the age of despair
Manila, 5 August—On this day eighteen years ago, I took an exam that changed my life. At the time, the idea of living away from home and amid a sea full of strangers loomed in the horizon as this distant, terrifying thing. As it would eventually turn out, the University of the Philippines was the only way forward. And the rest, as the say, is history.
The exams have since been moved to accommodate the shift in the academic calendar, which now starts in August. The university has undergone so many changes in recent years, but what hasn't changed is the fact that it still is the University of Pila. Earlier this week, I was concerned and surprised to hear that students were camping out to submit their UPCAT applications.
I mean, we like saying in jest that this is actually character-building for what the rest of their life, especially because they have to queue for basically everything anyway, from public transportation, to banks, to voter registration and passport renewals and drivers' licenses, etc. But still. Is there no better way to do this?
In news of interest: Janet Napoles and her family members were recently indicted by a US federal grand jury for "conspiring to funnel in and out of the US some $20 million in Philippine public funds obtained through a multi-year bribery and fraud scheme."
The Inquirer broke the Napoles story in 2013, and we did a multi-part series on Benhur Luy's hard drive in 2014. For days on end, we went to work early and went home at midnight, just to get them right. We thought we were onto something.
I guess that had been a naive thought. I was thoroughly frustrated when the DOJ under Vitaliano Aguirre put Napoles under "provisional" witness protection. To me, that really screamed, "What's the fucking point?"
The feeling of hopelessness had been so deep-set that when the new DOJ secretary ended Napoles' witness protection, it offered me no relief. After all, isn't this government so full of self-serving machinations?
The question remains: How do we keep going in this age of despair?
I read this timely essay on The Rumpus by Lyz Lenz about Why Writing Matters in the Age of Despair. She talks about gaslighting in abusive relationships and abusive governments, and how writing helps keep things together and put things in perspective.
The entire essay is filled with quotations that really struck me, from the likes of Milan Kundera and Patricia Hampl. Of them all, I choose this passage, which comes from Lenz:
We write because words are the most powerful tool of citizens in a regime that seeks to erase their existence. We write to make it known that we are here. We write to make a personal accounting of who we are in the face of a power that wants to erase us.
So write. The world is much better for it. Let me know if you have written any new words. And as always, thanks for reading mine.
No spoilers please! We're still watching Orange is the New Black Season 6
Orange is the New Black Season 6 is now on Netflix! A bit on the slow and boring side? Anybody agree yet? Catch it on Netflix here
Bookmark recs:
Splice has a crazy plan to make 100 media startups in Asia. I think I'd like to be a part of this. Tara?
How to write a book without losing your mind (via The Atlantic)
On tyranny, populism—and how best to respond today (via The Economist on Medium)
Consume anything interesting over the weekend? Reply to rec! :)