MAN AS A SOCIAL BEING

“No man is an Island”. This statement undeniably and undoubtedly speaks of a

fact that no man can exist and live by himself alone. He needs others and conversely
others need him. He has to depend on his fellowmen and they have to depend on him
too, that he is basically a social being and that is a plain reality. Even the so-called
hermits cannot live in complete isolation from other people. At one time or another, they
may decide to be alone by themselves but such condition is only temporary for they find
time and opportunity to associate themselves with others although such association
may not be as long or as frequent as experienced by ordinary people.

As a social being, man has certain needs to meet, aptly called Social Needs.
Such needs are only realized if he lives in harmony with other people. The moment he
disassociates himself from others, these needs will not be frequently met.

BASIC SOCIAL NEEDS OF MAN

There are at least Five Basic Social Needs of Man, namely: Recognition,
Appreciation, Esteem, Acceptance and Love. Such social needs although
overlapping are pretty well distinctive from one another.

Basic Social Needs of Man

Dimensions of the Human Person
Core and Related Values
 Man needs to be recognized, esteemed, appreciated, accepted and to be loved
(not necessarily in this order). These can be nothing worse than when one feels that
nobody cares for him. To be unwanted and to be unloved could be one of the most
frustrating as well as tremendously devastating human experiences ever. In fact, there
have been reports made that the worse elements in our society had generally become
so threatening as an effect of their unhappy personal lives – they simply felt unwanted
and they were virtually left out. Moreover, our daily papers every now and then carry
news items about people‟s committing suicide presumably because of one reason, that
is they find themselves living in a desert amidst the sea of humanity or simply because
they feel nobody loves or cares about them.

Recognition – may be defined as the art of paying accord to something positive

in a person. It is giving due respect and acknowledgment to one‟s accomplishment,
potentials, talents, assets, and other endearing human qualities.

Congratulations for a
job well done! You
deserve it!

YOU FINALLY DID

IT!!!

It is therefore a nice feeling if others could easily recognize you for what good
things you have done, for what commendable traits you possess, and for what
exemplary deeds you have shown.
 People, in general, exert their best efforts just to please others and to win their
recognition. If for instance, an employer does not recognize the hard work and
dedication to the job of his employees, he will naturally frustrates them and may
eventually observe a modification on their working behavior. Thus, the more people are
recognized for their efficiency, the more deliberately they want to maintain or even
improve their good performances.

Appreciation – may involve the act of recognition but it is more than that; for
aside from acknowledging the existence of something good in a person it is coupled
with a feeling of gratitude.

Love – may be defined as a strong feeling of affection. It may come in different

forms like the ardent feeling felt for God, the country, parents, relatives, friends,
neighbors, and the most personal of them all. It also includes love for the sweetheart or
a lifetime partner or even love for one‟s children. Such need is consuming for it takes
one‟s whole being including his soul and spirit. It ceases to be so if one does it half-
heartedly. It must be a genuine feeling so that love can really be consummated.

Man‟s realization of himself, therefore cannot take place in a “vacuum”. He can

only attain it by co-existing well with others.

THE PERVASIVE SOCIAL NATURE OF MAN

To be able to experience recognition, appreciation, esteem, acceptance and

love, man must form his own group, that is, he must be in the company with his
fellowmen. He needs others so he can be fully recognized, appreciated, esteemed,
accepted, and loved. Hence, it is impossible to experience any of these if he is alone..

In reality, the social dimension of man is so encompassing that it even touch and
affect his non-social nature like his being (1) a biological (2) an intellectual or rational
(3) an economic (4) a psychological and (5) a moral entity. The succeeding diagram
shows such phenomenon:

As a Biological Being, man needs food, water, shelter and social intimacy.
Due to the complexity of life, these life‟s requirements are better satisfied if and when
these life requirements are a product of social living.

Similarly, as an Intellectual Being or Rational Being, man‟s intellect is further

sharpened in the company of others. That is, he learns from others and others in turn
learn from him. Thus, even modern-day psychologists believe that intelligence is not
just a function of heredity but also that of environment more specifically involving its
human components.

As a Psychological Being, man should live with others so he may achieve

some amount of security, self-identity, achievement, and self-fulfillment.

Finally, as a Moral Being, man‟s concept of righteousness and unrighteousness

are put into an acid test only when he realized himself being with others. His sense of
morality cannot exist in emptiness; it must find its realization within the human
interaction.

On the basis of the foregoing philosophy of the human person, the supreme and
overarching value that characterizes education is HUMAN DIGNITY: the human person
is of infinite value. Thus in Figure – 1 the person if occupies the center of the circle and
the core values flow from it.
 Human Person as
Self/as a member of
the community

Figure 1. DIMENSIONS OF THE HUMAN PERSON

 As an intellectual being (gifted with mind, the faculty of knowing), he
must constantly search for the TRUTH. He seeks knowledge that would
transform society and the world. At the same time he maintains a tolerant and
open disposition of the mind.

