“If you want to control a people, create an imaginary enemy that appears more dangerous than you, then present yourself as their savior.” – Noam Chomsky
IS IT REALLY possible to control the masses?
Should we just ignore a willfully ignorant person?
Why do some people expect that everyone must support their cause?
It comes out in everyday conversations. It causes ill feelings and overlapping sentiments: supporters and protesters; dissenters and defenders. Disparate groups are claiming the same thing: Justice. Opposing groups would assert the same plight: they fell victims to the corrupt system. And all groups would claim that they are right. Nasa panig nila ang katotohanan.
I thought that only politicians could go this far in maligning their opponents. I thought that it is only among politicians that badmouthing is weaponized. All the while, I presumed that as we freely express our point of view, we will also understand that there will be opinions that are contrary to our beliefs.
That no matter how we firmly believe that we are indeed right, for all intents and purposes, that no matter how obvious to us and commonsensical is the truthfulness of our factual conclusions, that no matter how glaring are the mistakes of the other side, still, unbelievable as it may seem, there will be those who will not agree with us.
What would you expect? (to contextualize people’s opinion)
1. “This concert is too loud. Let’s get out of here.”
2. “Another quiz? This teacher is punishing us for no reason.”
3. “I hate this beach. There’s sand everywhere!”
4. “I don’t want to go to work. There is just so much to do in the office I get stressed.”
5. “Breaking news: A former convicted actor/politician was elected for the second term.”
Question: Where does the apple come from?
Farmer: “Seed, earth, water, and sun.”
Priest: “God.”
Child: “The grocery store.”
With what’s happening nowadays, some people are not really fighting for what is right, true, and just. They are only after for the survival and protection of their own egotistical image.
We are ought to stand for the ideals, principles, and virtues that can make our nation great. Not for the individuals, organizations, or activities that, undoubtedly, have ulterior motives.
Of course, the intangible ideals can only be realized by a dedicated person and, to a certain extent, embodied by some great men and women. But even then, I most respectfully argue, that it should be the ideals that we ought to support and to not entirely attach ourselves to its proponent.
Our very humanity has an innate attribute of diversity. There will always be disagreements. There will always be convincing and conflicting points of view within the spectrum of human understanding. This is the beauty of our reasoning power, of our right to think, our freedom to choose, and of our responsibility as civic-minded individuals.
We can only arrive as to what is just and deserving based on the weight and probative value of the pieces of evidence presented in a tribunal. And since we adhere to the rule of law, the decision of the majority must be respected — even if not accepted.
Now, we may do well to follow (by analogy) the thinking process of a scientist if we really want to be truthful to our “political stance.” And we all know how it is done — the scientific process — and how it is presented to the public. We can do the same thing.
But I highly doubt it. In this era of famous-for-being-famous personalities, FB-scroll reading habit, and “feeling advocates” for justice, we will rarely read a post that is highly academic, research based, and fully supported by other studies. The late senator Miriam Defensor Santiago was right: “Stupid is forever.”
In short, tamad tayo sa masinsinang pag-aaral at pananaliksik bago makisawsaw sa mga isyung panlipunan.
Ang mga Pilipino naman kasi ay mahilig mag-ingay. Mga kulang sa pansin. At saksakan ng pikon. Eh, puro pera lang naman ang habol ng mga ‘yan. Gusto lang naman maging sikat at mapag-usapan. Pati vlogging ay pinagkakaabalahan. Pero ‘wag ka. Mapapabilib kang talaga sa kanilang kadaldalan.
Sa kanilang angking galing sa pagmamarunong at pakikialam sa buhay ng iba, hindi mo akalain na ang mga Pilipinong ito ay di hamak ding makakalimutin. Sobrang ikli ng kanilang memorya. Hindi na halos matandaan ang mga pangyayari ng nakaraan. Marami diyan, para sa kanila, ay wala ng saysay ang kasaysayan. Pero kung makapagsalita ang mga ito tungkol sa mga isyu ng lipunan, naku, parang mga dalubhasa at eksperto. Ang galing no?
Sabi nga ng aming guro, “Mas mahirap gisingin ang nagkukunwaring tulog.”/PN
