Myth of the Human Body: An Educational Visit

“There is more wisdom in your body than in your deepest philosophy.” This canny saying by Friedrich Nietzsche epitomizes the one-of-a-kind exhibit that is currently in hit around the world – The Myth of the Human Body. It may be a bit disturbing but it was justified as an education in anatomy with a slant of "you-should-stop-smoking-and-start-living-healthy" moral lesson perhaps. This is an exhibit of human cadavers preserved that undergone the process of plastination which enabled the preserved bodies to maintain the appearance and characteristics of the human body. The genius behind these specimens is no other than the German anatomist and scientist named Dr. Gunther von Hagens.

The Myth of the Human Body Exhibit is located at the Neobabylon Building, Bayani Road, Taguig City. When we finally arrived at the vicinity of the venue, finding the exact building was not hard since one cannot miss its catchy Greek gods statues and tarpaulins inviting you to explore your body. Around 300 donated bodies (European and Chinese according to our guide) were featured in the exhibit. All of these have their own purpose and lesson to teach. The exhibit is generally divided into seven parts according to body systems: Heracles, symbolizes the muscular and skeletal system; Poseidon, represents the respiratory system; Dionysus, embodies the digestive system; Eros, for the reproductive system; Hades, emblematizes the circulatory system; Zeus that represents the brain and the nervous system; and lastly, Artemis, illustrates the fetal development.

 Of course, we opted for a tour guide for us to understand and appreciate more the exhibits. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take pictures inside the museum though there is an area for picture taking, so as we were waiting for our tour guide, we decided to take pictures outside. At the first portion of our tour, I really had deep thoughts regarding the eyes of the sample exhibits. I felt creepy and nasty because they look so real, as if the human cadaver is looking at me. But then, the tour guide said that those eyes were artificial, because the fastest decaying organ in our body is actually our eyes. At the Zeus hall, which showcases the different parts of the brain, I have learned that the more wrinkles you have on your brain, the smarter you are. That is why Einstein probably had a much wrinkled brain. But what interrupted me was when our tour guide used the phrase, “God created…” when we were in the reproductive system hall. Well, this may explain the boundary line between religion and science but we do not have much time to get a clearer view or perception about this controversial issue.

We were awestruck with some of the specimens like the Red Man, a network of blood vessels of the whole body. It was actually the highlight of the museum according to our tour guide. Seeing as they were too fragile and intricate, I cannot even imagine how they made it into that kind of masterpiece. My favorite section was actually the last portion – the Artemis section. Here is where we can see a woman who died of eclampsia in her seventh month of pregnancy, taking her baby with her. Another is the Monterey Man, a body of a 21-year old woman from China sliced into 97 pieces. I was just amazed on how they preserved, dissected and presented the specimens that way. This was by far the most wonderful creation I have ever seen. Honestly, I did not even found it freaky and nauseating. Instead, it was actually impressive and informative. It made me learn how my body parts work and what will my organs look like if I will encounter any disorder or disease. Particularly, I was shocked upon seeing the lungs of a non-smoker which are indeed black in color considering that they were the same as with the smoker’s lungs. 

Truth be told, morbid curiosity drew me to this exhibit, knowing all the controversy surrounding it. What makes the exhibit controversial is how the bodies are dissected like a three-dimensional showcase of our insides. Looking at it in another perspective will definitely raise issues and emotions on the fact that actual bodies were used. While walking through the exhibits, I had to remind myself that they were once actual living human beings. However, being able to identify some muscles, nerves, blood vessels, bones and organs then being bombarded by a lot more structures we were aware of was really encouraging to study the body even better. Even the trivia that the guide gives and the questions he asks makes us evaluate how much we have learned in our anatomy-related classes and how much more we need to learn. The whole experience was very interesting in the sense that you will learn more about how your body works in a specified manner, and mind-blowing because you would realize the intensity of the fact that actual human bodies were used. 

