I am squeamish any time somebody brings up “good” versus “evil” in politics because in this context, the Church pretty much has a monopoly on ascribing what either one is. In the classic binary of black-white, devil-satan, there is little acknowledgment of the gray in between. Randy David rightly cautions Noynoy Aquino‘s camp from overtly framing his candidacy along these lines:
For, such moralistic formulations preempt and disparage the need for a careful and reasoned analysis of the problems that confront us as a nation. They tend to focus on the character of the doer than on the origins and consequences of the deed. They ride on unexamined moral prejudices, and simplify the search for political solutions into a quest for heroes. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo may be the most despised president in the nation’s history, but instead of ascribing to her sole authorship of everything that is bad in our government, I find it more arguable to think of her as a reflection of our society’s basic problems, or the street-smart personification of a dysfunctional social order.
Perhaps because I have seen what ‘evil’ professional purveyors of morality can and do perpetrate up close, I share David’s opinion. The Church has called pro-Reproductive Health advocates ‘evil.’ There is no reasoning with anyone who thumps the bible and calls on God as final arbiter on affairs of humankind. There is no room for debate and no room to unpack and balance ideas on what it means to be a mother and what a woman’s rights are vis-à-vis her husband, her family and the State.
There is no question that the Church played a significant party in the first People Power. Then, they also framed the Marcos regime as the evil empire to be toppled. Here, let me say I understand where Conrado de Quiros is coming from when he says the battle is that between good and evil:
The people who criticize Good and Evil presume completely unsophisticatedly and plain ignorantly that we think only with our conscious abstract mind, not with our unconscious image-making mind. They’re so busy looking at logistics, figures, organizational charts, they cannot appreciate the power of myth, symbol and archetype. Or the power of the storyline the ad agencies of the “presidentiables” are so desperate to find and mine for their candidates. The phrase “Good vs Evil” is merely a symbolic, mythical, archetypal, shorthand for a situation where the choice has become so stark, so life-and-death, it cannot be captured by trite and sullen articulations.
It was linguist George Lakoff who said our brains are structured to process information and to find meaning in metaphors. The human mind organizes thought by creating categories. For political purposes, Lakoff, a democrat, has written literature on how Republicans have successfully used language to frame many policy issues. It is understandable, then, that De Quiros is hammering the Good versus Evil frame. On the surface, this is a metaphor that has rung true among homo sapiens since they started walking upright. We categorize things as ‘bad’ or ‘evil’ if they harm us and ‘good’ if they don’t. In discerning the difference, we act accordingly.
Let me suggest then that David and De Quiros’ seemingly opposing views need not be irreconcilable. For the purposes of elections in these extraordinary times – the good versus evil frame will be useful. But for the purposes of governance, the day-to-day nitty-gritty of running a country, we might want to heed David’s appeal to careful reasoning.
And since history has shown we have no problem fighting the battle of Good verus Evil, then we might want to shore up our collective capacities to fight the more protracted battle of figuring out how we can function as a just and prosperous nation.
Popularity: 1% [?]
In the case of the reproductive health bill, the black-and-white dichotomy of good versus evil surfaces only in so far as the issue of abortion is concerned.
Incidentally, morally, legally, and psychologically, abortion at any stage in human development is a transgression or violation of law.
Can Noynoy accomplish the multiplication of the loaves of bread and fish? Can our latest messiah to be accomplish this?
Not by himself. We need people participation this time around. Our role does not end with voting.
This will be a red herring and it will distract the discussion away from “Good versus Evil” or even elections-2010.
Pinoys-in-Pinas in the next months after election-2010 will be looking to malacanang and the congress to solve the nation’s problems, not the other way around.
The citizens will continue focusing on working for a living (or looking for a job), plus Sundays. What “people participation” would you look for, then?
That’s a basic misconception. Democracy is not just about elections UPn. After the elections, the people have to continue to be involved.
cvj: Abe would say Pinoys-in-Pinas are better participants than Kano’s-in-USA, (Abe mentioned Manila taxi-drivers listening to GMA SONA).
