by Juan Apolinario C. Reyes
Measure of Central Tendency, Location of Center of Mass, Society's Center of Gravity
These are related concepts. In fact, they are probably more than related. They are one concept seen from the lenses of three disciplines: statistics, physics and politics.
My students in statistics heard about measure of central tendency from our lectures this week. It describes the essential characteristic of a population. If one has a collection of data, the measure of central tendency points to a characteristic around which the data seem to gather themselves.
If we are to compare our data with the collection of atoms in a physical object, the point of central tendency is comparable to the location of center of mass. It is the point where the object will balance itself.
For most students, the center of mass is a topic that leaves them asleep most of the time but not for students in Human Kinetics. Center of mass matters a lot in sports such as gymnastics, swimming, judo, diving, etc.
Society also keeps a point of "central tendency" but it is called differently in political science. It is called center of gravity. It is the region where economic and political decisions of strongest influence are made. In our case it is Metro Manila, or maybe the National Capital Region (NCR).
Because it is the center of gravity, the political and economic dynamics that take place in this region create ripples of consequences in others. In most instances for example, an invading army only has to occupy the capital of a country to vanquish the entire nation. Many decades ago, the Communist Party of the Philippines with its military arm, the New People's Army, bragged they control politically many regions in the countryside. But that is nothing but empty bravado if they have little or no political force effectively operating in the NCR.
They had none.
In fact, in the Philippines, the center of gravity is a specific place, it is a specific house, it is the Malacanang Palace. Two presidents in our country had been unseated from power because they abandoned this house. A person with a more practicable mind might ask why did Marcos not establish a temporary "malacanang palace" some place else. Malacanang Palace was under seige during the turbulent days of February 1986, to retreat and organize a rallying point some place else, say in a military camp in Tarlac, seemed like the smart move to do, that is, speaking in terms of military strategy.
No doubt, that may seem wise. But you see, society has its own logic which does not always fit individual logic. In itself, society is a separate organism that thinks and behaves differently than the constituent members who compose it. Strange, but true.
Now, let us go into our families. Surely, it too has a center of gravity. Based on my experience as a son, brother, and observant, the center of gravity for a family is MONEY. Those who rarely experience the difficulties LACK OF MONEY brings to a family might disagree with me. But I advice you to hold your judgement until the source of money for your family disappears.
What is the center of gravity for an individual person? Surely, the notion of center of gravity also applies to us as individual persons.
The center of our gravity as a person is the person whom we love most passionately and most SINGLY. I have to emphasize most singly because a person who loves everybody is a person who loves nobody. When we keep the center of our gravity close to our lives, we are able to do spectacular feats of achievements. That's what passion does, that's what love does.
Ironically, while the center of gravity for a person sets him to shine like a star, it is this same center which can set him to shatter like a glass. Consequently, LOSS is the breaking point for such a person.
Loss is the breaking point for the mightiest of champions in ancient Greek epic. That champion is Achilles. Achilles is a prolific killing machine. To kill and see people die is as ordinary as picking berries in the forest for the likes of Achilles. It is work. It is the way of life for any farmer. You plant and then you cut them with a scythe. For Achilles, to kill and die is the destiny for all things alive, that is, until the day he discovers that the person whom he loves so dearly, the center of his gravity, is dead.
Measure of Central Tendency, Location of Center of Mass, Society's Center of Gravity
These are related concepts. In fact, they are probably more than related. They are one concept seen from the lenses of three disciplines: statistics, physics and politics.
My students in statistics heard about measure of central tendency from our lectures this week. It describes the essential characteristic of a population. If one has a collection of data, the measure of central tendency points to a characteristic around which the data seem to gather themselves.
If we are to compare our data with the collection of atoms in a physical object, the point of central tendency is comparable to the location of center of mass. It is the point where the object will balance itself.
For most students, the center of mass is a topic that leaves them asleep most of the time but not for students in Human Kinetics. Center of mass matters a lot in sports such as gymnastics, swimming, judo, diving, etc.
Society also keeps a point of "central tendency" but it is called differently in political science. It is called center of gravity. It is the region where economic and political decisions of strongest influence are made. In our case it is Metro Manila, or maybe the National Capital Region (NCR).
Because it is the center of gravity, the political and economic dynamics that take place in this region create ripples of consequences in others. In most instances for example, an invading army only has to occupy the capital of a country to vanquish the entire nation. Many decades ago, the Communist Party of the Philippines with its military arm, the New People's Army, bragged they control politically many regions in the countryside. But that is nothing but empty bravado if they have little or no political force effectively operating in the NCR.
They had none.
In fact, in the Philippines, the center of gravity is a specific place, it is a specific house, it is the Malacanang Palace. Two presidents in our country had been unseated from power because they abandoned this house. A person with a more practicable mind might ask why did Marcos not establish a temporary "malacanang palace" some place else. Malacanang Palace was under seige during the turbulent days of February 1986, to retreat and organize a rallying point some place else, say in a military camp in Tarlac, seemed like the smart move to do, that is, speaking in terms of military strategy.
No doubt, that may seem wise. But you see, society has its own logic which does not always fit individual logic. In itself, society is a separate organism that thinks and behaves differently than the constituent members who compose it. Strange, but true.
Now, let us go into our families. Surely, it too has a center of gravity. Based on my experience as a son, brother, and observant, the center of gravity for a family is MONEY. Those who rarely experience the difficulties LACK OF MONEY brings to a family might disagree with me. But I advice you to hold your judgement until the source of money for your family disappears.
What is the center of gravity for an individual person? Surely, the notion of center of gravity also applies to us as individual persons.
The center of our gravity as a person is the person whom we love most passionately and most SINGLY. I have to emphasize most singly because a person who loves everybody is a person who loves nobody. When we keep the center of our gravity close to our lives, we are able to do spectacular feats of achievements. That's what passion does, that's what love does.
Ironically, while the center of gravity for a person sets him to shine like a star, it is this same center which can set him to shatter like a glass. Consequently, LOSS is the breaking point for such a person.
Loss is the breaking point for the mightiest of champions in ancient Greek epic. That champion is Achilles. Achilles is a prolific killing machine. To kill and see people die is as ordinary as picking berries in the forest for the likes of Achilles. It is work. It is the way of life for any farmer. You plant and then you cut them with a scythe. For Achilles, to kill and die is the destiny for all things alive, that is, until the day he discovers that the person whom he loves so dearly, the center of his gravity, is dead.