If you wish to contact me for any particular reason, please click here.

Feb

14

This Despicable Wreck of a Society

Filed Under General | 6 Comments

Everywhere I go in this hometown of mine I see laws being broken left and right. Worse, they are being committed by people in power and those aspiring to be in power. This is most evident come election time, like right now. I have previously posted a link to the COMELEC rules and guidelines on proper campaign conduct, and I’ve yet to see a single local candidate stick to it. All of them have broken the rules. And they do it with impunity. And COMELEC it seems, is helpless to do anything. I have reported such illegal activities twice, and have gotten no response.

Everytime I go into town my blood never fails to boil whenever I see these politicians smile their fake smiles parading their photoshopped teeth and lipsticked lips at me through posters placed where they are not allowed to be, long before the allowed campaign period begins.

I also see proposed buildings about to be constructed without the benefit of Architects, and of course, those buildings in their proposed perspectives, look butt fucking ugly. That’s what you get for not getting Architects. Strictly speaking, that is illegal now as well. RA 9266 specifically states that every building that is to be constructed needs to be designed and signed by an Architect. This is a law that has been passed for many years now. And yet, buildings are still being built without Architects.

I was part of a team of Architects who met with a group of civil engineers at the local building office a few years ago and that meeting ended on a sour note. I get the impression that the local government just refuses to enforce this law.

And this is just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak.

Today I learn a senator who once tried to pass bills that would control what we read and what we saw, who tried to pass bills that would try to muzzle our freedom online, is now championing another bill that seeks to uphold ignorance.

If ever it becomes law, should I care? I do, but for all we know, this would be another law that would just be completely ignored like all the rest. What makes this law special that it HAS to be enforced while the others that I have listed above never have been?

Fine me, put me in jail for importing a BOOK? FUCK YOU, SENATOR. You aren’t getting my vote. You have NEVER gotten my vote. If I ever decide to vote that is.

I’ve become hesitant to step out of the house because I know I’ll just get mad. Mad at everything and anything, about things that I have absolutely no control over.

I get mad perhaps because I care a little too much about what’s right. At 45, I’m not too sure if it’s a healthy thing to stay idealistic. Because I find I’m mad a lot of the time. And it just eats me up inside.

More and more I’m thinking that to achieve peace of mind means becoming apathetic as well. Because of I stop caring, I will no longer be mad. This country can go fuck itself all it wants and what’s it to me? I don’t care. Would I want to be THAT person? Would I want to be that person who throws up his hands and say “We’ll that’s how it is in this country. Get over it.” Do I WANT to be that guy? For a long time I hated people like that because to be apathetic is to be part of the problem and not the solution. To be apathetic is to surrender, and that leads to atrophy and decay. Morally, spiritually, and intellectually.

Surprisingly enough, despicable wreck of a society that this is, it still works. Our country is generally peaceful, compared to other countries. We aren’t a nation at war. We aren’t a nation under communist or fascist dictatorship where simply writing something like this online can get me jailed or killed.

I am alive. I have a job. I have the freedom to choose which religion I want, and I have the freedom to choose not to have one if I so wanted. I have the freedom to wear what I want, cut my hair any way I want. I can go out and afford to eat and not have to fight with people for it. I have the freedom to vote, if I so choose. I have the freedom to leave the country and visit other places. I am free to improve my standing in life, buy my own property and call it mine. I have the freedom to create a business. I can even afford to be ambitious and dream of achieving big things.

Other people may contend that I should just shut up and be thankful for what I have. Others have it worse.

Is it so wrong, even when I have so much already, to want things to be better? Is it so wrong to ask that the law be followed when it is only the right thing to do? Yes, we have all those things, but we should not just settle for it. We should always strive to do better, always to do things better. If we got it good, then let’s not stop and let’s wish for things to be even better. No good will come from just settling. We do it not just for ourselves, but for those will follow after us.

So am I going to surrender, be apathetic? Be like those other guys who just take it, hold up their hands and say, “That’s how it is!”

