We live in interesting times. For some, we are going through upheavals that signal the changing of many things that we, as a society, have been comfortable with. For others, it is a time of opportunity, when they can find a way to come out ahead. And for yet another segment of our country’s people, it’s a time when we’ve come full circle, reaping what past generations have sown.
And yet, with all this, why the general outcry – from both sides – is somewhat muted in real life. Yes, there is a great hullabaloo online, where, sadly, we all keep on polarizing ourselves more and more. But aside from rallies of indignation, you have to admit, there isn’t that sort of electric feeling, of something big happening.
I think it has something to do with the fact that, as a people, we live in very, very small circles.
A case in point, and I’m not ashamed to admit it, is this:
Some years ago, I was much, much more vocal about local politics than I am today. However, one particular time, I took great glee in slagging a political figure – and I had forgotten that an old friend was actually related closely to that person. My friend unfriended me on Facebook, and at the time, I did not mind. As the years went by, though, I felt stupid for doing so – because I had gone on the attack on a very personal level. I didn’t think, and I realized I ended up burning many bridges. Even these days, I still tend to do that; some people commend me for it, but as I grow older, I keep on thinking, “Well, that’s one avenue I can’t use anymore.”
Many people think that being friends or acquaintances with many people who are movers and shakers here in the country is a blessing, that it means you are, yourself, probably influential. But the truth is, it’s also a curse. When you finally feel that there is something you cannot stay quiet about, you realize that you have to make a list first of people who you might offend. You also start editing what you want to say, you know, just in case even your bosses could get affected (can’t lose that job now, right?).
If I may make the comparison, it’s just like the local music scene; it’s hard to take a side in any issue, because unless you’re willing to burn bridges with friends, music scene contacts, or bands who are friendly to yours, then you stay quiet. You reserve what you really think about specific issues to friends whom you can trust, to those whom you know won’t use your thoughts as fan fodder for more issues in the scene itself.
And it’s the same thing, sadly, with our society as a whole here in the Philippines: we are prisoners to our own ties, our own connections. And this interconnection comes with its own inertia. The longer you stay in it, the more that you do not want to rock the boat, the more things stay as they are.
To put not too funny a joke on it, it’s probably why Pinoys love meeting up in coffee shops and other similar places to talk about what they cannot commit to “officially.” It’s why even people who seem to be on diametrically opposite sides of politics or the social network can sometimes have pleasantries… such as a cup of coffee with each other, or break bread with pizza slices, or even turon.
That is why we should look to those who aren’t caught up in all of it yet to be the ones to make the change. That is why it’s probably for the best that the youth, and those who can find it in themselves to burn bridges with no regret, to be the ones to do what has to be done. As for the silent majority, those who are caught up in the many interconnections – it’s time to think of how we can change things, even if it’s just a nudge at a time.