Why do you say that the Filipino people were not participating in the past decades? What Pinoys-in-Pinas did not do is to have food riots over rice, but Erap got ousted and citizens tried a surge against GMA and Trillanes-and-company had Oakwood and many Pinoys are fighting against “Reproductive Health” because they think the bill violates some of their important their principles and citizens marched in Makati against “broadband” and wrote against Le Cirque.
What would you want to see?
UPn, i’m just correcting your misconception.
Yes. We can blog about it from the time we realize our mistake. Then what?
Then we make our leaders accountable.
it’s your own “misconception” that is the problem, cvj. goaded by just-can’t-lose politicians, and sensationalistic media, politics have been known to be the philippines’ most favorite past-time. many pinoys like you are not shy about shouting “patalsikin”, “alis diyan”, “tama na, now na”, at every hint of scandal without even knowing the difference between accusation and guilt. that’s “participation” for you.
From experience, we learned that apathy breeds impunity.
Shouldn’t the vote go to the candidate who multiply jobs?
Pinoys can obtain the college degrees (100,000 new nursing graduates each year). Pinoys can’t find the jobs (12,000 new nursing jobs each year).
Noynoy should take counsel from Elie Wiesel, there is evil in everyone’s heart, his included.
you mean it requires an elie wiesel to point this human condition to everyone?
It is also washingtonian philosophy: “that abuse of power predominates in human heart” and also einstein: “It is easier to denature plutonium than to denature the evil spirit of man”.
In the Philippines, no one’s good. Everyone’s evil. So the “few good men (and women)” want to leave the country.
lol.
So many modern names.
St. Paul mentioned this a millenia ago
But he also taught of controlling them.
there’s no need to heed counsel on this from anyone. what’s wiesel got to do with noynoy’s candidacy? nada. evil is inherent in every person. period.
in which case, noynoy should also heed counsel from a toilet bowl, because i also said it. :DDDDD
Filipinos are essentially dualists. If they have God, then need the Devil. The problem is that the Devil is in the details!
even assuming, for the sake of argument, that the coming election is a battle between “good vs. evil”, who is the evil and who is the good? in another thread, abe margallo talks about how noynoy promises to go after certain people in the current administration (obviously referring to the president and her family), if elected. the amusing thing is that noynoy will not, as a practical matter, be running against arroyo for the plain reason that she will not be on the ballot. noynoy’s eventual opponent, i believe, will be manny villar, and even a certified moron would know that villar is no more “evil” than noynoy (although villar appears to have more what it takes to be a great president).
the attempt by some characters to frame noynoy’s candidacy as an anti-arroyo crusade is a big insult to the intelligence of the people. either that or it shows contemptuous regard to the alleged “vacuity” of the filipino voter. if he knows what is good for him, noynoy himself should not allow that but should instead concentrate on proving himself worthy to be president more than his actual opponents.
Unfortunately for you Bencard, the coming elections will be about Gloria or how she has bastardized democratic institutions in the country. See this :
http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/editorial/view/20090915-225246/Access-denied
A memorandum circular recently issued by Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez would make it difficult for people to get copies of the Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth of government officials. It is the latest move of the Arroyo administration to hamper access to information on matters of public concern.
The memorandum is unconstitutional and undemocratic. Unconstitutional because the Constitution recognizes “the right of the people to information on matters of public concern.” Undemocratic because information is the oxygen of democracy; the citizens of a democratic nation cannot form intelligent opinions and make wise decisions unless they have the necessary information on which they can base their judgment on matters that affect them.
tranquil, so let aquino “win” over gma while villar gets the presidency. sounds good enough for me.
Villar will bite the dust in this election especially if he as much as try to court Gloria’s PALAKA.
who said villar will “court” gma’s party? i would think her supporters would be welcome to vote for him, but i doubt villar would need to pursue her party’s all-out support. if he gets it, it would be because he is the BEST candidate for the country.
Villar is “BEST” only in your mind Bencard; a whole lot of others have a different opinion.
