Transforming Philippine Politics - Combating Sentimentalism and the Inept Popular Politicians
While motives do play a fundamental role in influencing one's political decisions and actions, it is equally important to explore the power of emotions as touching the various dynamics of political exercise.
In fact, psychologists attest to the fact that emotions are the closest propellers of most human actions as mirrored in the statements like "I feel like doing...
" or "I hate to do...
" And as far as the Filipino society is concerned, perhaps no other season can rival the degree of stirring in the emotional climate as in what comes out during the season of elections.
Notice how people - from candidates to supporters - feel so strongly about the camp or the cause they represent, even to the extent of dividing family loyalties and making enemies out of long-term friends.
A keen observer can also readily recognize how campaign materials, musical jingles, TV ads, and slogans maximize a candidate's appeal to the people's emotions, sympathy and eventual loyalty.
The Filipino tendency to be drawn toward polarities of regional, kinship, or nepotistic relations are often being preyed upon by most if not all candidates.
How many times have we heard the lines "I will vote for him for he is a fellow Ilonggo...
" or "He is the son of your father's best friend.
Make sure you and your wife will vote for him...
" Also related to this phenomenon is the Filipino's deep-seated, oftentimes crippling sense of utang na loob (debt of gratitude).
"Remember that we now have this casual job in this City Hall because of Mayor So-and-so's recommendation and appointment.
How dare you vote for the other candidate?!"...
"Let's make sure that Congressman So-and-so gets re-elected.
Remember that had it not been for his initiative, we would not have this beautiful covered basketball court in our baranggay! (village)" I personally regard this last statement as actually frying the taxpayers in their own fat.
It is simply disgusting how these politicians would employ this brutal emotional blackmail, touting the projects they have accomplished when that is actually what they were elected for to do! And to think that those projects were also funded by the taxpayers' money, that in many if not most cases were actually delivered at a much reduced budget cost after all the kickbacks and S.
O.
P.
s (corrupted deductions) have been taken! Take note how secure is the sharpened arrowhead of this emotional hook: persuading its captured subjects to change their stand will literally require plucking their gills out to make it possible...
The hook of sentimentalism is also the culprit behind the election of incompetent and incapable leaders voted into office mainly by virtue of their popularity.
This disgraceful mess on the face of Philippine politics is divided into two major lumps: the historical populars represented by this line: "This candidate's family hails from a long line of seasoned politicians; why entertain somebody else who is a neophyte?" This group also includes the now shameless, official legitimization of the most closely-knit nepotism in our country: the prevalence of political dynasties wherein the father can be running for governor, the mother vying for congress, a son for the provincial board, another son for mayor, two daughters-in-law as municipal councilors in two separate towns, and perhaps the grandson for SK Federation Chairman! You can bet your last meal to the possibility that if their dog can be admitted to run for baranggay captain, they've long registered him, too! Boy! But the worst part is, such families still prevail from one election season to the other! The other group can be aptly named the hysterical populars as their leadership was actually brought forth by a hysterical mob, mostly composed of their fans and admirers as prominent celebrities and stars.
There is no denying the presence of a few outstanding leaders we have who have found access to politics through their celebrity status, but have duly proven their capacities for leadership and governance in their respective areas of assignment.
But for each one of such caliber, how many celebrity lawmakers do we have who'd better bring their sleeping bags for their sessions in Congress or Senate? Oh that Juan dela Cruz would soon learn his lesson in this area and accordingly avoid ramming this jagged hook in his own throat and those of his children! You may have heard this not-so-funny definition of democracy in the context of Philippine politics one too many times: "Philippine democracy is a government off the people, buy the people, and poor the people.
" Personally, what I would regard as the worst mode of sentimental politics is the practice of using the poor as the politician's fashionable hook to manipulate the voters' emotions - most of them of course are coming from the poor, eagerly waiting for their political messiah to show up.
Watch out for television and other media ads in particular that pose a candidate to be intimately allied with the poor, subtly presenting himself to be their champion.
Unless backed up with a consistent pro-poor day-to-day lifestyle, that person is nothing more than a conscience-less hypocrite who is very capable of doing many more crooked acts behind-the-camera once voted into power.
In the Chapter 6 of St.
Matthew's Gospel, Jesus Himself was very adamant against the practice of displaying and advertizing one's "acts of righteousness" toward the poor and the needy.
He even went further to condemning such Pharisaical hypocrisy in Chapter 23, comparing them to "whitewashed tombs which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean".
I am not saying that emotions have no place at all in the exercise of politics.
No.
As human beings, we are entities with feelings and are indeed moved into action by our prevailing emotions.
But woe unto him who takes advantage of this delicate human faculty just to advance his personal political ambition! We will do well to use the following filter questions to check whether or not a particular candidate is actually using Deception's hook of sentimentalism: "How often does this candidate refer to his family roots, ethnic identity or organizational affiliation as compared to his honest presentation of his capabilities and political platforms? How many members of this candidate's family is also running for other related political positions that might obscure accountability in the future? Is he in any way using his accomplishments or favors extended to exert an emotional pressure upon his beneficiaries and in effect demanding for their votes? Is the degree of his popularity consistent with his known competence in leadership and governance? Is this candidate employing campaign propaganda that utilizes exaggerated or theatrical alliance with the poor and capitalizes on their hopes for a political savior?" As we passionately take up the cause of God and really go for the best available candidate we'll vote for a particular position, we actually receive the divine fuel necessary to keep the dynamo going and maximize the power of our sacred vote.