I don’t know. It’s a dilemma I find myself in. I know I’ll never stop caring, but I have to do something that will keep me from dying of frustration and anger every time I go out. I want to achieve peace of mind without having to let go of things I believe in. The world will still go on, it will continue to spin, and society will continue to move on even when I die. In fact, society will even hardly notice I’m not there, so am I just getting worked up for nothing? Endangering my life by getting frustrated by things that don’t even know I exist?

My wife always tells me I’m a worrier. I find that this is true. I worry about the littlest of things. I need to find a way to get that in control. I have to learn to let go. It’s a time of great confusion for me. I’m thinking I may have to go away for a while, and think. Somewhere I can just cut myself off from everything. And it’s got to be soon.

Comments

6 Responses to “This Despicable Wreck of a Society”

  1. Auggie on February 14th, 2013 5:06 pm

    It’s good to be a worrier Gerry, because it means YOU GIVE A DAMN! what will happen to our society if nobody ever gives a damn anymore? It means we all have become a nation of sheep with all these SOBs lording the land. The main reason why all these SOBs politicians are moving heaven & earth, short of murder to get elected is because getting elected to a public post is the easiest & fastest way to get rich. It’s risk free because ROBBERY & THEFT is legalized, unlike being a drug lord, jueteng lord, praise the lord and other lords. If you are elected, you are practically given CARTE-BLANCHE to rob the public coffers blind. Jeeeze, 400 BILLION Pesos lost to Gov’t Corruption ! Think how many cheap housing for the poor? how many kilometers of railroad? how many school buildings? how many hospitals and barrio clinics? how many airports and piers? how many baranggay roads? and the list goes on… The Citizens has got to be OUTRAGE! to bring some changes here. About that UGLINESS that you mentioned, I fully agree…Our urban places are really ugly because the officials either lack the sense of aesthetics or just closing their eyes because of bribes. But it’s really ugly!

  2. Paul Garcia on February 16th, 2013 12:59 am

    Welcome to the club, master Gerry.

  3. Francis Lim on February 18th, 2013 12:02 am

    whew! only you Gerry would have the cajones to say what you just did….but you’re right. And you’re not alone…

  4. Benedict Punzalan on February 21st, 2013 6:27 pm

    Yeah!!! its a bad thing that i have to think that im the “devil” that will woop their asses in hell.Fuck their Law.the only one who benefit their law,is them the one who holds the power.The law of Man is culture base,it should be base on whats right.I dont hate Architects, Engineers , Contractors but sometimes they follow the same system that the Bad politicians do.i hold the power(law) so i have the right to rule and be rich,i have my liscence (im more educated) sow im the one who will benefit more of this project,im the brain.Just imagine where in a system of society and law that only the HEADS that benefits.And what happens to the Body,to the arms,to the legs….Fuck the LAW of man.GOD have created the best form Human Beings in the late days,on our time where the worst forms of human.Knowlegable but poor of understanding.im not agree that citizens should be outrage!were just turning people to victims of their own emotions.i remember the film hero a quote there saying “all above heaven”.To the law makers and leaders, they should serve people and God.not their selves only.i leave my word “Do not hate people who commit wrongness and sins,instead pray for them because their route to hell is more near.its realy hard but its the right thing.Do not hate instead be the right example.

  5. Johann Reyes Serafica on March 14th, 2013 2:00 pm

    Sir Gerry,
    Fight the Power! More power to you! Speak Truth to Power! Make great comics! Make great blogs! Peace out.

  6. Francis on April 1st, 2013 4:11 pm

    And I am not voting either. I hope this is the beginning of my “NO VOTING” stance. Who can’t be worried with all the unspeakable things happening in Philippine Society? Even heartless criminals are saddened the situation our country is in, what more for people like you Gerry? Whose training is in the arts and the aesthetics? Architect. You’re in San Pablo and I’m from Imus. You know what? I see Laguna as Makati and Cavite as Pasay. So close and yet so far. A study of contrast and comparison. The hell, Gerry! Laguna is far better than Cavite but I guess these politicians are the same wherever they go. Fucking idiots with a heavenly fucking grin from ear to ear! Fuck, fuck, fuck!