A family turns what should be a solemn occasion of grieving their father’s passing into a national spectacle, and with the succeeding revelations and accusations, now it appears the people can talk about nothing else. And because it is trending, it fuels news cycles, making the law of demand and supply come truly alive.
Why are Filipinos so enamored of scandal?
It could be human nature. People are naturally curious about, and entertained with, what is happening around them. Perhaps this is the same way we are glued to our favorite shows. This is more riveting, however, because it is true.
It could be schadenfreude, a perverse delight in witnessing the suffering, humiliation and downward spiral of others. This is especially so because while many Filipinos toil daily to earn a decent living, the main characters in this spectacle live in wealth and comfort without trying as hard. They have money, fame, good looks, and a boldness with their life choices—luxuries that many do not have.
It could be diversion. We face too many troubles in our individual and collective lives that sometimes it’s just good to take a breather.
Make no mistake about it, however: This show business saga, while momentarily compelling, is not the most scandalous we will ever come across. All around us, just remember it is more egregious that:
• The African Swine Fever endangers our common food and threatens our well-being;
• The people around the President chorus that he is “okay”—at worst, “somewhat impaired”—and we are expected to take their word for it;
• There are children whose health is endangered because their parents are too scared and distrustful of vaccines;
• Metro Manila residents are threatened anew by interruption of water services even as the Supreme Court has said the provision of such utilities is a public trust, not just a business;
• Our officials continue to dismiss the existence of a public transport crisis, which compromises people’s productivity and quality of life;
• Young men whose education taxpayers fund, and who will eventually become our military and police leaders and decision makers, engage in cruel, violent behavior toward their peers;
• “Police protection” takes on a different meaning as cops who are supposed to protect the citizenry do them harm and engage in illegal activity for their own game;
• The supply of drugs continues to flood the market despite the government’s aggressive, and sometimes bloody, campaign against it; and
• The planet appears headed toward irreversible warming, because nations will not sacrifice economic gain by scaling back on coal dependence and by lowering their emission of greenhouse gases.
These, among others.
Given people’s short attention span, that show business scandal will eventually fizzle out in the next few days—unless the main characters somehow find a way to outdo themselves yet again. It is best to consign them to their private, inconsequential lives and not fuel any more demand for their stories.
Meanwhile, the other scandals mentioned above deserve to be raised, discussed and debated day after day, until we see the truly satisfying ending of concrete, sustainable solutions, and a better life for all.