Archive for category Social Comment
Valedictory Speech (an illusion)
Dear (omit: fellow) graduates,
How do you make a graduation march look cinematic? That long arduous function that ushers in a new generation through a new threshold of social expectations. What an irreplacable joy it is to have the discipline and diligence indeed to have come this far! Congratulations to all my friends whose paths I’ve crossed and are now crossing a path still ahead of me. Bid your farewells to the academe, by all means do so, you truly deserve that goodbye! I commend your determination and above all your courage. If anything, the university life is but a riddle to the Life that often eludes our temporal meander in this world. And let me tell you something about the world: it is teeming with opportunities, strife, crooks, unemployment, interesting colleagues, friends, traitors, money, happiness, struggles, creativity(!), companies, countries, dinner parties, society, love, hate, poverty(!), TAXES, obligations, governance, subordination, family, documentation, promotions, post-graduate, independence, boredom, youth, etcetera etcetera etcetera… Take it from someone who took on the world before taking on herself. We all have our answers to own one day with a strong heart and mind, charateristics of heroes and heorines. And that my friends, is truly cinematic.
My deepest gratitude to all my teachers who showed no tolerance for my indolence and for that, evicted me from across disciplines to teach me a more important lesson. I may not be your most studious student but I have learned indeed! Thank you to the tertiary institution for its stubborness and legitimization of my rebellion, and having such a dry sense of humor: it has the last laugh, for now. Thank you to my parents for worrying (sometimes, needlessly) for my future. Mothers and fathers wish their children to grow up strong for they have the wisdom of the damage caused by powerlessness. It may seem like an obvious choice, but we must learn to accept strength instead of weakness. And tread our own path with fearlessness and zeal!
To those who are left behind, such as myself I have something to say to you: What now? NOW, that we have the upperhand. They just don’t know it! All the choices we’ve made and the mistakes many people have said we’ve made, to them we say: So what! I know, I know. But know that there is no reason to feel defeatist when we’re really the ubermench! This simply means that we are not easily defined by society instead we let society be defined by us. We are a huge chunk on the neighborhood which gives us the leverage of the minority. History has taught us that the minorities are the activists and the activists are the agents of change. As most people proceed through life comfortably and are unaware of the dangers, we have already become masters of our own discomfort and have skillfully laid out our options. We are the troubleshooters with a unique point of view.
Finally, thank you to the universe! I have graduated from that social and psychological torture called a “god” and I thank the masters Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche, Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beuvoir, Michel Foucault, Sigmund Freud, Ayn Rand, Robert Green Ingersoll, Bertrand Russell, Jean Meslier, Michel Onfray, the Zeitgeist and many other freethinkers I have met in this young life and have inspired my post-christian secularity. To take care of humanity is a soulful task yet an immense responsibility that we do entirely alone. No earth, no heavenly consultation, no tradition is the sole basis of our personal, ethical, biological, artistic, intellectual evolution. Borrowing the thought of this important adage, the Captain of my ship, master of my soul: is The “I“.
March, you graduates. I offer you a line from the song written by a great man by the name of John Lennon. The last song he ever recorded moments before he was gunned down is a very apt anthem of a struggle for existential pinnacle. And thus, the master spoke:
Walking on thin ice,
I’m paying the price
For throwing the dice in the air.
Why must we learn it the hard way
And play the game of life with your heart?
Cheers and good luck to you all.
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Yoko Ono feat. Spiritualized – Walking on thin ice [Download] [Lyrics]
The Wowowee state of viewer IQ
Posted by Kim in Dailies, Social Comment on November 24th, 2008
It’s no laughing matter to realize that the so-called mainstream media most Filipinos are exposed to these days can really dumb down a generation. I am deeply concerned about a story I heard about filmmakers speaking to some kids in Malaybalay, Bukidnon who were asked what they aspired to become. Their daunting reply: to become one of the dancers of Wowowee.
I don’t mind gregarious lunch time entertainment but some things are definitely exaggerated. The usual exchange between Willy and his contestants is only humorous when the latter is made fun of. Touching, maybe, but their momentary joy in being part of the festivities hardly compensates for the reality after the show. Moreover, the mechanics of acquiring the coveted cash prize has been a guessing game for the most part. And self-jest. Filipinos are used to it, we can argue, we’re all good sports – that’s always good. But the image you put forth is that when it comes to poverty, nothing lifts the spirits but a game of chance. And that’s why kids would rather be good at dancing for Wowowee someday. Easy money.
