Accents
What I Think
A teenager speaks up. That’s Jelena M, a cyber visitor to my column, and I’m yielding my space to her very incisive piece on the dire situation in our country. Despite the Philippines being plunged into a filthy quagmire by politicians, Jelena keeps her optimism even as she lashes at the malefactors. She believes that it is “the worthy and proficiently skilled goal-driven virtuosos” who will guide us “into a remarkable future.” “Appropriate choices and right decisions” toward lifting our community, our town, or the country in general from the dump. For the multiplier effect, or for the domino effect as she calls it, savor every bit of this unedited discourse. This is youth whose idealism, hopes and dreams burn with fervor for country and people.
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I used to live in a small town in a small province, in a small island called the Philippines, but what specific town that is? You don’t really have to know. I know for a fact though, that whatever I am about to write, doesn’t only apply to that small town, but to every small town in every small province in that small island in that small country, and, in any other country that practices democracy.
In every couple of years or so, the people of a certain democratic country get the chance to vote for a group of people to lead them to their so called “progress”. But is that really the intention, to lead us into progress? I don’t know. Nobody really knows, except for the pathetic aspirants who try their best to look good in front of the public. I mean, no offense to all those who run for a good cause and a good platform, but then, we wouldn’t really know who those are, now, would we? So generally speaking, whoever takes this note against me is guilty as hell, no questions asked.
As a growing young teen, I used to dream about becoming a politician myself, wanting to try and change the world one day at a time, that was until I saw all the mess our current politicians are making, they unconsciously thrown themselves in a tangled web made up of their own egos and ambitions. It’s really amusing, how someone can show such ardent desire to serve; May it be a small town or a whole country, but make a hapless spectacle of themselves. I used to dream big and imagine myself making a difference here and there, and honestly, when I saw how they all just mess up and put the blame on each other, my sense of confidence in my journey to becoming one, increasingly deflated. And in a matter of months, I wanted to be anything, but that.
It’s really sad and depressing, how a dream can be taken away from you just by looking at how they fail in being good at it, but come to think of it, I realized where I was wrong. The more that I saw what they are doing not only to my own small town, but whatever the hell they were doing to my whole country, it is downright unacceptable, and that’s what motivated me to write this note. I don’t care if it reaches only one person, or the whole world, but if it reaches that one person, then I know, I could make a difference from there on. Like a domino effect, if you want to call it that.
Just the other day, I was talking to one of the wisest persons I know, my mom. She may be just a typical 40 something yr. old woman trying to get by every day, you may think that she’s one of those, who doesn’t really care what happens around her just as long as she gets to put food on the table, but no, you’re wrong. She is one dignified, intelligent and well respected person, who doesn’t care what other people think of her because she speaks her mind, and by doing so she succeeds into getting her point across, whatever argument, discussion or everyday conversation she has, and that’s what makes her phenomenal.
Anyway, she was telling me about this public discussion that the local authorities of that small town had, and they were debating on whatever was best for our community. Basically, there was the administration and the opposition, sitting in that long table, looking down at the public who had come to watch them debate over their own opinions on the subject matter, talking about what their ‘best interest’ is for the community. Where by saying ‘best interest’ what they really mean is ‘my own interest’.
I couldn’t find a word that would best describe this attitude in a subtle way, but can I say, selfish; Inconsiderate; Egocentric; Self- centered? Yeah I think I could. Because that’s what they really are, they are not concerned about whatever the hell happens to the community, what they care about solely, is what they could acquire and obtain once they get a hold of the benefits the people asked for. They try and seize no matter how much of these benefits and take advantage of it so they could carry out the various schemes and aims that they have. Is it for the people’s best interest? I don’t think so. Is it for the good of the community? No sir, it is definitely not.
But what I really don’t understand is how these politicians manage to manipulate the awareness of people and turn into something completely diverse. I was part of the people that stood in the crowd during campaign periods, and maybe I wasn’t eligible to vote then, but my discernment of the matter is enough to lay out my opinion in this issue.
(To be continued)