One may wonder, given their dull
and tasteless appearance in their pre-campaign television (and ‘facebook’ ads),
if these politicians are ever aware that people today would rather turn their TV
sets off than to watch their exaggerated and self-laudatory masterpieces. What
is it that prompts them to spend millions just to look good on the screen? What
makes them fake those smiles in front of the camera and tell us ‘things’ –
beautiful things, promising things, hopeful things?
Why do they want to become the leaders
of this country?
We have
seen and heard of men and women of power; of people who ventured for greatness, and ended up being blinded by its illusions; tales of warriors who took the chance
of slaying a monster...only to turn into the same monsters which they thought
they have defeated. We have put people in power, in hopes that they will be
different from those who are corrupted, only to find out later that they are of
the same mold – eaten by the same ancient system that caused them to exploit their
own people.
What is
ever new to people who, by experience, have grown cynical to power politics and
traditional state affairs? None. For them, it will always be a series of
repetitions similar to what they have already witnessed; the same colorful
posters that will be scattered on the streets, and the same long speeches of “Iboto
ang pagbabago..”, “Tutulungan ko kayo…”, “…babangon tayo”, “…lalaban tayo…” and
“Hindi po ako katulad ng mga iba..” As if they have known us for a long time,
as if they have known our problems and troubles, as if they can save us from all of the damn
worries of our everyday life.
Keeping their pristine ideals,
young people storm the streets with painted boards and loud speakers to
express their disgust on the government and the politicians in position. After
awhile, the movements will be succeeded by some new faces and the young people grow up to become the same
people they have criticized. Maybe, there is something about age and experience
that makes idealists plunge into the bitterness of realism. Many people who
have seen “how it is” and sadly, and maybe, of “how it will always be”, tend to
lose hope and embrace apathy because it is only in such way that they can
accept the cold stinging truth that they cannot change or go against “this system”; and
that, if they cannot “beat them”, they
might as well “join them”.
But, why? Why do people want to
become politicians? Why do they want to become the Mayor? The Congressman or,
the President? To help the poor? To initiate change? To make the move for a
more responsible and more accountable government? I hope so. Or, is it because,
they wish for the power and wealth that comes with it? Or to cement their names
in the pages of history and become immortal in the process? We will never know
until they are seated…when they will reveal their true intentions. All that is
left to do is, yes…hope.
