Previously we discussed responsibility as radical passivity: even before we decide, act, and think there is already a passivity in us which relates us to the Other. It is a passivity whereby the Other has already sort of invaded us and sort of claimed us.
Responsibility as Economic
Now we discuss responsibility as economic. It is hypocritical to go to the Other with empty hands. My responsibility consists in giving food for the hungry and giving shelter to those who have no homes.
We must have a good appreciation of the material. The material and the spiritual are linked. You can do a lot of things with resources. We must stress being-in-the-world and embodiment. Because I am embodied, I can open the door for someone. I can donate blood. Responsibility must be embodied and it must pass through my body and my hands.
Levinas discussed the sociality of money. Money is a beautiful invention because it is the fastest way to help others. People who are enterprising are asked to cultivate their skills, to give work to those who have no jobs. Economy includes time, talent, skills, capabilities. You must share your talent and whatever you are capable of doing with your insight and skills.
Responsibility Implies a Conversion
Responsibility implies a conversion. Why did Levinas describe jouissance? He spoke of things that we really enjoy. When we give something, it must be something that we really appreciate. It is as if you are about to eat your sandwich but you happen to see someone who needs it more, and you give it away. He speaks therefore of self-emptying or kenosis. I really made a sacrifice in order to be responsible. He uses the word dis-inter-ested-ness which shows that you are tearing yourself away from yourself. The hyphen is supposed to visualize that.
The Third Party
The experience of the face is not just the experience of hearing the command of “Thou shall not kill” but also to understand social justice. This is because there are many Others beside the Other. There are Third Parties.
It’s wrong to interpret his philosophy as if there are only two people. When we do something, we have to be aware that there are others. Levinas is trying to establish the presence of the third party, a distinction between the closed society of two people who have only eyes for each other and the open society who are open to all see. Without our knowing it, when we do something to the Other, it has an effect on Others and we may not be aware of the hurt that we do to the Others.
He shows the universality of the Other. If I am responsible not just to a particular Other but to the universal Other. We are dealing with the Other not on the basis of particular characteristics relative to her but according to that universal essence which is found in all human beings. When I respect this particular Other I also respect what is present in all the Others.
I am responsible for the Other. The universal Other includes all the Others and also myself. Part of my responsibility is self development. How can I be responsible if I do not develop myself? There is a distinction between self-development which is just for oneself and ethical self-development, which is self-development in view of Others.
Since the two people are always in a particular society, we have to discern our responsibility to each person. This is why we have law. In society, we will have to make laws and rules, to make the Others conform to what is good for everybody. On the level of just institutions, justice is important: that each one gets what is due to him.
Leo and Levinas Walk Into a Bar 
Levinas’ whole point of responsibility as economic really emphasizes his practical views on philosophy. I enjoy the second semester topic more than the first because it deals less with “what is?” and deals more with “how to?”. It’s like the theories and applications in science. Theories can only go so far, it is with applications that make it relevant.
It was quite refreshing to talk about money in such a positive way today. Most times, money has been talked about as the source of conflicts and such (plus there’s that overused saying “money is the root of all evil) but in reality, it isn’t money that is negative but the people that hold these papers of value. Using money in a positive way is certainly the most efficient and quick effect solution in helping the Others who are in need. However, realistically, a conversion or self-emptying with money is quite rare due to its value and I think it would therefore be important to emphasize at this point not to forget about other alternatives in helping the Other. Money isn’t the only way we can be there for the Other.
Lastly, the talk in the latter portion of the lecture about the Third Party reminded me of a game I used to play as a child with my younger brother. We would set up numerous dominoes in (what we assumed to be – hey, we were kids!) complex patterns before letting one fall which in turn affected all the other dominoes. (Am I making sense? In case I’m not, here’s a picture of what I’m talking about: http://www.colourbox.com/preview/1706190-461550-a-stack-of-dominoes-falling-on-white-background-with-copy-space.jpg) Such chain reactions are inevitable in life. This universality of the Other has made me realize that I should see past the immediate and look into the underlying layers of what consequences my actions will bring. Again, this just emphasizes my very first point in this post – Levinas’ philosophy is quite the practical one.
An interesting insight I got in today’s lecture was universality of the Other and its connection to the concept of “paying it forward”.
Dr. Garcia mentioned awhile ago that when the I becomes responsible to the unique Other, he is actually being responsible to all Others.
