We Are A Bunch of Fault-Finders and Whiners

This democracy that we have now is more popularly known to the world for what it once gloriously achieved: The overthrow of a dictator by means of an unprecedented violence-free revolution. It is an undeniable fact that when the masses of people walked to EDSA in 1986, these masses, Filipinos standing up for a, then, very oppressed country and people, were successful in reclaiming our freedom. Having done so showed the whole world the essence of a democracy. As far as we are all concerned, this is the victory of all victories. I do think, however, that all we have been doing since then is chasing the high that came from such a triumph.

There is nothing wrong in doing what EDSA I empowered Pinoys to exactly do: Always push against oppression and fight for what we think is right. This empowerment, however, has left us to be perpetually dissatisfied with our government and practically everything else. For every issue, big AND small, we fret and whine. It’s as if complaining is our only solution

P0.01 increase in gasoline prices? Transport strike.

Budget cut? Rally.

Issuance of a building permit to a large realty company? Black propaganda.

An allegedly biased chief justice? Impeach.

An unsatisfactory performance of a president? EDSA 1. EDSA dos. Tres. Quatro. Cinco

Launch of a new tourism campaign? Sarcasm. Bashing. Skepticism

A very promising campaign and government efforts in this country are welcomed with everything, but support. Our instinct is to find all the flaws of the program like we’re its monster mother-in-law. The “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” tourism campaign was immediately accused to be a copycat campaign from Switzerland’s 1951 tourism slogan:

To make matters worse, since we Filipinos think that we’re all witty, we flood social networks with sarcasm:

Do we not understand the objective of a tourism campaign? If this is what we call “poking fun” at the situation, then our brand of humor is really of bad taste.

I understand that it is our right to stand up, speak out, and be heard. Democracy. I get it. But we don’t have to be detractors all the freaking time.

Our endless complaining will not help anyone, especially our government. If we think that our government needs some improvement, let’s support its efforts at least once in a while. We’ll be stuck in a cycle of EDSA uno-dos-tres-quatro if all we do is find fault, pass blame, and whine. There’s a silver lining somewhere, people. It won’t hurt to choose to see it once in a while.

Ma. Eliza Christine Gomez, Entry #4

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