We have been receiving a lot of e-mails asking us to reveal our identities. Why this obsession? Is there no truth to the words we speak? Must our faces and so-called identities be linked to what we are say so that they can be true? You are not blind, you know we are right. How can we be not right if we are just mirroring reality. Why can't you engage us in constructive dialogue amidst the anonymity? We remain anonymous not because we are afraid but because we want to prove a point - there are students who are bothered by the things that are happening and that are not happening. We are students, undergraduates. That should be enough. Why do we need to attach names, ID numbers, and courses to what we say? What end will that achieve?
In connection to "identities", there is the question of what exactly are we doing to make things "better". On the group level, we recognize that we cannot do everything. Thus we saw that it is our role to be mirrors of reality and popular student sentiments (we either agree or disagree to these). Isn't "disturbing" an action in itself? Why are people clamoring for us to do something concrete? Is this not concrete enough? And why should we have monopoly of all the actions? There are thousands of Ateneans out there. This is our part to play. What is yours? What is theirs?
On the other level, as individuals, we are deeply engaged in many activities related to our cause. Many of us are members of organizations and some of us are into student politics. We are people who have seen the system both inside and out. We know what we are saying for we are in the system, we are not detached but truly embedded.
Are we alone in our sentiments? No. There are many who support us. Many have e-mailed us, expressing their support for us. There are also those who support us. We are a gadfly, we don't expect everyone to agree with us - what is important is that people engage us.
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4 comments:
How can you say you are right in mirroring such "reality"? You seem to be claiming infallibility.
"We are people who have seen the system both inside and out. We know what we are saying for we are in the system, we are not detached but truly embedded."
--> e ayun pala e. kayo nandun, bat ginugulo niyo yahoogroups na para sa management? e sistema niyo naman pala yan.
Dear Gadflies,
You seem to have a lot of questions for us in you post entitled "Recent Comments." I am only too happy to answer sincere and reasonable questions - it's such a relief to be able to discuss reasonably once in a while, isn't it? :-)
• Why this obsession?
o The decent ones among us desire that your provocative, sincere, and necessary words gain credibility by having someone put his or her name on the line to support them. The indecent ones among us desire to persecute and splatter you with cuss words and sentences written entirely in capital letters. Hey, you asked.
• Is there no truth to the words we speak?
o Of course there is!
• Must our faces and so-called identities be linked to what we are say so that they can be true?
o No, but your faces and identities must be linked to what you are saying so that it is believable. True and believable are two different things, and no on will believe what you are saying unless you stand up for it by risking your real names. The smart ones will find the truth out for themselves. Your message will be lost on the rest. Sayang.
• You are not blind, you know we are right.
o True. Doesn’t mean you’ve contributed to the discussion.
• How can we not be right if we are just mirroring reality?
o It is not enough to mirror reality. One must engage in it. Philo 104.
• Why can't you engage us in constructive dialogue amidst the anonymity?
o That’s what I’m trying to do now. Is it helping? :-)
• We remain anonymous not because we are afraid but because we want to prove a point - there are students who are bothered by the things that are happening and that are not happening.
oWhat a relief! I would hate to think of such eloquent and articulate students as cowards. However, your logic is flawed. Your point would be better proven by risking your names for the sake of what you are saying rather than by speaking anonymously. Your point has not been made strongly enough.
• We are students, undergraduates. That should be enough. Why do we need to attach names, ID numbers, and courses to what we say? What end will that achieve?
o It will give you credibility and make you a reality rather than an eloquent specter. We don’t know that you are students or undergraduates. For all we know, you could be some bored hacker who likes causing a stir at bourgeois universities by using anonymous blogs and multiple e-mail addresses. What end will disclosure achieve? It will allow us to trust you enough to believe in what you’re saying. We already know that what you’re saying is true, of course, but the point of saying things that people already know is to heighten awareness and foment action among those people. That requires trust.
• Is this not concrete enough? And why should we have monopoly of all the actions?
o We don’t ask you to have a monopoly on actions. We are not lazy. However, if you insist that your part is to anonymously spout pretty words that just happen to be true, then I and many others will be disappointed, because, while laudable, that is far short of the leadership that is required to bring about lasting, positive change.
• There are thousands of Ateneans out there. This is our part to play. What is yours? What is theirs?
o You do yourselves a disservice if you confine yourself to such a narrow part when you are capable of so much more. Don’t hold back, my friends. As for our parts, well, some of us will fight actively for change. Some of us will work for it diligently, but quietly (The unsung folks at the Sanggunian really don’t get enough credit for the hard work they do behind the scenes, by the way). Some of us will be content to be critical, honest, and hardworking citizens who vote and pay taxes lawfully. Some will go abroad, gain skills, experience, and money, and then bring it all back here. Some will flee entirely and forget they were ever Filipino. Some will become blue vultures, leveraging wealth, power, and the Ateneo diploma to drain the lifeblood of critical, honest, and hardworking citizens who vote and pay taxes lawfully. You’re not going to influence the latter to change by remaining anonymous.
• Are we alone in our sentiments? No. There are many who support us. Many have e-mailed us, expressing their support for us. There are also those who support us.
o I am one of them.
Have a great day!
Carlo Antonio R. Rivera IV
042720
IV - AB Literature (English)
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