In fact, psychologists attest to the fact that emotions are the closest propellers of most human actions as mirrored in the statements like "I feel like doing...
" or "I hate to do...
" And as far as the Filipino society is concerned, perhaps no other season can rival the degree of stirring in the emotional climate as in what comes out during the season of elections.
Notice how people - from candidates to supporters - feel so strongly about the camp or the cause they represent, even to the extent of dividing family loyalties and making enemies out of long-term friends.
A keen observer can also readily recognize how campaign materials, musical jingles, TV ads, and slogans maximize a candidate's appeal to the people's emotions, sympathy and eventual loyalty.
The Filipino tendency to be drawn toward polarities of regional, kinship, or nepotistic relations are often being preyed upon by most if not all candidates.
How many times have we heard the lines "I will vote for him for he is a fellow Ilonggo...
" or "He is the son of your father's best friend.
Make sure you and your wife will vote for him...
" Also related to this phenomenon is the Filipino's deep-seated, oftentimes crippling sense of utang na loob (debt of gratitude).
"Remember that we now have this casual job in this City Hall because of Mayor So-and-so's recommendation and appointment.
How dare you vote for the other candidate?!"...
"Let's make sure that Congressman So-and-so gets re-elected.
Remember that had it not been for his initiative, we would not have this beautiful covered basketball court in our baranggay! (village)" I personally regard this last statement as actually frying the taxpayers in their own fat.
It is simply disgusting how these politicians would employ this brutal emotional blackmail, touting the projects they have accomplished when that is actually what they were elected for to do! And to think that those projects were also funded by the taxpayers' money, that in many if not most cases were actually delivered at a much reduced budget cost after all the kickbacks and S.
O.
P.
s (corrupted deductions) have been taken! Take note how secure is the sharpened arrowhead of this emotional hook: persuading its captured subjects to change their stand will literally require plucking their gills out to make it possible...
The hook of sentimentalism is also the culprit behind the election of incompetent and incapable leaders voted into office mainly by virtue of their popularity.
This disgraceful mess on the face of Philippine politics is divided into two major lumps: the historical populars represented by this line: "This candidate's family hails from a long line of seasoned politicians; why entertain somebody else who is a neophyte?" This group also includes the now shameless, official legitimization of the most closely-knit nepotism in our country: the prevalence of political dynasties wherein the father can be running for governor, the mother vying for congress, a son for the provincial board, another son for mayor, two daughters-in-law as municipal councilors in two separate towns, and perhaps the grandson for SK Federation Chairman! You can bet your last meal to the possibility that if their dog can be admitted to run for baranggay captain, they've long registered him, too! Boy! But the worst part is, such families still prevail from one election season to the other! The other group can be aptly named the hysterical populars as their leadership was actually brought forth by a hysterical mob, mostly composed of their fans and admirers as prominent celebrities and stars.
There is no denying the presence of a few outstanding leaders we have who have found access to politics through their celebrity status, but have duly proven their capacities for leadership and governance in their respective areas of assignment.
But for each one of such caliber, how many celebrity lawmakers do we have who'd better bring their sleeping bags for their sessions in Congress or Senate? Oh that Juan dela Cruz would soon learn his lesson in this area and accordingly avoid ramming this jagged hook in his own throat and those of his children! You may have heard this not-so-funny definition of democracy in the context of Philippine politics one too many times: "Philippine democracy is a government off the people, buy the people, and poor the people.
" Personally, what I would regard as the worst mode of sentimental politics is the practice of using the poor as the politician's fashionable hook to manipulate the voters' emotions - most of them of course are coming from the poor, eagerly waiting for their political messiah to show up.
Watch out for television and other media ads in particular that pose a candidate to be intimately allied with the poor, subtly presenting himself to be their champion.
Unless backed up with a consistent pro-poor day-to-day lifestyle, that person is nothing more than a conscience-less hypocrite who is very capable of doing many more crooked acts behind-the-camera once voted into power.
In the Chapter 6 of St.
Matthew's Gospel, Jesus Himself was very adamant against the practice of displaying and advertizing one's "acts of righteousness" toward the poor and the needy.
He even went further to condemning such Pharisaical hypocrisy in Chapter 23, comparing them to "whitewashed tombs which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean".
I am not saying that emotions have no place at all in the exercise of politics.
No.
As human beings, we are entities with feelings and are indeed moved into action by our prevailing emotions.
But woe unto him who takes advantage of this delicate human faculty just to advance his personal political ambition! We will do well to use the following filter questions to check whether or not a particular candidate is actually using Deception's hook of sentimentalism: "How often does this candidate refer to his family roots, ethnic identity or organizational affiliation as compared to his honest presentation of his capabilities and political platforms? How many members of this candidate's family is also running for other related political positions that might obscure accountability in the future? Is he in any way using his accomplishments or favors extended to exert an emotional pressure upon his beneficiaries and in effect demanding for their votes? Is the degree of his popularity consistent with his known competence in leadership and governance? Is this candidate employing campaign propaganda that utilizes exaggerated or theatrical alliance with the poor and capitalizes on their hopes for a political savior?" As we passionately take up the cause of God and really go for the best available candidate we'll vote for a particular position, we actually receive the divine fuel necessary to keep the dynamo going and maximize the power of our sacred vote.