P.S. :
Please excuse us for our vanity. We were just really a camwhore. :))

Reflection Paper: Study Visit at the House of the Senate

Being able to visit the House of the Senate and having the opportunity to meet some of our political leaders was a great privilege and honor for me as an ordinary citizen of our country. With a professional guide, our group had a “classical” tour through the historic part of the building which is the Senate Museum. We were able to appreciate our country’s rich legislative tradition. We have seen the hanged portraits and photographs of the Senate Presidents and the other members of the senate. Congressional records, republic acts, written laws and inaugural speeches, were placed as exhibits which show their historical significance to the senate.

We also had an opportunity to visit the live hearing of the senate Committee on Trade and Commerce joint with Committee on Environment and Natural Resources conducted by the chairperson of the said committee, Senator Manny Villar, together with Senators Pia Cayetano and Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. Committees help to organize the most important work of Congress — considering, shaping, and passing laws to govern the nation. This is where the bills and laws begin and most likely would end. The committee hearing on that day, August 8, 2011, was a public hearing regarding the proposed measures on environment-friendly bags. The stakeholders delivered their position about the said issue. They proposed a total ban on the use of non-biodegradable plastic bags throughout the country with the objective of curbing pollution and helping the nation manage its ecological resources more wisely. But personally, I do not think that this proposal would be feasible. It is no doubt that plastic bags are part of our daily life and particularly, shopping without the use of plastic bags seems to be impossible. They just replaced plastic with paper products. It still doesn't help Mother Nature. The shift from plastic to paper has it downside. Paper is a valuable limited resource and it has a large carbon footprint. The committee and the stakeholders, then came out with a solution on the use of other alternatives such as the traditional bayong, reusable bags made from corn, water lily and other indigenous resources. Honestly speaking, I wasn’t able to concentrate on the live session because I fell asleep. I don’t know why but I just felt so bored especially after seeing the “I-am-in-a-hurry-can-we-please-continue-this-tomorrow” side of Senator Villar. No offense meant but I really got bored. Then I realized, what if twenty years from now, I would be in their position, I would also be a senator like them? Will I just drop off and be in my deepest unconsciousness amid the fierce committee hearing? No, I should not! So before conjuring my illusions and dreams, we ended up waiting outside the plenary hall to attend the plenary session, which is also a part of our study visit.

A plenary session is a general conference where all members and assemblies of the senate were expected to attend for a formal gathering session. Unfortunately, we were not able to witness the inception of the discussion because we should have to wait for the other people to leave the plenary hall because of the congested crowd inside the hall. All we have conceived is the deliberation of the minority’s Contra-SONA addressed by the senate minority floor leader, Senator Allan Peter Cayetano. With the theme, “Do we know what we are going to”, the senator showed statistics showing how we lag behind our Asian neighbors in so many aspects. In his contra-SONA Senator Alan urges the President to support passage of the Freedom of Information law. Personally, I was amused by Senator Allan’s speech especially the moment when he played the music while showing the statistics. I thought he was going to sing with it. I think that is the magic of inserting humors and sarcasms in your speech, it makes your discourses informal but at the same time, it adds excitement and enthusiasm that could give interests and could please your audience. But as I observed, not all the senators present in the plenary was listening to Senator Allan. Many are busy with their other businesses. The plenary session is quite different from the committee hearing. Although the session did not cause me weariness, I was not able to finish it because the time was not enough for me.

This senate study visit had been a very exciting day me that I would not even forget. But aside from Senator Allan’s speech, the photo opportunity to take memorable and effective photographs of ourselves with Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Mirriam Defensor-Santiago and Pia Cayetano is the highlight of this event. Due to this significant advent of my life, I became more politically aware now than before. The utopian politics I thought before was now a visible institution where I want to be involved. We as an informed citizen of our country must take the step through a broader sense of political will. We must become part of the political and civil rights landscape if we are to protect and preserve our rights.