This way of thinking reminded me of the concept of “paying it forward” where you ask the individuals you show kindness and genuine goodness to to also do the same to others. The insight here is not asking others because of the debt or gratitude you have over the other who has helped you, but I guess it’s in the recognition of the goodness that has been instilled in every individual and expressing this goodness to others. It is when an individual is helped by another that he too recognizes the goodness in him and, in return, “pays it forward”. This sort of ripple effect reminded me of the universality of the Other or the recognition of the universal essence present in all Others.
I remember Dr. Garcia mentioning favoritism awhile ago in class as an example of our responsibility to all the others and that is because when we are responsible to the proximate others, we should also be available to the call of all the others. So, I would just like to share my experience regarding favoritism.
I am the eldest of four so my parents always tell me that I am their favorite. My parents have always been vocal of who’s their favorite in the family. My mom’s favorite is the youngest. My dad’s favorite is the older one of my younger sisters. My grandmother likes me very much and basically, they show this favoritism even in simple ways like when we are on shopping, they always buy me clothes first, they always give me what I want. But of course, they would eventually give in to the requests of my other siblings so that they would not hurt their feelings.
I see how hard it is to be a parent, you have to consider many things especially if you have many children. But I now realize why one of my sisters is being rebellious, maybe because nobody in the family is saying that she is their favorite. She is often called the “black sheep” of the family. She really likes to seek attention up to the point that it will already irritate all of us. I realize now that favoritism can really hurt people. Maybe my sister just wants the attention of my parents so that she could be their favorite but she doesn’t know the right way to do it so that’s why she’s being rebellious.
Can you still call yourself responsible even if you are doing things half-heartedly (ex. you are helping because it is a requirement)?
I actually have a similar question.
Self-kenosis means self-emptying, helping for the other, without oneself in mind. But what if you help the other because it makes you feel good? Do you discount the good that has been done just because the goals weren’t purely “for the other?” For example, from my perspective, Corporate Social Responsibility, even if used as a Public Relations tool by companies, does more good than politicians who wish to TRULY (not the corrupt ones) wish to serve without expecting anything in return.
I think being responsible is not about just helping because you like it or because it makes you feel happy or special. It’s more about helping/loving/being responsible for the Other unconditionally and sincerely without the expectation of gaining anything in return like the story of the prodigal son.
I actually think that doing something for the Other begrudgingly may be considered more of a self-emptying than doing something for them because you like it. In doing something that you like, it seems as though you are using that good deed as a means to feel good about yourself. But whenever you are doing something against your will but for the benefit of the Other it’s like you are really sacrificing your own personal desires for the Other which is true responsibility and is more admirable. I believe that responsibility isn’t exactly doing good for the Other, but rather a self-sacrifice for the good of the Other.
I think for an act to be good, it is possible for the person to feel good but it should be simply a “bonus” and not the main driving force. You become truly good only when you do it because you know it’s what is good. It’s the necessary and sufficient condition.
For the doing something because of requirement, i think it’s good if you know that what you are doing is actually good. Else, I think it’s not yet truly good. BUT, I think through time and repetitions, there’d be an insight for you that says that you are doing what is good so that the act becomes truly good.
This reminds me of the virtues of Aristotle which we discussed in our theology class. An act is only virtues when done in the right time, right place, to the right person, on the right way (if I’m not mistaken hohoho) and on the right grounds. In our case, the right grounds is “to do good”. Intentions matter. Since we repeat the act, it’s sort of inevitable to feel pleasure because of doing the good act. So, just as sir said in class, it’s a matter of orientation. It’s not necessary that we have to suffer (though to suffer in giving means real giving) because when we are able to re-orient ourselves, being good can feel good (as if it’s in our nature)
“This is because there are many Others beside the Other. There are Third Parties…Without our knowing it, when we do something to the Other, it has an effect on Others and we may not be aware of the hurt that we do to the Others.”
This part reminded me of a topic we discussed in theology a few months ago. We are all relationally infinite. I really think these lines are appropriate for this lesson:
The person sitting next to you is a world of experiences
The person sitting next to you is an inexhaustible sort of existence
The person sitting next to you is really a community.
I especially liked the last line. Sometimes, we tend to focus on the superficialities of humans or how we perceive them on the outside. When we do something unpleasant to someone, we might not only be hurting that one person. That person is the son/daughter, a brother/sister and so on. At the same time, a good act can go a long way.
I find this discussion and topic extremely striking as this is one of the most relevant, I believe, to the purpose of our Atenean education. With regards to self-development, Levinas’ philosophy gives us a purpose in engaging ourselves with our academics and in struggling with all our requirements. It grants a direction towards which we should head as we study our majors, our philosophy subjects, our theology subjects.