But nothing is easy. While Wowowee was playing on, if you go through the other channels, you’ll find that news about corruption in our country is at a plethora. A mind numbing plethora. I bet so many people count more on “Papi” than they do on our nation’s leaders. The reason why we turn to the horse blinds is because we don’t want to see. Numerous Filipino viewers have self-denial in their psyche. It’s too painful to watch your struggling life and its entire infrastructure crumble to the ground.
And why has everyone forgotten about the Wowowee stampede? I can’t imagine why such a display of recklessness had been easily forgot. I’m so angry. Are people simply apathetic or pathetic these days? There’s a fundamental difference, and neither is the other’s consolation prize.
The Democrats dominate, finally!
Posted by Kim in Dailies, Social Comment on November 10th, 2008
(A somewhat irrelevant reminder:) I hope these Dems will do something about Proposition 8, hmph!
Proposition 8 a Proposition of Hate
Posted by Kim in Dailies, Music, Social Comment on November 8th, 2008
Imagine that just a few months ago, you and your sweetheart were finally married after so many years of restriction to do so. And then suddenly you hear that the state no longer recognizes you’re married; that it is void. As newlyweds, it’s simply outrageous. But for us homosexuals, it’s a reminder of the loathsome movement that goes against the freedom of a certain kind of people, otherwise known as discrimination.
The bigoted heterosexual America contends that marriage is an institution designed for heterosexual pairs. That society cannot legitimize, incentivize and recognize love relationships of people who happen to love the same sex. The implications of the same-sex marriage ban trickles down to the true meaning of how freedom, respect and happiness are upheld for the US. It’s wrong. Proposition 8 is bigotry.
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Southisms officially endorses Obama
Posted by Kim in Dailies, Social Comment on October 29th, 2008
Just so we’re clear, kids, I am not a US registered voter nor am I a citizen yet. My mom’s Republican husband is voting for McCain (despite initially rooting for the more formidable Ron Paul), naturally with the intention of keeping Obama from winning the presidency. If you are a registered American voter, I advise you to vote for Obama instead and let me tell why you shouldn’t vote McCain.
If you are voting McCain, you will give the presidency the political leverage to continue to spend more money on the expensive and highly unethical war in Iraq. As Nicholas Kristof of NY Times had put:
An American President who keeps troops in Iraq indefinitely, fulinates about Islamic terrorism, inclines toward military solutions and antagonizes other nations is an excellent recruiting tool. In contrast, an African-American president with a Muslim gradnfather and a penchant for building bridges rather than blowing them up would give Al Qaida recruiters fits.
If you are voting McCain, the likely chance that your ability to afford medical services will not change from the way they are now. Under McCain’s policy, it will result to Americans still battling with self-interested insurance companies rather than government securing that the insurance is not a question but a right. McCain proposes that the US government should have nothing to do with insurance and is leaving your health care in the hands of those who wish to make money out of you. Good luck.
If you are voting McCain, you will be backing a leader who is hesitant in sending foreign aid where the world needs it, panders to the interest of private corporations and has a little or no humanitarian world view.
Finally, if you are voting McCain, you will give the government the power to withhold or insufficiently subsidize important government responsibilities apart from health care, and that is education, advanced medical research and improved domestic welfare.
Listen to the Global preference, a cry for reason. You are not only voting for an American leader but a world power. Understand the gravity of your choice and how it impacts people across the globe. Sense the desperation for renewal in American leadership and political narrative.
Vote Obama. Vote Change.