As a moral being (endowed with the faculty of freely choosing and

loving), he must go out with others and in fact to all humanity in love. All
persons must face the questions concerning good and bad, right and wrong.
They must live their life according to a moral code.

The foregoing are values pertaining to the person as self. Indeed, the
human being must achieve INTERNAL SELF-DEVELOPMENT by cultivating his
human faculties to the fullest possible point. However, these values are
actualized in society.

As a social being (living in a community), he must cultivate the sense of

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, aware of his unique participation in the pursuit of
the welfare of the family and the common good of the larger society so that it can
in turn look after the common good and the well being of the inhabitants.

As an economic being (bound to the concern of livelihood), he has the

obligation to help achieve ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY for the community.

As a political being (member of the nation), he must foster the sense of

NATIONALISM and PATRRIOTISM by which he is identified with the people and
joins hands with them in the pursuit of the common goals. As member of the
world community, he must cultivate a sense of SOCIAL SOLIDARITY for the
emerging concerns and problems of one country can no longer be considered in
isolation .
CORE VALUES

On the basis of the foregoing philosophy of the human person, the

supreme and overarching value that characterizes education is human dignity;
the human person is of infinite value. (Art. II, Sec.II; Art.XIII, Sec. I)
CORE AND RELATED VALUES

1. In the PHYSICAL DIMENSION, the core values are health and harmony
with nature.

Health used to mean the absence of disease but today it has taken on a more
comprehensive meaning because of the interrelationships between physical health and
physical health and other dimensions of a person. Hence, now speaks of holistic
health, a state of physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of
disease or infirmity. Two basic elements contributing to a person‟s general health are
cleanliness and physical fitness.
Reverence and respect for life is a fundamental concern. People must take
care of their bodies and guard against the destruction of human life. Likewise, people
should protect other forms of life on earth. Environmental care calls for a sense of
caring and responsibility for the natural environment (Pagkamaka-kalikasan).
2. In the INTELLECTUAL DIMENSION, the core values are truth and
tolerance.
Love of truth implies the tireless and enthusiastic search for knowledge in all its
forms. However, it is not enough to discover data or information, critical thinking must
be applied to ensure that the information is accurate and free of bias. Then creativity
enables people to utilize initial knowledge to generate more knowledge and innovations.
Creativity also makes people create varied cultural and human expressions.
Tolerancerefers first and foremost to a disposition of the mind which calls for the
eradication of prejudices and insensitivities. It calls for openness and respect as well as
the acceptance and appreciation of the rich diversity of cultures and diverse forms of
human expressions (Pagiging bukas, pagtanggap sa mga pagkakaiba). It recognizes
the reality of pluralism and the fundamental freedoms and human rights of all.
A future and scientific orientation challenges people to plan for their preferred
future, using methods that are systematic and will logically bring them toward preferred
situations.
 3. In the moral dimension, the core values are love and goodness.
Love includes love for one‟s self as well as for others. It is the “will to extend
one’s self for the purpose of nurturing one’s own or another’s spiritual growth”.
The ability to love begins with the appreciation of one‟s own worth and a sense of
one‟s own power and goodness (kagandahang-loob); these enable a person to reach
out to others. Hence, the need for self-worth/self-esteem.

Honesty/integrity, personal disciplines and courage (katatagan ng loob) all

contribute toward the building of an ethical character and a mature person. In turn, an
ethical and mature person is more able to enter into relationships of trust, which is a
requirements for mutual understanding and peace between persons, groups and
nations.
Compassion enables people to deeply empathize with others especially those
who experience sufferings and indignities. It moves them to care for and to share with
these people their human and material resources in the spirit of love and justice.

4. In the spiritual dimension, the core value is GLOBAL SPIRITUALITY.

Global spirituality refers to a spiritual journey which has three directions: the
inward, outward and forward. These are not opposing directions but parts of a flow, as
in a spiral. The inward journey enables us to develop our inner relationship with GOD
or the sacred source of life. The outward journey allows us to grow in our relationships
with the human community, making us more aware of the deep unity among all humans
as well as between humans an all of Nature. This deep unity comes from our discovery
that we are all bound together in one life force. The forward journey challenges us to
consider our relationships with future generations and to seek a better future for all
human and the earth. Hence, it is a spirituality that stresses the unity of all life.
The above-mentioned spirituality cultivates faith in God (pananampalataya sa
Diyos), inner peace and peace in all our relationships.
 Religious tolerance involves the recognition of a fundamental human right: the
freedom of thought, conscience and religion. It contributes to building peace within the
human community.

