Basic HTML Version
6 I The Best Online Education System in the world
BEING CIVILIZED
Marian Baltazar
Class of 1980, University of the Philippines College of Manila
AB Political Science
What qualities does an individual see as defining being civilized? Is it being able to adapt to the modern world
that we live in? Or is it simply because of the kind of lifestyle that one lives with? Will a person be called
uncivilized if he prefers to live life in an inhabited area? Or is it when you prefer waking up in a hassle-free
traffic or din of city life? Maybe you are being uncivilized too if you don’t go much for modern conveniences or
maybe when you prefer to ride a horse rather than a car?
The question still remains then, “How can a person act as being civilized?” If we don’t have good manners and
good conduct, does it mean we are not being civilized? Does that hold true even when we interact with other
people rationally and go about modernization the way it is? Is there really something more about being
civilized than just being branded as a “civilized person” or is there something more to it than meets the eye?
Maybe the way we see things now, being civilized has exploited the people and even the animal’s environment.
Actually, all these things can be considered taboo. Being civilized represents the highest form of being a human.
So here we define civilization as anything that expands or broadens the human scope that is making the human
life better, richer and freer. It connotes getting along with other people but not because we are forced to.
Civilization is even sometimes defined as simply a word that means “living in city”. With modernization comes
civilization too, simply because as technology creeps in, a lot of improvement and modernization are seen and
experienced by the people.
The dictionary defines the word “civilized” as having a highly developed society and culture and it is also
marked by refinement of taste and manners. Another meaning is showing evidence of moral and intellectual
advancement or it simply means being ethical, humane and reasonable. To be civilized means to show simple
respect for the quality of human life against the elements of this world. We should never ridicule a person
because of their differences. We should carry ourselves with honesty and dignity. In all honesty, let us be true
not only to ourselves but to also one’s family, one’s friends and to the people around us. If a person takes all of
these things into consideration, then we could take pride and say that we are civilized people.
In this crazy world we live in where survival of the fittest is prevalent, we should be able to get along and
understand the people around us and never put up a facade that you interact with them in an honest manner
at all times. Let us be true to ourselves and learn to live in diplomacy with the persons we deal and get along
with. Despite the crises that we are faced with in this challenging world, we can still say that people do get
along with others and that have gone along well with each other. I guess after all, being civilized is acting in an
optimistic way where you do not trod or hurt other people’s feelings and when you do not really think highly of
yourself and lowly of others.
Questions for discussion:
1.
What does it really mean to be civilized?
2.
Can you argue with the fact that being civilized is being humane, ethical and reasonable?
3.
Do you think there were times when you did not act in a civilized manner? During when are those times?
4.
Are you being civilized when caught in a fix situation? Explain your answer.
5.
In your entire life, can you say that you have been acting in a civilized way most of the time? Justify your
answer.