We find Levinas’ philosophy touching us in a relevant manner with regards to our education – we study not only to get a job, but to improve ourselves in order to qualify for a vocation that will enrich the lives of other. We join orgs not to pad our resume, but because we want to grow us leaders in the hopes that one day we shall be in service of the many Others out there. 🙂 As we develop and mature, we become more equipped to be of benefit to the Third Party.
In this sense then, our responsibility’s economic quality is satisfied. I wish such goals are what keep us striving towards the future – not simply success for the sake of success and achievement, but achievement with other-oriented dreams 🙂
Realistically speaking, one person can’t help the entire human population by himself. We are currently 7 billion in this planet. If we do want to be socially responsible, we should try to start small and that will eventually spread out to different people. Education tries to make us move towards being socially responsible and helping others. This is also why we engage in NSTP and JEEP, to try and create a change in us that will help people. Through outreaches like these, we are more aware and hopefully, motivated to help others.
This particular lesson is the most striking one for me as well. I remember my th131 lesson on marriage with regard to the third party. Marriage is not just plainly about the joining together of two people, but the joining together of two people to better involve their community. The common notion nowadays of a couple is that the Other is their sanctuary, the one they can only trust the most, amid the brokenness of our world. What happens most of the time is that the couple tends to have a world of their own, doing things only for each other. That relationship is not healthy. A person is a web of connections of many people, of all Others. A person contains a part of every Other in his or her life. The coming together of a couple should also be outward, transcending their intimate connection to better serve the community that also forms and comes together as two people join as one.
A topic of discussion that struck me was about helping others through self development. I guess the reason why it struck me was because when you think about helping other people, the last thing you think about is yourself. As we continue with our studies (undergrad, grad, etc.) and join training programs or the like, we put ourselves in a better position to help other people.
“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” Donating money and clothes are good ways to help those who need it, but it can only do so much and isn’t really a stable source of income. Using entrepreneurs as an example, through self-development (schooling, training, etc.) jobs (esp. since underemployment is an issue in the Philippines) and products that benefit the other can be created. For products, using material that is produced domestically can be a way to support certain ways of life in the country.
It interests me how Levinas mentions the experience of the Other as Face but also clarifies that the responsibility we have is economic. As Doc Leo mentioned, we must not only love our neighbors with our souls and minds but also with our wallets. Minsan kasi ninanais natin ang pagbabago pero hindi naman tayo kumikilos. Hindi naman mangyayari ang pagbabago kung walang kikilos para mangyari ito. In this regard, I would like to bring up the concepts I have learned in my Social Psychology class on helping. May mga pagkakataon na tumutulong tayo at nakikita nating may subtle selfishness na minsan ay hindi napapansin. We sometimes help to reduce our own distress. With all these concepts and evidence, can we say that there is such thing as genuine altruism? Even feeling empathic daw according to some psychologists isn’t genuine altruism, because feeling empathy for the other makes the person sad, and we tend to help to reduce this disturbance. Pero may iba pa ring research and experiments saying that there is genuine altruism, that people care for the other’s welfare, that they will help even if know one will. Although there may be other factors involved for the person to decide whether to help or not, the very fact na inuna niya ang iba kaysa sa sarili niya says so much of altruism.. but we cannot deny that there are really people who do good because of egoistic reasons, but I have hope that people can be genuinely altruistic and that being good is indeed part of human nature… na hindi lang tayo para sa sarili, pero nabubuhay din tayo para sa iba… There are just too many mysteries in the world na hindi ko maiwasang matakot sa hindi natin alam, but what I honestly hold onto is just trust and faith on humanity, na kahit may mga sadyang masasamang tao, may mga mabubuti at sincere naman, who are genuinely concerned for the other’s welfare. One concrete example I can give is in married couples. When you are married, you make decisions not only for yourself alone but also for your spouse, your family members and your extended family members as well. A strain in the relationship between the parents can affect the children greatly, especially if they are still young. I greatly admire those couples who really try to actively work things out and repair their relationship and still stay together for their children.
i find the topic “the third party” really appealing.
ever since i was a kid my parents taught me that things i do to others not only affect them but also the people around them. hearing that teachings from my parents for years, when i heard this lecture i really agreed to what Dr.Garcia said.
I always thought that the things i say to another would eventually be told to others around that another and things i do to another would be known to others who believe it or not are affected with it. After this lecture i became more aware of what my actions and words are capable of and how much effects my words and actions can be reached out.
