Good sense now a vice

There are, on the stretch of Edsa, huge billboards featuring the daughter of deceased political giants endorsing a canned-food product. Shown with her in the photo are her two sons, one with development difficulties.

A few weeks earlier, a high school classmate took a shot of the photo, posted it on his social networking page, and commented that the older child looked like “a creep preying on his own mother,” or something along that line. Many of his friends were quick to “like” his post. I, with no malice in mind, simply said that the child’s odd facial features are probably due to his inborn condition.

It was then that I had a little taste of the wrath of young Internet users. A “friend” commented angrily that I was being too pompous, much too self-righteous, and definitely judgmental. His friends—all of whom graduated from reputable universities and now work as professionals—backed him. “Get a life, and a sense of humor” was the message I got. Seeing the futility of arguing, I apologized and gave way.

Recently, there were reports of a TV host—a fixture in Philippine pop culture with a massive intergenerational following—who, for the sake of comedy, spat on a child in what was certainly a very adult skit (and a good example of child abuse in the media). Sifting through Internet forums, I saw that a significant number of users were sympathetic to the TV host, thinking that the child was too young to understand, much less be damaged by, this act. Some pointed out that the host had given considerable help to many a viewer in poverty, and does not deserve reprimand. Others said psychology experts had no sympathy for the simpletons who watch tacky programs.

From these experiences, I realized that Philippine society is quickly developing an irrational hatred of good judgment.

We are a culture where social ties take precedence over individual choice. I am thus not surprised, but nevertheless appalled, at how what is considered “good” and acceptable is always inseparable from what is popular. To disagree with collective ignorance is seen as an affront to all that is noble; in the case of the TV host, many argue that the help he has extended to the poor expunges from him all guilt and fault. The child performer, herself coming from poverty, is expected to be thankful and even glad that she was pulled from the slums in exchange for acting like a beloved circus freak. I only hope that she grows up without trauma, and with a proper sense of right and wrong. In the end, no one will dare educate the masses, as the masses are always right.

As for the case with my high school classmate, I fail to see value in what the country now classifies as humor. (This is not to say that I appreciate Western comedy, either, but that is besides the point.) I recognize that comedy, especially in the form of satire, has been historically powerful against tyranny, and that it is an effective means to educate dull minds. A healthy sense of humor gives us strength against the perils of human life. Unfortunately, our sense of humor has lost its redeeming values. Comedy is now used as an excuse to express spite for those who are different, or as a less than implicit acceptance of human weakness and sloth. What can be an escape from life’s cruelty is often used to inflict it. Political correctness is now an antiquated virtue, as are tolerance and respect. As I grow older, I see more and more the vileness of those who laugh at those in hardship.

The rich and educated are also afflicted with their own mania: illusions of grandeur. Recently, a contributor to this space defended the actions of the daughter of a yet-to-be-convicted plunderer, saying that flaunting one’s wealth is meant to “sell” one’s self. In a world where money means everything, what you own is what you are. It’s not wrong to enjoy material wealth and fame, and the poor should not blame the rich for being rich. Likewise, it should not be taken against the privileged if they use their resources only on themselves, and refuse to dirty their manicured paws in the real world. Essentially, we should all swallow our lots and stop complaining, as poor little rich girls are the biggest victims here.

Well, one ought not forget that pursuing fame and fortune is no different from licking honey off a blade; it is extremely narcissistic, misguided, and naïve for one to expect sympathy when others are worse off. It proves just how smart you are if you cannot foresee the consequences of your actions; and no, you can never buy karma off. You cannot have your cake and eat it, too. Is it not apt that the woman to whose story we ascribe this saying was guillotined for her perceived excess and debauchery? To be born into wealth, righteously obtained or not, is a question of chance; to refuse to see the real world and get in touch with humanity, is a choice.

Poverty does not excuse one from ignorance; privilege should require one to be free of it.

I wonder if these two things—a willful ignorance so ingrained in the public consciousness, and the skewed sense of self-entitlement—have rendered our youth lost, gullible and lazy. I remember once working for a multinational, where some colleagues my age went through the same crisis every pay cycle. They spent half of their paychecks on luxuries they well knew they could not afford, and survived on scraps the rest of the month. Some acquaintances enjoyed spending huge sums on restaurants and trips that do not add to their intellectual wealth; when asked why they chose to go to such and such a place, their best answer was that it was “trendy” and had been “featured in a blog.” Worse still, these people acted with no sense of propriety, and were careless about their manners and the value of formality. They cussed loudly, exposed their proclivities to the public, and craved unsavory attention.

One of the most horrific encounters I had was with colleagues who made it a point to ferret out how much I made. They made a ruckus one random payday on how it was my obligation to pay for the team’s meals, simply because they felt they deserved it. When the gods decided to grant me a better work opportunity, that old company’s HR personnel seemed shocked by the speed with which I paid off my debts (in the form of a bond they gave me upon hiring). Are we so lazy as a culture that personal responsibility and tact are considered exceptional?

We as a people are obsessed with flashiness. Everything we aspire to is about novelty and glitz, a meaningless shell for a vapid life. Gone are the days of our forefathers’ graciousness and solemn dignity.

I am fortunate to have this kind of awareness, as it has guided me to make decisions that set me apart from the herd. I am grateful that my parents, despite being capable, have never indulged my caprices, and have taught me the value of earning what I have. My only treasures are books and the knowledge they contain, and postcards from friends around the world. I view prudence and propriety as pleasures; I aspire to comfort, not excess. I am likewise glad for being incapable of false sympathy for the underprivileged. I will help them by supporting proper, dignified livelihoods, and not by patronizing the systems that mock them.

There is only one vice to which I wish to be addicted, and that is the vice of good sense.

Aaron Ponce, 25, holds a degree in European languages from the University of the Philippines Diliman. He is a French-language financial editor (Standard & Poor’s Capital IQ).