Don Tasio: was he really an intellect individual or just a lunatic who likes to spout
nonsense just as how most of the people of San Diego thinks? Is he really a man of culture who
reads and knows a lot or just someone who has peculiar ideas and rude to people whom he
speaks to?

How Don Tasio was treated by the crowd is a mirror of how we see people who have a
different views and ideals than us. Even his mother forbade him and made him choose because
of his intellect, fearing that Tasio might forget the existence of God. He was forever forbidden to
someone whom he wants to become which started how his life spiraled after that. Majority of the
crowds say that he is just a lunatic because of his peculiar beliefs and ideas.

When people have strange ideas apart from what we believe in and what we were taught
to, we tend to reject those ideals and the person himself. We become closed off individuals who
are blinded of what we believe is true. We become ignorant fools like the great crowds who are
merely going with the flow of how things are. But do not stay drifting off the water and going
with the flow, do not stay ignorant. Be open to what people have in mind and take these things
into consideration. One could learn a thing or two from other people, remember that.
Though the others regard him as Tasio the Lunatic, he is indeed one of the remarkable
characters in Noli Me Tangere. Don Tasio does not care of what people might think of him and
does what he believes is right. It was very commendable how he stood up for Don Ibarra before
he died when no one at the crowds stood up for him. He also shows concern for other people as
he talked to the two boys, Crispin and Basilio, as he told them to be careful of lighting.
Aside from this, he is very observant and does not blindly follow just like the others. He
thinks logically about a lot of stuff carefully like how he suggested for the officers to by
lightning rods since the church bell attracts lightning. He is not like the others who indulge in a lot of extravagances like how the people instead bought firecrackers and other sorts. It could also
be seen as how he views the Purgatory; he has observed how this has become a means for
fooling the people into giving more money to the Church. And the friars are all taking advantage

of it. Don Tasio was able to notice a lot of things and decides to do something about it if there is
something wrong.

There are different times and situations that we become both Don Tasio and the crowds.
But think about it, would you choose to be just a face in the crowds who just stand by and
blindly follow the current? Or would you choose to be someone who may be judged by others
but knows and exacts what is the right thing to do?