Alumni Privelege: Deep-Thinking
By Benjie de la Cruz

"Familiarity breeds contempt." This expression may trigger opposition from persons who believe that close­ness and intimacy are the things that bind one to another or to something. And they may even go to the extent of challenging anyone or anything that destroys such closeness. But one can­not help but agree that once we have grown familiar with someone or some­thing, the gap of formality is filled and we begin to tire… contempt indeed! And the feeling of boredom is thought of as confusion and the surrounding things become chaotic and upsetting, making life absurd.

When we can no longer contain the feeling we start to show signs of irritability like abhorring our surroundings, criticizing people, finding faults and imperfections from clothing to morals, heartily be­lieving that in so doing we are being idealistic and in being idealistic is the only right thing that a man can be. Until a summit is reached where slow­ly the idealism dies down…and a temporary resignation begins. The result would be the acceptance of boredom as an occasion and not a permanent state, which in turn will result in a little bliss, a source of inner peace.

This situation is reflective of an anemic spirit, a spirit wanting in strength, strength that will enable the body to meet challenges. Challenges that is omnipresent and commonplace. Like the challenge of a changing concept of morality and ethics in trade, poli­tics, economics, religion and society.

The account may give practical thoughts and thus help one 'to reach out of his little world to a big world where a vital role has been assigned to him to destroy whatever contempt’s that the familiar brings.

The Minutes (Official Newsletter of FEU IABF Order of Parliamentarians) Volume 2 Number 2 April 1969