I realized that it is of utmost importance for us to include the third party when we speak of responsibility when I watched the movie “For Colored Girls” in HBO. The movie portrayed a society of the black people where the women have assumed that they are destined for suffering, that it is only proper that they are mistreated even by their own family and friends. Here, the women have chosen to be responsible to the people who are important to them, forgetting that they also have the responsibility to themselves, that they are also human beings (who is an Other). A case in point is a mother who wouldn’t leave the father of her children who is mentally unstable and who would beat her violently. The abuse has run for seven years (if i heard correctly), and she knew that her children might get hurt if she doesn’t leave him soon, yet she never left him. Until the tragedy came- the father “dropped” the two children from their apartment building. So, from here, we see that responsibility for an Other has limitations – it is limited by justice for the other Others (including the self). It is very dangerous to live in a responsibility for just one person.
when we become thought full, we learn to consider the happiness of the Other first before our own and that in doing so, we empty ourselves to see beyond the favor that will be returned to us. actually, we learn that it is not anymore about expecting something in return from the Other because he is not obligated to return the goodness we have done.
it’s about just becoming thoughtful and loving our neighbor. it’s becomes life- giving in a way because there are times when it is just too painful to give something up for the happiness of the Other and little do we know that the pain it caused the giver meant so much more to the receiver. like the example used in class about the sandwich when i’m about to eat it but i see a child on the street who is hungry, it’s sometimes difficult, but knowing that the child needs it more than we do, it gives us life because we have been the manifestation of the infinite to this child. and to the child, it is also life- giving because it nourishes him and when he is nourished physically, he is able to live and is able to pass on the goodness given him to another.
when we become thought full, it gives us life. and when it gives us life, the infinite is able to use us to manifest to the Other. when the Other experiences the infinite in us, they are given “inspiration” and through this, they are able to pass on the goodness and they are able to manifest the infinite to another.
“On the level of just institutions, justice is important: that each one gets what is due to him.”
I am really stuck, almost traumatized in a way, by this line. I think i agree with this wholeheartedly. I think, nowadays, especially within our justice system, not everyone is extended justice. THere are so many of our countrymen that have to mourn over deaths, endure unnecessary hardships not deserved, and just live in general, without ever getting the justice owed to them. Because it is so hard to reach these others, or these people that we may not encounter everyday only stresses even more the good we must do for those we do encounter. When we encounter the other as face, and respond justly and responsibly, we do justice/ respect also the rights of every other other beyond this encountered other. So we should never feel like our individual efforts at justice or at responsibility foes not have a ripple effect on everyone else – it certainly does. In the same way that if we do bad to the other, we do bad to every other other beyond that Other. Shouldnt that be enough reason not to hurt our neighbors? To be responsible to those we can directly take responsibility for? I think so.
I guess one lesson here is that even though we strive to be better and for the Other, we should never forget about ourselves too. How can we take care of the Other when we can’t even take care of our own selves? Yet, for me, I think that I have trouble balancing these two.
Remember that we are called to share our Time, Talent, and Treasure to those who are more in need. Responsibility is economics. Through sharing, we find ways of using our responsibility by helping people out. Each individual would affect the Other.
For example, a person is called to teach catechism to the street children in his area. He would spend his Time, Talent (his teaching skills) and Treasure (his knowledge on the subject) on the street children. One would think that his time would be wasted but think again. A person could be happy by just helping other people out. Time would be spent, the Treasure would be cherished and appreciated, and the Treasure would be absorbed and shared.
I think the third party Levinas is talking about is the people whom we don’t know. The particular Other are the persons we already knew – families and friends. However, we must not forget the existence of the third party. This can show how we really are dedicated to help others. Our responsibility to the particular Other is already given; because we knew them and we’re close to them, somehow, there’s a notion that it is automatic that we have to help them, care for them. Yet, genuine responsibility comes from the fact that one is still willing to sacrifice something to the third party, who are the people we may never know, or never been seen. Whether it be economic or not, I think it would be a more authentic self-emptying if we go out of ourselves and do good to the people whom we don’t know and whom we can never expect anything in return.
We do good because its a must and its part of a conversation. A person would be in need of help and we are there to respond to his call. This person may be a friend or a stranger but either way, we must help him. I guess that this call comes naturally in our lives.
This just shows that the ethical experience is something that is comprehensive. There is a branching out. There is a network that shows our interrelatedness with one another. This is because when we talk about the other, we are also talking about the many others who constitute this Other in front of me.
For example, helping my friend is also helping his or her loved one. Also, the reality that I helped him will give him the chance to be once again able to help others, who in turn will also be again able to help the other others because there is this someone who helped them become capable once again.
[…] Garcia, L. (2012, February 21). Third party. Leo and Levinas Walk into a Bar. Retrieved from https://leoandlevinaswalkintoabar.wordpress.com/2012/02/21/third-party/ […]