The election – assuming it is honest – will prove the difference.
sparks:
I agree with you that a metaphorical and a rational approach to political discourse need not be irreconcilable, but differ with you on their ‘situational’ utility. I think David’s concern is that focusing on the ‘Good vs Evil’ paradigm will distract us at a critical juncture when we should be applying a very critical eye on all political parties and their candidates. Rallying behind the Good might dislodge the Evil One in Malacanang — and I think it’s a safe bet that will happen given the political events in the past two months. But we should never let our guards down lest the old guards slip past again us unnoticed. Remember the two EDSAs? I say we have enough room for both De Quiros and David.
Integrity – Is it Possible?
Sparks, your key insight on the language of politics is very much head on. Framing the debate is how many political strategists go about highlighting key aspects or what they want the voters to think are the aspects in any issue.
Take for example, the current health care debate that we are having in The U.S at the moment… there is literally a memo from one or two Republican strategists that have put “government takeover” as one of their key phrases to scare the living daylights out of Americans and to sway and direct the flow of discussion on specific aspects of this issue.
These are talking points, and I assume, De Quiros is trying to single-handedly shape the discussion into as simple and memorable line of thought as it can be. And is there anything more simple than Good and Evil?
While I do like De Quiros, I think this talking point may have its downside as the Admin and foes alike cover more ground on their negative campaigning, and what if.. Noynoy cannot claim the mantle of “GOOD”, weeks or months from now? It will no longer be a battle of good and evil, it will be a battle of the lesser evil.. such as what is already being played out by anti-Noynoy individuals who are harking to the Hacienda Luisita issue of his family.
The point is, as a self-anointed strategist, De Quiros better have other talking points in his playbook.
i beg to disagree with your take on republican “talking points”, nick. republican or no republican, the people mostly know the score (even better than their representatives who, for the most part, haven’t read the proposed bill). this is why people from all walks of life and political persuasions, ordinary housewives, retirees, small businessmen, unemployed workers, etc., are spontaneously swarming town hall meetings, marchers, “tea party” caravans, etc., at their own time and expense without pre-organization and funding. despite what pelosi and reid say, these are mostly non-partisan, non-ideological gatherings of ordinary people concerned for their future and that of their children.
i agree with you on de quiros. i don’t think he is helping noynoy’s cause at all.
CVJ, how many people in this blog actually participate in the political process after elections. Paying the correct amount of taxes, following the rules etc. Questioning power.
Plus joining citizens groups. The latest mass mobilization that occurred in Washington was the result of the right in the U.S. organizing the disparate fringe groups of the rightist elements of the Republican party around the lightning rod of a word ‘socialism.’
Many pinoys who are new American citizens as a result of opening up of immigration to colored people in the late 60′s should read up on the history of the right wing of the Republican party.
The right has been ascendant since the seventies and somehow they have lost their way. During the Reagan years they tried religious Christian fundamentalism. This started to unravel when Clinton came to power. But Clinton was more a centrist Republican than a Democrat.
Then the fiasco of the fiscal crisis and the massive government intervention started by the Republicans under Bush and Paulson. Nobody can argue that helped Obama become the first African American rise to the top of the heap.
McCains desperation shown thru when he said he had to pluck Palin from the wacko fringe base to try to stir up things. The wackos were given a platform..
Now those poor ignorant saps have found the old bugaboo to rally around on.
The old anti-com, anti-red scare. Terrorism lost its luster as an organizing tool. In economic downturns the exorcists of the already dead marxist theories are always dusted off. This time the target are the private health care industry by the government as they have become a drag on the competitiveness of the American economy. Naturally they will fight back. The race issue also comes in handy.
First you agitate, then you organize then you mobilize… That is the tired old tested formula for organizing in political movements.
You keep throwing shit against the wall hoping something sticks. U.S. unemployment is more closer to 15-20% and people are angry. The truth does not matter. Emotionalism sells like hotcakes. Not facts. Media from the right to the left need sabongs to keep ratings up..
C-Span and PBS have very low ratings. Here in the Philippines it is even a greater wasteland..
We the people , the true government have lost our way. The religion of money is supreme.
Just look at the ongoing feud between Ping and Erap. Ping’s problem today is simple. Why only now? It appears you swam with scum. Now because of that he is being implicated in a horrible murder. So he comes out swinging against the man who made him PNP Chief. Why only now????
