Xavier H.

Musngi 2/1/18

III – AB DS

The problems of modernity, as discussed by Berman, appears to be rooted in its cyclical and

contradictory nature going between lapses of enlightenment and disorder. He discusses that throughout

society’s struggles with dehumanization and suffering brought about by man’s pursuit in fulfilling their

own desires (be it malicious or noble in their intent) leads to a richer and more abstract structure of society

(with its own set of dilemmas and discoveries) -- but more importantly the foundation of better men.

This concept of the cyclical and contradictory nature of modernization is seen best in how the

people of the coalfields and the valley itself are affected by drastic changes in the manner of life that they

had grown accustomed to. However awful the plight of modernization might be to the Morgan family and

the rest of the people in the mining valley, it is shown to be all too familiar and as such, is faced by many

with disappointment and anguish but not surprise. This is not the first time that a people were driven to

despair by injustice toward the working class and it certainly was not the last. The issues that the valley

faced, be it institutional, religious, familial, and many others that are a consequence of man’s alienation

in their labor are still problems that the Philippines faces today.

However cruel this cycle may seem, there is hope yet. As Berman had explained, such statement

is contradictory in that it overturns Marx and Nietzsche’s pessimistic ideals of going through the motions

of a modern world rendered irreparable by man’s mistakes and finding hope in the products of such

disarray. The product being an individual tested and ready to right the shortcomings of the past and make

sense of the world through their own lens. That is to say, that man’s individual experience allows those

who are able to cope, overcome, and learn from it a chance to continue and better the lives of theirs (and

hopefully that of others).

 Bauman’s Demonstration by Effect best suits the cyclical nature of society’s struggles and

triumphs because of the availability of prior information based on past human experiences coupled with

this approach’s natural affinity toward seeking the truth through application. Societal issues, especially in

the working class are rich in context and motive, as seen in how the film depicts the different struggles of

the people in the valley. Perhaps this approach is able to make sense of what Nietzsche and Marx define

as their Man of Tomorrow, not just in how he is formed but also in what greater purpose he serves toward

a society that is both constantly changing while taking cues from what the past had had to offer.