#MINDANAO

In my Dec. 31, 2024 column, I talked about navigating the new year with grounded realism, with a sense of calm in order to facilitate critical thinking and decision-making amid an often confusing and chaotic environment.

As I write this, wildfires are raging in California leaving behind terrible destruction, setting off metric tons of commentary on how this seems to be a sign for the world. At the same time, great wars in many parts of the globe continue to be waged, setting off fears of expanded strife and suffering especially for the vulnerable. 

This is in spite of global organizations such as the United Nations where meaningful discussion can be obtained to prevent conflict. On the local front, the Social Weather Stations has released its self-rated poverty statistics for the final quarter of 2024, showing the highest rates since 2003. This is despite low unemployment rates, as announced by the government.

Again, these are all realities that will be difficult to understand, even more so as we have access to information, perspectives, and opinions on the same issues on the internet. I hope many economists and researchers can help us all make sense of these realities, and how these will influence the way we deal with the coming years.

Meanwhile, life continues. Bills will be paid, employees will need their salaries, and customers will be served. Having said these, we can and must continue viewing the world with a grounded realism. I would like to focus on two virtues that I believe could further guide our behavior as we face 2025.

Cultivating this grounded realism can happen by growing the virtues of temperance and prudence. These enable a sense of self-control, to not be provoked into action. Rather than jumping into action,  it behooves us to discern our courses of action and think of the future consequences of our present actions. These virtues enable us to control our excesses, especially our excess emotions, which often get the better of us when we make vital decisions. 

These virtues are necessary so that we can avoid impulsive decisions that we can regret.

An example involves buying a luxury item. Are you buying it because you saw others close to you bought it?  Keeping up with the Joneses is a trap that prudence and temperance will help us avoid, especially when incomes are not as robust. The same is true for commenting on social media. Is it necessary to give that wry, scathing comment on an issue while you are not fully abreast of facts? Are your comments helping uplift the discussion?  

Temperance and prudence will be necessary since we will be exercising our right to vote come May 11. This will also be necessary when we will need to take risks for our business, our family’s life decisions given that global economic uncertainties will bear down on our quality of life.

Now that the Beta generation has arrived, prudence and temperance will be vital qualities for us to engage in the global cultural conversation on how they and the alpha generation before them will be raised. We must take part in this conversation for the sake of their futures. Perhaps, we should teach them more temperance and prudence as they face their challenges and futures.