He should have resigned early on as an admission against his own personal interest.
It appears he witnessed evil early on and he kept silent… But the scary part is how a man like Erap got to be elected in the first place. We the people were asleep on the job of keeping tabs on our public servants. Plus what is worse is there is just too few capable of keeping watch.
I hate you Ja_g, you always say the right stuff.
And I can only manage to give a two thumbs up.
we’ll talk about Republican “talkiing points” maybe in another article Bencard.. It’s a good discussion to have, I know..
This is the reason, I have also cautioned, not to put too much hope
on the guy. He may have a good name, but no solutions to our problems. WE NEED A DOER WITH A VISION. A MAN WITH A GOOD TRACK
RECORD.
Can you tell us who is best, Hyden? Your manok?
Senator Joker Arroyo challenged the presidential aspirants to “elevate” the campaign by debating on four issues that will confront the new presidency. Joker Arroyo’s four issues are (i) RP-US Visiting Forces Agreement, (2) reproductive rights bill, (3) Charter change and (4) possibility of a failure of elections next year.
What’s going on? Isn’t anyone interested in jobs-jobs-jobs and economics?
UP Grad… Pinas would not be an idiocracy (or mediocracy even) if Filipinos start talking jobs and economics.
Alam mo naman ang lupa ng mga jolog – total drama island… LOL. may paiyak-iyak, may pasigaw-sigaw – ayos na benta na sa takilya.
It can be a starting point. But, most candidates prefer
to bring Wowowee Revillame and Pokwang to campaign for
them.
We are all “Utak ng Tilapia”. Our country is falling down
and we are doing political fiestas.
If Manny Villar goes ahead and runs with Willie Revillame, we will see if Pinoys today are still ‘utak tilapia’.
Sparks:
Pinoys already voted for an Erap Estrada.
And they are about to vote for another Pinoy who is the oligarchs and landlords’ version of the dimwitted Erap.
Huh, clean up the Philippines? he can’t even clean up his own backyard in hacienda luisita, pilipinas pa. As pointed out in Hacienda Luisita Revisited
Nonynoy’s gut reaction after the the shooting incident was to blame the rallyists.
And looking at the facts of the case, the Aquinos have the blood of farmers in their hands, they are no better off than the dictator they replaced.
They had the moral ascendancy and lost it in Hacienda Luisita.
And pinoys expect the tiger to change its stripes? Talagang utak ng tilapia.
BongV,
Qualitative difference between Willie and Erap. At least Erap was a career politician -decades of experience.
Willie will shoot up to VP w/ only Wowowee hosting on his CV?
Like I’ve said. Noynoy as president will be good for agrarian reform if only because it will be put the issue front and center. Let CARP advocates tear him apart on this issues and see if he holds.
oh, but why do we worry about jobs and economics? we’ve got the call centers redeeming us, remember? our english will save us from economic damnation. hello world, we’re ready to pick up your trash!
There are sales- and cashier-jobs at ShoeMart, but the benefits-package non-existent and salaries are really not that good! There’s a Pasay-entrepreneur (product-line : chicharon) who makes over P32,000-a-month, though.
yon naman pala, there’s promise in enterpreneurship. so why the economic glorification of call centers–easy come, easy go.
From where I stand, it is not good versus evil.
Rather, it is simulations. Or as Michael Sorkin says, “the disappearing boundaries between the authentic and the put-on” – if you follow my drift.
It has always been good versus evil.
The separation of church and state has not eliminated this battle because it is the essence of our existence. Why do you think governments were made in the first place? Against killing, stealing, doing injustice to one another etc. Good vs. Evil.
Kapag hinimay himay mo dun pa rin hahantung yang lahat.
Although in this instance there are parties that would focus on this hoping this as a diversion (noynoy vs. gloria) instead of rich vs. poor (noynoy vs. manny villar)
Although in these times, I fear that the battle that is being waged throughout the governments of the world has transformed to EVIL vs. EVIL. One evil regime after beating another. Using evil means to fight evil.
The first test of a Noynoy presidency is this: he will shift on his original position on RH bill to the other side of the ethico-religious fence.
What does that leave of the man?