Unfriend some you must

A lot of people have already commented that this campaign and forthcoming election has been the most divisive of all. Many people lament that social media has turned what is supposed to be the Kingdom of “Friends” and “Likes” into a battlefield where people absent mindedly post political slogans that get turned into pissing contests and eventually vicious character attacks.

The more optimistic individuals are calling for an end to hostilities on Election Day and a return to being “Friends” and carrying on with our “Shares” and our “Likes.” That would be nice, but beyond the politics and electioneering, what many of us painfully discovered during the campaign is that we have many “friends” whom we actually share nothing in common with in terms of character and certainly not in politics. That of course can be remedied with a dose of “Ka-Plastican” or hypocrisy in order to save friendships if you want too but the campaign hostilities revealed that there are more important things than foodie photos and getting “likes.” Perhaps we should all petition Facebook to speed up their “Dislike” button.

I personally don’t have a large population of “friends” and having reached the ripe old age of 60 last April, losing a few comes naturally (as some have kicked the bucket). I’ve also come to realize that some friendships are for a season or God’s reason so I’ve come to accept that they can be here now or gone tomorrow. But by and large, I figure that I too will be “un-friending” a number individuals simply for being proud and shameless “Haters.” As they say in Facebook, “I have enough drama in real life” to spare time for people who regale in the unkind and the uncouth. Enough with the energy vampires and start showing your appreciation for the people who did not let politics and politicians diminish friendships. Remember this piece of advice:

“Many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they look for a place to dump it. And if you let them, they’ll dump it on you. So when someone wants to dump on you, don’t take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Believe me. You’ll be happier.” – David J. Pollay, The Law of the Garbage Truck

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If you think your vote only represents your choice, your voice or your candidate, think again. Yesterday, I came across an advertisement of Channel News Asia about their programmed full coverage of the upcoming Philippine elections both from the local situation all the way out to the regional concern and potential impact of whom we choose and vote for on May 9. Apparently there is a serious concern all over Asia on the future of the Philippines in the next six years and how it will affect the region.

During the entire campaign, many of us have focused on local issues, personal aspirations, relations, friendships and loose notions of party affiliations. We have all been inside looking out, but thanks to the Channel News Asia advert, I was reminded of how our vote can be the best or the worst decision we make as a nation of voters and we will surely bless or curse even our neighbors in the region. Truly we are no longer disconnected island nations with individual destinies but neighbors who impact each other’s stability, growth and security.

For this reason alone it is high time that we “grow up” as voters, political leaders and especially as members of media. If anything, this recent campaign should be an eye opener to government regulators and legislators on how a number of media outlets made a commercial killing through excessively priced air time for political advertisements, how certain practitioners and outlets conspired and cloaked interviews that were suspiciously promoting candidates and suspected of being paid interviews. Once again, there is a need post-election day to review how media in general conducted themselves as sources of information as well as a barely regulated industry influencing public opinion through surveys.

Considering the fact that the two major networks continuously claim being #1, it may follow that the surveys being presented by TV stations are misleading. Given that networks are news sources, should they also be allowed to conduct surveys that influence public opinion? Sorry but there are trust issues involved and I hold that Media should give the news and not create it; directly or indirectly.

Yes, the campaign has been disruptive, divisive and combative. But I thank God that it also exposed many Key Opinion Leaders for who and what they are and where their level of “Wisdom” and intelligence really are. In this campaign a number of people I used to think of us persons having Wisdom, exposed their feet of clay as well as their wicked hearts and filthy mouths.

The Bible tells us: “From the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” – Matthew 12:34 and I certainly heard an abundance of hate, lies and deception” from people I had ignorantly looked up to as men mature enough to have the interest of the country before popularity or personal interest. I am truly saddened to discover that some whom I thought of as “Men of Reason” simply threw off that mantle and responsibility forgetting their role and the position that GOD has placed them in.

In a time of great discord, we need men of reason and wisdom to remind us to temper our emotions. We need them to teach and explain matters with objectivity and only public interest in mind. As much as they are able we need them to be impersonal, fair, intelligent and truthful.

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