Straight Talk by Nimfa L. Estrellado Everyone sees the national tug-o-war in our nation’s capital. Most of us see it in our province ca...
Straight Talk
by Nimfa L. Estrellado
Everyone sees the national tug-o-war in our nation’s capital. Most of us see it in our province capitals, too. Depending on the numbers and the resulting imbalance of power, they pull either to the right or to the left. Out here in the real Philippines people are weary of what we see. “Why can’t they just get together?” we wonder - even out loud we wonder.
The reason Philippines is so divided is that “we the people” are so divided. So, all over this great country we elect people to represent us - and they do! Most of us could identify representatives and senators who are pulling our direction. We like them. When people shout in their frustration, “Fire them all!,” we may be inclined to say, “amen!”. But, if we did “fire them all,” we would all be looking for more people to go and represent us and our views again.
From our infant days as a nation, we have had a populace with diverse opinions on a great number of issues. This would be visible in any nation where people are free to have and express opinions. Of course, this is precisely the kind of nation our founders formed.
The great divide in our nation is not a simple matter; it is made up of multiple players. Let’s look at some of the big players.
Certainly differing ideologies are a part of this. Most of us have some loyalty to a political ideology whether left, right or center.
Personal values have an important role, too. And the varied sources of our values are a significant factor, in that many different philosophies and religions exert formative influence on us. Where in the past, values were largely formed in the churches and reinforced in public education, in recent decades values have been more shaped by the television and cinema.
Power-hungry politicians are major players in our divided Philippines. These men and women may be devoted to a particular ideology, but they can be merely devoted to being in control. Thus, they may say whatever people want to hear in order to be in control. Politicians tend to be people who are good at debate; and the really skilled debater can argue either side of a debate strongly, convincingly.
Finally, we must include the media into the mix of our division. From what they report and don’t report, to how they report what they report, and whether left-leaning or right-leaning, intentional bias is part of the package. And when they lean, their influence is bi-directional. They influence those they intended by encouraging a desired viewpoint; but just as surely, they influence people who hear and react to that intended influence in the opposite direction. I believe that the increasingly notable bias to the left of mainstream media accounts for the establishment and success of Rappler. The more the media bias was observed by people, the more dissatisfied they became with the mainstream, the more they resisted that influence. Those conservative people found a home at ABSCBN. Imagine a Dutertards reading Rappler; he or she is likely to become triggered or angry and more entrenched in their stance. Media is powerful, yet it is a two-edged sword.
Everyone sees the national tug-o-war in our nation’s capital. Most of us see it in our province capitals, too. Depending on the numbers and the resulting imbalance of power, they pull either to the right or to the left. Out here in the real Philippines people are weary of what we see. “Why can’t they just get together?” we wonder - even out loud we wonder.
The reason Philippines is so divided is that “we the people” are so divided. So, all over this great country we elect people to represent us - and they do! Most of us could identify representatives and senators who are pulling our direction. We like them. When people shout in their frustration, “Fire them all!,” we may be inclined to say, “amen!”. But, if we did “fire them all,” we would all be looking for more people to go and represent us and our views again.
From our infant days as a nation, we have had a populace with diverse opinions on a great number of issues. This would be visible in any nation where people are free to have and express opinions. Of course, this is precisely the kind of nation our founders formed.
The great divide in our nation is not a simple matter; it is made up of multiple players. Let’s look at some of the big players.
Certainly differing ideologies are a part of this. Most of us have some loyalty to a political ideology whether left, right or center.
Personal values have an important role, too. And the varied sources of our values are a significant factor, in that many different philosophies and religions exert formative influence on us. Where in the past, values were largely formed in the churches and reinforced in public education, in recent decades values have been more shaped by the television and cinema.
Power-hungry politicians are major players in our divided Philippines. These men and women may be devoted to a particular ideology, but they can be merely devoted to being in control. Thus, they may say whatever people want to hear in order to be in control. Politicians tend to be people who are good at debate; and the really skilled debater can argue either side of a debate strongly, convincingly.
Finally, we must include the media into the mix of our division. From what they report and don’t report, to how they report what they report, and whether left-leaning or right-leaning, intentional bias is part of the package. And when they lean, their influence is bi-directional. They influence those they intended by encouraging a desired viewpoint; but just as surely, they influence people who hear and react to that intended influence in the opposite direction. I believe that the increasingly notable bias to the left of mainstream media accounts for the establishment and success of Rappler. The more the media bias was observed by people, the more dissatisfied they became with the mainstream, the more they resisted that influence. Those conservative people found a home at ABSCBN. Imagine a Dutertards reading Rappler; he or she is likely to become triggered or angry and more entrenched in their stance. Media is powerful, yet it is a two-edged sword.
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