obey my wishes, but in doing so, it can sometimes make them feel as though I am encroaching on their freedom. I know because I felt this way, too, as a teenager. As a spouse and son to my parents, I often want to assert my will because the ability to do as I please feels like the ultimate expression of freedom.

In essence, I desire obedience from others, but I, with free will, can choose whether to follow or not. This complex interplay between freedom and obedience can make it quite tricky to navigate. So how do we reconcile this conundrum between freedom and obedience?

True freedom and obedience are not mutually exclusive. We do not lose our freedom when we obey; in fact, obedience to God’s authority and to human authority with the right moral sense liberate us from the bondage of worldly passions, thus leading us to happiness. True freedom or Christian freedom involves making choices that align with what is good and taking responsibility for our actions. On the other hand, worldly freedom, one that is rooted in disobedience, gives the illusion of control and power as we are able to choose anything and everything we desire, even actions that go against moral principles. As a consequence of our disobedience, we violate our own freedom and become prisoners of our passions.

Here is what is propose: to embrace obedience and willingly submit to authority, we must perceive freedom as a force for growth, maturity in truth, and one that finds its fullest expression when directed towards God. Such a perspective encourages us to prioritize obedience over disobedience. In this view, obedience becomes compliance.

Indeed, obedience presents its challenges, particularly when it necessitates a battle between our passions and what is inherently right. The Catechism of the Catholic Church underscores the need for preparedness to make sacrifices, exercise discernment, and undergo proper formation to succeed in obedience. To navigate this path effectively, humility must be our guiding stance.

I am not advocating for blind obedience, as history has shown the negative consequences of such blind allegiance. Instead, I advocate for obedience rooted in Christian freedom, that is submitting ourselves with all humility to God’s will; because we know that if our freedom is to be used for good, then obedience to God’s will follows naturally.

In doing so, we unlock a bonus, for obedience to God’s commandments yields profound blessings. Honoring our parents promises us a long life, while compliance with earthly authorities ensures they serve with joy rather than sorrow, an advantage that ultimately benefits us. And in our pursuit of God’s kingdom, grounded in righteousness and obedience to His laws, we discover a source of enduring blessings.

The complex interplay between freedom and obedience remains a challenge to navigate. However, by redefining our concept of freedom, focusing on the moral compass, and embracing obedience as a path to liberation, we can find harmony between these seemingly opposing forces. It is in this balance, guided by humility and Christian freedom, that we discover a path to genuine obedience that enriches our lives and deepens our connection with a higher purpose.

GMA has recently introduced its AI reporters, and it is receiving significant backlash from netizens. This introduction of AI has sparked a moral and ethical debate. Based on what I have read, the main argument is that AI should not replace jobs intended for humans, as it diminishes human dignity. However, there are few to none who support AI in this matter. For others, it is an inevitable consequence of progress that we must all accept.

In some parts of the world, such as the US, Europe, and, I believe, some groceries in Manila, there are already cashier-less checkout counters. In the call center industry, some jobs have already been replaced by AI. Similar to how email disrupted the snail-mail system, AI is here to stay and will undoubtedly take jobs away from humans. However, in the course of change, new opportunities will arise, and there will still be areas where jobs will continue to be in demand, such as in healthcare.

I firmly believe in the saying, “When one door closes, another opens.” Nevertheless, I do not discount the fact that being on the losing end of this battle between AI and humans is challenging. So, how do we cope with the inevitable change that AI brings?

Change is always difficult, but the only way to cope with it is to go through it. As M. Scott Peck aptly stated in his bestselling book, “The Road Less Traveled”: “The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.” It is easier said than done because going through change is genuinely a painful process. One must leave behind something they have struggled to obtain for a long time, only to be replaced by something different.

However, it does not make sense to plunge into an abyss of sadness and pain without reason or meaning. This makes “going through it” even more painful and challenging, even absurd. But things change when the suffering and hardships that come with change become a source of purpose and meaning. At this point, suffering ceases to destroy man. As Viktor Frankl, a Holocaust survivor, once said, “Man is not destroyed by suffering; he is destroyed by suffering without meaning.”

Now, beyond the moral and ethical issues raised by AI, the most pressing concern is finding meaning in the disruptions caused by AI and whether the meaning we create is truly more valuable than the displaced humans.

In preparation for my marketing class.

Marketing Lesson: Respect Your Customers

Customers DON’T buy, they CHOOSE products and brands they TRUST. When they pay, it’s a gesture of their trust.

Trust is a function of logic. You earn it once you have fulfilled all your customers’ expectations they pictured in their brain.

In business, trust is the only currency that truly matters. If you want to profit and maintain this trust, respect your market. It is the collective agreement of the market that gives or takes away the value of your product.

In building your brand, be truthful. Avoid deceiving your customers or hyping your product with falsehoods—they’ll see through it. They’re not naive, so don’t treat them as such. Hard selling tactics are easily felt, and quick schemes for immediate returns put customers away. Manipulative tactics won’t foster loyalty.

The value of your product doesn’t rise as a result of what you say about it, but from what people say about how they experienced your product. For positive word of mouth, treat your customers with the respect they deserve.

It’s a given that in entrepreneurship, a conceived concept must be transformed into an operational business. However, what’s not obvious is the motivation behind generating ideas and diligently working towards their realization.

Motivation can stem from three factors: inspiration, aspirations, and situation.

Inspiration encompasses ideas that can deeply resonate with a person which they want to turn to reality. Aspirations involve objects of desire that individuals strive to attain, while situations—particularly unfavorable ones—act as circumstances that compel a person to break free from their current state.

To be inspired, to aspire, and to envision an improved situation, one must hold the belief that everything has the potential to surpass its current state. This notion of “better” doesn’t imply a change in inherent nature. For instance, water can never transform into a rock, but it can be bottled or combined with another element to become juice, all while maintaining its liquid form.

Faith involves believing in what is possible, in what a person hopes for. And it is the act of faith that moves people. This attribute makes every entrepreneur a person of faith, as they don’t perceive the complete picture of their destination, only fragments of clues. They rest their faith on a potential fortuitous outcome, even as they move forward with only a partial view of the road.

In entrepreneurship, the triumvirate of inspiration, aspiration, and situation serves as the lifeblood for those who, powered by faith, aspire to better horizons and take decisive steps toward them.

What is effective, what’s efficient, and what is productive are the modern man’s constant basis for his decisions. There always has to be a result. However, when the view is purely economic, the richness of the human experience risks being reduced to a mere transactional equation. While striving for outcomes is important, solely focusing on economic returns overlooks the immeasurable value of intangible connections that define our shared humanity.

It’s imperative to remember that the most profound and lasting impacts often stem from endeavors rooted in a deeper understanding of human needs, aspirations, and the collective well-being. As modern individuals, we must transcend the confines of a purely economic lens and embrace the intricate tapestry of human existence, weaving together efficiency and empathy, productivity and purpose, to craft a narrative of fulfillment that transcends numbers and ushers in a more profound era of human progress.