the bastardization of academic work

i feel like i'm back in school. im currently working on the initial stages of a fertility study commissioned by the NUS Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and the Ateneo School of Government and have started to read academic papers again. reviewing literature can be boring for some people but sometimes, when the materials you have are well researched and well written, it becomes a joy. then, to add some diversion to your serious train of thought, you'd be able to pick out phrases which you can interpret any which way you want with no connection to the topic discussed. say for instance these two:

Exhibit A

Sousan Abadian:

The concept of autonomy has its own difficulties. Autonomy (at least, in Western terms) places the spotlight on the individual; her capacity to make her own decisions, to summon resources, and her ability to meet her requirements and of those she chooses (on her own).

In valuing autonomy, then, we must be careful, as Pretchesky and Weiner suggests, not to draw responsibility away from the other relevant actors.

Moreover, we must take care not to minimize the importance of cooperative endeavors...as an aid to achieve well-being.

Thus the term "autonomy"--if we think of it primarily in atomistic, individualistic terms as it is popularly conceived--falls short with respect to...capability to achieve well-being.

The challenge to achieving well-being in parts of the West lies perhaps in reconnecting with others in new ways--in confirming our interdependence--and not necessarily in attempts at enhancing autonomy, as is popularly understood.

Thus, greater autonomy (particularly if understood as anti-dependence) is not perhaps what all societies (or subgroups within societies) require in order to enhance their capability to achieve well-being."

Me imbibing Bob Ong:

Hindi porke kaya mo mag-isa, ibig sabihin magaling ka. Hindi porke kaya mo mag-isa, ibig sabihin masaya ka. May responsibilidad ang ibang tao sa lagay ng buhay mo. Tanggapin mo. Hayaan mo ang sarili mong makipag-ugnayan sa iba. Hindi lamang sa kakayanan mong mapag-isa nasusukat ang kaginhawaan mo sa buhay.

(kaboooooooooom! hahaha)

Exhibit B

Sousan Abadian:

"The flip-side of innovation is a perception of loss. Learning new ways involves plowing up the old: it involves, at a minimum, the loss of the known in exchange for the unknown. For many in the society, it involves the loss of a self-serving equilibrium."

Me imbibing Bob Ong:

Sa proseso ng pagtuklas at pag-angkin ng bago--bagay man, ideya o tao-- natural na may papakawalan ka sa luma. Totoong mahirap pakawalan ang nakasanayan na. Ngunit wag kang matakot sa di mo pa kilala. Kung ganyan nang ganyan, siguro hanggang ngayon lahat tayo'y unggoy pa.

(ganown!)