5. In the SOCIAL DIMENSION, the core values are peace and justice.
Strengthening the family as “the foundation of the nation” is a primary goal.
Respect and love for ones family is a fundamental to the building of family
solidarity. In turn, this family unity helps build a society that is happy, peaceful and
vigorous in meeting the challenges of modern-day life. In addition, responsible
parenthood improves the quality of life of the family.
Respect for human rights is very important in achieving a just and peaceful
society. An integral understanding of human rights includes not only fundamental
freedoms and the fundamental equality of all regardless of gender ,race, beliefs, and
social status. It includes the fulfillment of basic needs of food, clothing, shelter, work,
health care and education.
Likewise, the society also needs to be characterized by a genuine concern for
the common good and by cooperation, i.e., working together toward the pursuit of the
common good. Social responsibility (pananagutang panlipunan) and accountability
are also important as these are the values that urge people to take action and to
contribute positively and responsibly to society.
It must be recognized that at the bottom of all efforts to build a just and peaceful
society is the presence of a creative goodwill (kagandahang-loob) in a persons. It is
virtue that seeks not self-interest but the good of others. It also seeks fairness
(pagiging patas) and justice in relationships and in social structures. Social structures,
for instance, laws and organizational policies, must ensure that no groups are
oppressed or discriminated against. Appreciation of Diversity is upheld in this
context. Diversity must be respected. Social and cultural differences should never be a
reason for discrimination and oppression.
Active non-violence is a values that recognizes the dignity of the human person
(dangal ng pagkatao) and the value of life. It is not passive resignation or resistance. It
refers to the use of positive techniques and non-violent processes to resolve conflicts
and disputes. It recognizes the superior power of love, spiritual force and appeal to
conscience over hate and the use pf physical force.
6. In the ECONOMIC DIMENSION, the core value is sustainable human
development.
Human well-being cannot be equated with economic growth alone. Hence, what
is called for is the type of development that is characterized by a balance between
economic and social development. This means that social costs, such as the
exploitation and ill-treatment of workers, should not be allowed in the guise of achieving
quick economic growth. Economic growth should always be balanced by
considerations of human and social well- being.

Economic development should also be sustainable. This means that there

should be protection of the environment and wise use of resources. Sustainable
development means that the essential needs of the present are met without
compromising the earth‟s ability to meet the essential needs of future generations. This
implies that there should be no overexploitation and over consumption of resources. A
simple lifestyle and responsible consumerism are called for. People must take care
from the earth only what they need.

Sustainable development also requires that societies meet human needs both by
increasing productivity and by ensuring equitable opportunities. These two elements of
productivity and equity have to go together in order not to increase the pressure on
resources. Equitable distribution of resources is also in conformity with just and human
development.

The country‟s productivity should be characterized by quality. In the light of

economic trends, there is no place for inferior products. A positive work ethic and
entrepreneurial spirit must be encouraged in order to unleash people‟s human
potential and to make wise use of scarce capital in innovative and productive
enterprises.
 7. In the POLITICAL DIMENSION, the core values are nationalism,
(pagkamakabansa) and globalism.

Within the Philippines, love of country is the foremost value. It implies a deep
concern over the present and future of the country and its people, as well as action to
help in the nation‟s over-all development. There is also an appreciation of the
country‟s and of it heroes. From the latter, the people learn the essence of heroism
which mainly means living a life of selflessness and sacrifice to attain a higher good, the
good of the country. Love of country also calls for the appreciation of cultural heritage
which is the totality of contributions from the forebears, including the positive values
which they had passed on to the present generation such as the spirit of „bayanihan”,
which essentially means helping one another.

Democracy, where political power essentially rests on the people, upholds the
principle of freedom and responsibility. Democracy recognizes the various freedoms
a person is entitled to but it also gives equal emphasis to the responsibilities that go with
those freedoms. Among those responsibilities are having a civic consciousness and
giving one‟s active participation (buong loob na pakikisangkot) to the affairs of the
nation. A good citizen is someone who fulfills the aforementioned responsibilities.
Likewise, a committed leadership is also important in the life of a nation. Such
leaders perform their responsibilities with dedication and integrity. Leaders inspire
others and work hard until a goal is reached. Everyone can become a committed
leader.

There is a need for national unity (pagkakaisa) in the face of the adversity that
characterizes the nation---in political beliefs, languages, religions, and other cultural
expressions---because meaningful and total human development can only take place if
that unity in diversity is truly operational.

Solidarity and unity, however, must go beyond the boundaries of the nation
toward global solidarity and international understanding. There is a need to
recognize the many commonalities which bind together divergent national groups. All
human have common basic needs and aspirations despite their differences. The
community of nations is also characterized by interdependence. Nations and their
peoples depend on one another in the economic sense and in the way the political or
environmental behavior of one nation affects other nations. The world is an
interdependent human/global community and has only one common home, planet
EARTH, and therefore, a common future.
Appreciation of the world’s heritage is mark of a true global citizen, one whose
sense of identity is not limited to the nation. A principle which flows from the reality of
the world‟s diverse heritage is cultural freedom. Cultural freedom refers to the right of
a group of people to follow a way of life of its choice.

Finally, global peace, is, ultimately, desired. It refers to the transformation of the
culture of war and violence to a culture of peace and the ability and willingness to
resolve conflicts in non-violent ways. Among the desired alternatives are
demilitarization and disarmament. Global peace also refers to the presence of equitable
cooperation and just relationships in the economic, political and social spheres,
between and among nations. Global peace requires a society that can control the
abuse of power and can honor the aforementioned values of non-violence, cooperation
and justice.