By Angel Pestano, Magis Youth (18 years old)

People these days act as if everything is about them. Just like the celebrities on T.V. This is because of the ego. In our psychology class, ego is the part of self that makes up one’s self. The one that demands the WANT of the individual. If one looks at reality, we really don’t need stuff like jewelries, new clothes, and latest fashion trends. We don’t need them… WE WANT THEM!  And it’s all because of the “individualism” that we feel. WE WANT to be different, we want to stand out. It’s all about the “I”.
Unfortunately, we develop the “I” due to society, the people around us. In truth, all ideas that we think are original from us are not that. There are billions and billions of people on earth and it’s not impossible for two people to share the same idea. It’s just that one is fortunate enough or has the resources that make him/her able to share or spread the idea.
Moving on to politics, even them, great leaders have what they call their advisers so it all makes sense that when they make a decision, it is not that “I” that does it but the opinion of these people as a whole.
A person cannot be made an individual all by himself. It is by the people around him that he learns and comes up to have a self-concept. Scientifically, a child will not learn how to talk unless he is taught how to.
Anyway, graft and corruption even during the time of Jesus is evident. But now, because of the want, the dictation of others, the selfishness – it all has made these problems more crucial. It allows the people to further make the person aware of his ego, to learn more of the wants of the self.
Looking at the generation today, I can see how the struggle for individualism is very much experienced. Owning an IPOD, high-tech phones, having “good” fashion sense – all these are striven for to make others see how the self is.
Honestly, material things are not what make a person – it’s the inner self that does. It’s the self’s own spirituality, beliefs and specially understanding of freedom and independence that creates the image you want to achieve.

_{(Angel Pestano is the daughter of Djarn Pestano of Sirach BCGG, and has written her thoughts relative to chapter 2 of the book “Jesus Today”. She is 18 yrs. old and is a 2nd year college student at UP Baguio taking up Communications. She is a bookworm,  very active in outreach programs and very artistic..  --- ed.)}