GWENDOLYN F.

CALDONA
CAE-H3K

ASSIGNMENT IN PURPOSIVE COMMUNICATION

1. Do you agree with the statement, "I destroy my enemies when I make them my friends" by Lincoln?

Absolutely! Everyone should act according to that saying. This would lead to peace all over the world!
Moreover, there is a saying in Chinese, keep your friends close but be much closer to your enemies. In
Martial Arts, one learns to follow the energy of the opponent while playing by the rules set by the
opponent. This simply means that, by keeping them close you will be able to know their strengths and
weaknesses specially, when dealing to their negative attitude.

2. Can you really destroy your enemies by making them your friends? Why?

Abraham Lincoln said that the most effective way of destroying enemies was to make themfriends.
Sounds so wonderful and wise, doesn’t it? But what about in actual practice? Honestly, for most of us, it
feels ridiculous to our ego mind.

Hating another person and being rage-filled is like drinking poison and assuming the other person will be
poisoned. We might think it is some form of empowerment, but it’s poisoned power. Our minds are our
most sacred space, and when filled with grudge and hatred this powerfully creative space becomes toxic.
When we find that we are angry and resentful toward friends, family, or neighbors, it might be worth our
while to explore how to de-escalate our anger and clean up our mind before it gets the best of us.

If you gain your enemies trust by posing as their friend only to gain an advantage and then use that
advantage to destroy them then you have never really been their friend. There is a difference in
befriending someone and making them your friend. The moment you destroy your new befriended
friend that you have deceptively convinced to be your friend from their perspective, you destroy your
"friend" not your "enemy".

By being a friend with your enemy you can find out his/her weaknesses and when they least expect it
you can use it against them. But always remember to stand up for yourself. Thats what it means.

3. Since we are a different race, can you do the same kind of approach for Filipinos? Why?

This approach is quite interesting we Filipinos can do the same, but one thing is for sure we can't ever
destroy an enemy. They were here before our time and will be here soon after we leave. I believe the
passage is saying to love thy enemy. We don't have to live with them or invite them into your life --
meaning instead of thinking about their wrong doings, we should focus on positive people and things.
The stronger we are and the more knowledgeable we are the enemy will look to someone else to hunt
down because we would be untouchable, however they will try and try again to seek and destroy us.
Just give love, understanding and positivity for the people around us to promote peace and harmony.
4. I can handle better my enemies by...

First, I will learn to identify them.

Sometimes we just do not realize that someone is our ill-wisher. They can be close friends or family
members, so when they say negative things, we often believe them and take them to heart. You should
remember that there is a big difference between realists and sceptics. Learn to listen to what others say,
and note your reaction. If that upsets you and makes you feel depressed, then probably these people are
your ill-wishers.

As was mentioned above, sometimes they are just trying to be realistic. They may have good reasons
for their negative attitude. Take a step back and think objectively why they have doubts and see a real
obstacle, and if so, then try to figure out how to overcome it. If you really want to reach your goal, you
will find a solution. If your ill-wishers are certainly wrong, just move on.

Second,I will reject any negative thoughts they bring.

Enemies will always try to bring to you their negative thoughts, which can raise doubts about your
rightness. Then it can grow and affect the way you feel about your goals. Stop these negative thoughts as
soon as possible! Replace them with positive beliefs. Do not let them beat you! And also, understand
that you will always have enemies, and don’t take them to heart.

In everyone’s life there is at least one enemy. You can not avoid seeing them but you can avoid
listening to them. Just smile and do not pay attention to their words. They will not be able to affect you if
you ignore their words.

Lastly, I will Laugh with them.

Sometimes people feel uncomfortable when you take some changes and in order to get rid of this
discomfort, they come up with different jokes and begin to tempt you. They just do not know how else
to react. Be aware of this and just laugh. If you take their words as nothing more but just a good joke, it
disarms them. They can continue making jokes at you, but it won’t longer affect you if you’ll just laugh at
them.