The story begins and ends in a social studies project given by Mr. Simonet (Kevin Spacey) at the start of the school year to seventh graders in a public school in Las Vegas. The project is to think of how you can change the world and to do it. For the seventh graders it is shocking to think of how they could possibly do something of great importance that will eventually change the world when they are not even in their teens. The idea is just mind-boggling for some while others think it is just outright stupid. But for Mr. Simonet it is possible. And for Trevor (Joel Haley Osment) it is his passport to a better world, to have the freedom to change his life, freedom to make his life better.
And so Trevor takes the project to heart. He comes up with the idea of helping out three persons to start with. And as a sign of gratitude, he won’t ask for any material thing or anything for that matter in exchange for his generosity. Rather, he will ask a person to pay him back by "paying it forward." The person who receives the help must instead help three other people in whatever way and by that act he would have paid back the generosity of his or her "good Samaritan."
Trevor believes in this idea of the "multiplier effect" for doing good deeds. By passing on to other people the responsibility of doing good things for others, the "chain of good deeds" will not be broken–it will just keep on going and going until hopefully the entire world will just do good things.
As I watched the movie it dawned on me that this idea is actually present in our Filipino culture, but unfortunately in a twisted and distorted way. Our concept of utang na loob is analogous to what "pay it forward" is all about. For whatever good deed given us, we repay by doing good things also for others. Sad to say, our interpretation of paying it forward has spawned a totally new meaning – that of becoming perpetually indebted to our benefactor to the extent that the practice has made us become self-destructive and regressive. From utang na loob was born the idea of "patronage politics." It can be traced back to the early hacienda system of the kasama and his family being in debt to his landlord. This has brought us and our society poverty, injustice, social dislocation, unemployment and other social ills.
It is never too late to right a wrong. If Trevor can bring life back to Mr. Simonet and his passion for love, why can’t we? If Trevor can help his mother get out of alcoholism, why can’t we? If Trevor can face his fears and fight for his convictions, unfortunately at the cost of his life, why can’t we? Yes, my answer is yes, we can do something for ourselves and the world–in our own little way.
In our society today, we can do our "small deeds." In our struggle to make everyday a better one, we can start by looking inward. Tell yourself, "I will do something good today without expecting anything in return." In fact, we don’t have to pick our brains out to list the things we can do for ourselves, our fellowmen and the world. We can start in our homes. Helping in household chores will be greatly appreciated by our mothers. Tutoring our younger siblings is more meaningful than watching TV for hours. We only need to be conscious at all times of what we can do for others rather than be obsessed with what we can only do for ourselves. Imagine this and our world will indeed be a much better place to live in.
"Paying it forward" is nothing big. The small good deeds we do everyday are the things that count. We have a lot to thank for in this world so let us start paying it back. Let us not throw our candy wrappers and cigarette butts on the streets. Let us segregate our garbage. Let us obey traffic rules. Let us do our jobs with heart and passion. Let us love rather than hate. Let us be more human. I myself am trying hard to pay it forward. I also tell my kids to do the same in whatever way they can. And with paying it forward comes our effort to keep the flames of hope burning in our hearts.
By doing something good for others and for our world each day, we move closer, step-by-step, towards a better tomorrow. Let us all start paying it forward now!