To be Sincere and To Sound Sincere

I can associate Pericles with the politicians nowadays. Those who speak well and sounded ‘sincere’ become the more influential. According to my personal experience, words can easily be twisted to sound good. Ang dali-daling bagu-baguhin at paglaruan ang mga salita para makabuo ng isang idea na mas madaling gustuhin at tanggapin ng tao. And most of the time, people are blinded with those pleasant words that they forgot to see the real intention of the speaker, if he is really sincere on what he is saying or if he just wants to sound sincere. I think one can tell the difference, if he will look for the INCONSISTENCIES on the ideas and points of the speaker. Because normally, a person who only wants to sound sincere or sound correct, just say anything that can overwhelm the people without thinking that his points might be already contradicting. He don’t even question his own idea to know if tama ba talaga yung naiisip niya. ‘Pag feeling nia na nagustuhan ng tao yung sinabi niya (which is actually yung ‘pagkasabi’ naman talaga yung nagustuhan ng tao) then he sticks with that idea. The difference with person who is really sincere on what he is saying is that, every point is consistent with the other, regardless kung magustuhan ng tao o hindi. He sticks on what he believes and on his principles no matter what reaction he gets on the people.

Kaya tingin ko, dapat tayong wag agad maniwala sa mga sinasabi ng iba, magtanong hanggang makontento sa sagot. Be an INQUIRER! – sabi nga sa advertisement ng Inquirer. Sa personal experience ko, maraming taong, sa tingin ko ay gustong magmagaling or mga sinungaling lang talaga. Magsasabi ng mga kwento or amazing facts pero ‘pag tinanong sa mga loopholes or inconsistencies nung mga istorya, ay di na masagot (which might be a sign of lying). Na relate ko sila sa mga Sophists. Usually, whenever I talk to people like them, I just look for the inconsistencies in their words and points, and from there I would know if they are just making up the things that they are saying. I wonder if Socrates also uses this ‘technique’ against the Sophists.

Moreover, I think a reason why Socrates was the one blamed by everybody for their downfall is because he is the only one who is thinking for the strategy to defeat the Spartans. Another possible reason is that everybody might not really like Socrates as a person, even before the war. Because, people like Socrates can be thought as someone who is close-minded, that when a person talks or tells something to him, he always asks and contradicts anything that can be contradicted. For the person who is telling his idea, maiisip niya talaga na tingin ni Socrates na siya lang ang laging tama at inaaway niya lang lahat ng ideas ng iba. But, one thing that the person must know is that someone like Socrates just wants to look for a satisfactory answer. If the person can prove his idea well then the idea can be very well accepted on Socrates’ mind.