IN PART 1 of this essay, I traced the history of self-celebrity, and the death of meritocracy, with the Internet explosion in the first decade of the new millennium.
I also reviewed the traditional beliefs such as “Silence is gold”, and “Silent water runs deep,” et cetera.
So, to continue…
***
Silent water runs deep, maybe; but in this new millennium, noisy water wins the day.
Kaya naman nag-iingay ang mga bobo.
Kahit walang point.
Kahit shitpost.
Kahit meme at gaya-gaya lang ang opinion.
Kahit plagiarized ang idea.
***
And for what?
In the hopes of becoming like the Kardashians, or like Trump.
Lahat nagpapapansin: Pabukol boy Tiktokers.
Suso girls sa streaming ng online gaming.
Katangahan at mga jackass moves sa YouTube.
Okeykayu! Namitkayu!
Lalong higit na katangahan at kawalang-hiyaan sa Tulfo.
(Half million ba, Ate Achay, ang ibinigay mo sa mukhang kabayo mong online boyfriend?
Nagsalamin ka ba?)
Anything basta makakuha ng followers.
Sa Wattpad at sa Facebook, smutwriting para madaling mapansin.
Para maka-5 followers agad. Go lang!
***
Tapos, ako ang sasabihan na papansin at pabuhat (like sitting on their shoulders) sa Wattpaders at RPW communities.
Kesyo binabatikos at inaaway ko raw sila dahil laos na ako, matanda na, at gusto ko lang sumikat.
(As if may power sila na pasikatin ako!)
***
This is all Kabobohan 2.0.
And the smart people have left the building which is on fire.
As in, Hell fire!
***
This Kabobohan 2.0 na nilalaban sa social media at writing platforms is the cause of self-diagnosed “mental illness,” stress, anxiety, and insecurity (which may or may not lead to suicides and permanent delusions). Especially among the Filipino youth.
Mga batang walang capabilities to cope with real life, and online stress. Lalo’t pinagsabay.
***
Binu-bully na nga sa real life dahil ang papangit at tigwawampipti lang ang braces, binubully pa online dahil walang sense ang mga comments.
Nag-feel good sa 3 likes.
Nagpasad boi effect (are you lost, baby girl?) para kaawaan at bigyan ng care emojis.
And then, what?
After one week, wala nang likes.
Delete account. Start again.
***
Start again.
No need for real names. Dummy accounts will do.
Tutal, di rin naman kasi sisikat.
Tutal, matitigil din ang likes at interest ng mga tao after a while.
Tutal, hindi naman talaga mapapansin at mapahalagahan ng nag-iisang ThePSN.
***
Again, nasaan ang mga matatalino in this picture?
Nasaan ang mga good parents, noble teachers, anointed priests and pastors, moralists and great leaders of this nation?
Nasaan sila while the Filipino youth are confused, “feeling lost,” and (sa aminin man nila o hindi) badly needing guidance?
***
I consider myself smart — UP’s Outstanding Student; and UPV’s Most Outstanding Graduate back in the day.
I’m not only intelligent, I’m also socially aware and active in nation-building.
Hindi lang as a writer, but also as a social worker.
*
I will also not apologize for being a religious missionary at one time, and for being a disciple of Jesus hanggang ngayon.
I’m not embarrassed to admit that when faced with difficult situations, I always ask myself “What would Jesus do?”
***
So yeah, meron din akong kaunting Messianic complex.
Ambisyoso rin kasi akong maging kagaya ni Jesus.
Gusto ko ring mag-save ng mga tao.
Lalo na ng Filipino youth — ang kabataan na hindi na pinapansin ng mga magulang, guro, pari at pastor, at matitinong tao dahil wala silang time and patience para sa youth arrogance and stupidity.
(Aaminin ko, kung hindi lang ako mayaman, successful, and in a good place right now, mapipikon din ako.)
But I really see how miserable these poor unfortunate souls are, and I feel that I am called to save them.
I think that is something that Jesus would do.
***
I would like to be the healing hands of Jesus.
The embracing arms, the loving gaze.
But I want to keep my words. (I’m a writer!)
Kung ayaw ni Jesus na tawagin kong gago, bobo, at tanga ang mga taong gago, bobo, at tanga, please lang, s’ya mismo ang kumausap sa mga taong ito!
Tingnan ko lang. (Kasi, I have this idea that if Jesus spoke to these young people today, pagtatawanan lang s’ya ng mga kabataang hindi naman talaga nagbabasa ng Biblia.) (To be continued)/PN
