BY:DONALD SEVILLA ARTICLE
FROM THE FRYING PAN INTO THE FIRE
Nothing is as divisive and partisan as our politics.
While in a democracy the majority rules, it does
not necessarily follow that it is always right.
Going with the flow or tagging along with the
herd may seem a safe choice. Yet, it does not
guarantee the right option. Sometimes we need
to stand up and stand alone, though odd to get
others to regain their senses.
It is easy to get lost in the myriad of propaganda
and be carried away by pleasant rhetoric if only
to be in and among the many.
Thus said, it is important that we don’t lose our
bearings and remain steadfast to our convictions,
committed to a noble cause.
In politics, loud and high- profile players may
gain advantage over low-key and silent workers
like Pharisees who proclaim to the world their
actions, as perception matters.
In a battle for people’s mindsets, a clever use of
propaganda and image building counts. Even
though one may not be imbued with intellect and
adequate leadership skills, media hype and a
good PR can be more than make up for their
inadequacies.
Hence, we elect public officials who seem to
know nothing except excel in the art of people
relations. A good tap on the shoulder and a
couple of handshakes here and there can get
one elected into public office.
Such is how superficial our choices for leaders
are. We elect popular and familiar names and
faces without even bothering to dig deeper into
their leadership skills and public service records.
It is ironic that we require so many things from an
ordinary job applicant yet are lax in choosing
those who intend to lead us and impact our
lives.
Almost two years have passed since we elected
a new set of leaders to serve us. But what have
we got to show? Were we better off then, than
now?
Our answers may depend on which side of our
bread is buttered and we can be very partisan in
our responses. Yet, we can’t help asking could
we be jumping from the frying pan into the fire?
So what now Bohol?