Grameen Reaction Paper

Angelica A. Quiambao

MGT 19

MTH 10:30-12:00

Jan. 21, 2016

Reaction Paper

“When you start to develop your powers of empathy and imagination the whole world opens up to you” quoted by Susan Sarandon. Empathy, if we check it up in the dictionary or Wikipedia, is understanding how it feels to be in the shoes of another. Being aware, sensitive, and compassionate about someone else’s happiness, sorrow and pain and many more are the quality of being empathetic. Why is it important that we be empathetic? How is it relevant to my reaction to the Commencement speech of Professor Yunus? This brilliant man, Prof Muhammad Yunus, along with his partner went against the rules, the norms and the system in serving the world’s poor by contributing what he can offer as a socially-conscious creative individual. As I was reading through the passage, one thing made it clear: we, being an individual members of the society, have a responsibility not only to ourselves and to those directly related to us but also to our fellow members in this society and the society itself. Like what Prof Yunus have said “Sometimes we are aware of it, most of the time we are not.” And he is one of those one in a million people blessed with genius hormones who can make a difference and put a mark on history out of this awareness. Or he just chose to be empathetic on what he is aware of and made use of his ability to act on his responsibility to the society. He’s all: genius, empathetic, creative and innovative, and very optimistic person.

Have you ever tried defying the normal course of a systematic policy? In simpler words, have you ever tried going against what other people have diligently set up as a model for the representation of what’s supposed to be the right action? It takes great courage, determined mind, firm principles in life and compassionate heart for a person to be able to do this. With all the uncertainties that lies ahead of the path, only few people have chosen to take down the road....