Mindanao film makes it to Cinemalaya 2008
Photo courtesy of http://morofilm.blogspot.com
My friend Jun Macarambon, who co-wrote “A step for my dream” had their film officially selected in this year’s Cinemalaya, inevitably the most prestigious film festival in the Philippines. I haven’t seen the film myself, but the fact that it made it to the festival should keep everyone’s heads up. It was directed by Monalayn Labado, also a Mindanawon. Hopefully, their producer Teng Mangansakan II, also a documentary filmmaker from Mindanao, would allow to screen the said film for this upcoming Mindanao Film Festival for everyone to see. Lately, the influx of critical Mindanao filmmakers shaking the national and international scene have grown since, perhaps, Lav Diaz. Other films to watchout for that are made by a Mindanao filmmaker include Sherad Anthony Sanchez’s film (director of Huling Balyan ng Buhi) “Imburnal”, which was recently shot in some parts of Bankerohan and Dumalag. It is an entry for this year’s Cinema One Originals. Also, an advocacy film was recently made entitled, “Hunghong sa yuta” which has already run on local cinemas. Noticeably, most of our fresh breed of filmmakers have done stories on Mindanao, treating these stories with a fair sense of what Mindanao truly feels like.
Best music software for parties
Posted by Kim in Events, Music, Playlists, Social Comment on June 23rd, 2008
Just last week, was the Bloggers Party at Casa Leticia and I volunteered to come up with the music for the night. Yes, I still have those pangs from good ol’ memories of disk jockeying days, so every opportunity to decide a playlist is such a BIG deal for me. Now, part of the BIG deal of it all is to make sure that the music fit the crowd but at the same time, you wouldn’t want something that distracted them from socializing with each other. Aside from the obvious factor of making sure that each song didn’t segue to each other awkwardly, I wanted to use a Music software that’d employ a really smooth crossfade between each song. Then Ria texted and told me to just burn a couple of CDs, heh, I ended up doing that, yes. But it doesn’t mean I haven’t thought about the more software-oriented approach of playing your party tunes.
A clank at Philippine Media, Showbiz and an Independent Society?
Posted by Kim in Dailies, Media, Social Comment on June 12th, 2008
Yesterday, that is June 12th, was the commemoration of the very elusive Independence day of the Philippines (since some historians argue among themselves whether it took place during the late 1800s or Post-Commonwealth). In fact, I’ve heard smart alecky remarks from some that we’re not a free nation at all so the theory in practice is rather pointless. But never mind that, ABS-CBN enshrines freedom and have televised that “symbolic interaction” by simultaneously doing a 411 primary school flag ceremony in all ABS-CBN headquarters nationwide. Back at the mothership you realize that they come across as unpretentious, just as long as you think about Eugenio Lopez in all his dignified exuberance say the words, “Mabuhay ang Lahi ng Kayumanggi” without first expounding this profound idea. It’s interesting really, so many social issues to digest in such a short declaration. Are we really a nation who embraces Kayumanggi? What with all this hype of Glutathione and Eskinol sikerto ng mga gwapo? What is the social construct behind Kayumanggi? Was Lopez particularly lauding an idealistic view of our lahi? What does that mean also? Race? Culture? Essence?
You can only relate to this if you’re a Filipino and watched TV most of the day like I did.
www.kim.southisms.com
NOT old news: Kho Halili sex scandal READ READ READ!
Posted by Kim in Dailies, Media, Social Comment on June 12th, 2009
Ironic Belo ad
Now since my sensationalist title actually worked, I would like to announce my strong suspicion that the Senate’s involvement in this scandal courtesy of Bong Revilla Jr. has siphoned our attention from the creeping in of the arbitrary constituent assembly (ConAss, for short – it being a charming pun intended) to the general public. Sadly, I have been aware of this sneaky consortium for more than a year now but have rarely caught it on the local news. How everyone managed to sit on the fence on ConAss until now remains a mystery even to its long time opponents. I figure that it must have been all the side-shows that took place over the last two years that have kept people entertained but abysmally uninformed.
Speaking of side-shows, since the Kho-Halili sex scandal broke out I held myself back to comment on the issue because firstly, I would have to illegally obtain a copy of the video from a sidewalk banketa in order to observe its implications to either party. I, as a student of the social sciences could not liberally incur analysis whether social, criminal, psychological or otherwise without having a full observation of the party’s behaviour and circumstance down to its naked facts. However, to admit that I have the materials in aid of analysis would be held against me presumably under anti-pornography laws and anti-piracy laws. Incidentally these are the two contentious issues being discussed in lieu of this so-called scandal, apart from Kho Jr.’s small but legendary wang.
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Barely Legal, Bong Revilla Jr., Constituent Assembly, Edu Manzano, Hayden Kho, Katrina Halili, Optical Media Board, Philippine movie industry, Piracy, Pornography, Senate hearings
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