On activists and speaking your mind
One of my profs didn't show up for class today. I was just waiting for one-third of our class time to pass so that, as university rules dictate, I could walk out and not be considered absent if ever he showed up later than that. But then this small group of activists showed up.
They were targeting the freshmen and started giving a long speech about junking UP's tuition increase and opposing commercialization. I'm sure you've heard about such UP activists even if you go to a different school. They're anti-government, anti-administration, anti-commercialization, anti-world, anti-everything.
I usually just disagree with them silently, or in writing. Because activists are much like religious fundamentalists. They always have to be right. There is nothing you can say or do that will convince them otherwise. And they can be really abrasive and even violent when it comes to dealing with people who have an entirely different set of beliefs. They even splashed the College of Law with red paint during the time the tuition increase was being deliberated upon by the Board of Regents. So I usually just don't say anything.
But this time around, as I listened to him ramble on passionately, I was waiting for an opportunity to raise my hand and ask, "So if the government plans to withdraw it's financial support, you don't want to put the financial burden on the students, and you're completely against commercialization and the financial independence of UP, then how do you plan to fund our education --considering yearly inflation, the rising prices of oil, and as a result, of all other commodities, and the fact that our economy hasn't been doing so well?"
Personally I think commercialization and financial independence is the answer, because the government has proven time and again that it can't really take care of us. And it breaks my heart to hear about hopeful, idealistic kids who pass the UPCAT, but then realize that they can no longer afford the education our university offers.
But I wasn't gonna say that, since it's pointless presenting another idea to activists since they always have to be right. Instead, I wanted the 'solution' to come from the activist guy himself. If he even had one. I'm not the only one who has thought of asking these people, "So we fight against the regime and hopefully win. But then what?" I know people who have done it. And surprisingly the answer was always a vague, "Basta po ang importante ay makipaglaban tayo. Na may magawa tayo."
I was thisclose to raising my hand and asking my questions. Unfortunately the guy just kept talking. He didn't even breathe. And when he was done, he just walked out of the room because he was running late for something. Ano ba naman yun? When you give a speech, you invite questions. Or at least breathe and wait for them to come. You don't just say your piece and walk out of the room.
Di bale. Next time I will ask, even if it means cutting him in the middle of a sentence. Having something to say and not being able to say it is very frustrating. Most Filipinos may be used to it, our culture being defined by words such as pakikisama and backbiting. But little by little I'm starting to rebel against it. In fact, I don't like it at all. Even the part of me that is like that, I've been slowly putting to death. I may not be the most talkative, ma-PR person on the planet, but when I have something to say, I try my best to actually say it.
There is such a thing as dealing with things diplomatically, which I should practice since I'm a VP in my org. Not to mention it will do me good in all other aspects of life. But even diplomacy is just a tactful way of expressing everything that needs to be expressed.
Going back to the activist speaker, he left a sign up sheet for some leftist seminar. He didn't even stay to collect it since he was running late for a meeting. Instead, he asked that any of us take the initiative to leave the sheet at their org's tambayan. Ano ba naman yun.
But the funniest part was how the freshmen reacted to the sign-up sheet. As soon as the speaker left the room, they started passing it around. Nothing more. They didn't sign it, they didn't even have second thoughts. They just passed it around and started laughing when they realized no one was signing it. I was the last person in its direction, and right before it got to me, I could see that it was devoid of any names. I shook my head at the guy next to me as he handed it over, and he just slipped it into his desk --to be discovered years later by future UP generations.
"Ang haba-haba ng sinabi niya, wala naman siyang nakumbinsi," he commented on our way out.
Love it! To think I was worried about such people brainwashing our dear freshies. But still. Lagot sa'kin ang susunod na aktibistang mangampanya sa klaseng pinapasukan ko. Muahahaha!!!
Catherine
They were targeting the freshmen and started giving a long speech about junking UP's tuition increase and opposing commercialization. I'm sure you've heard about such UP activists even if you go to a different school. They're anti-government, anti-administration, anti-commercialization, anti-world, anti-everything.
I usually just disagree with them silently, or in writing. Because activists are much like religious fundamentalists. They always have to be right. There is nothing you can say or do that will convince them otherwise. And they can be really abrasive and even violent when it comes to dealing with people who have an entirely different set of beliefs. They even splashed the College of Law with red paint during the time the tuition increase was being deliberated upon by the Board of Regents. So I usually just don't say anything.
But this time around, as I listened to him ramble on passionately, I was waiting for an opportunity to raise my hand and ask, "So if the government plans to withdraw it's financial support, you don't want to put the financial burden on the students, and you're completely against commercialization and the financial independence of UP, then how do you plan to fund our education --considering yearly inflation, the rising prices of oil, and as a result, of all other commodities, and the fact that our economy hasn't been doing so well?"
Personally I think commercialization and financial independence is the answer, because the government has proven time and again that it can't really take care of us. And it breaks my heart to hear about hopeful, idealistic kids who pass the UPCAT, but then realize that they can no longer afford the education our university offers.
But I wasn't gonna say that, since it's pointless presenting another idea to activists since they always have to be right. Instead, I wanted the 'solution' to come from the activist guy himself. If he even had one. I'm not the only one who has thought of asking these people, "So we fight against the regime and hopefully win. But then what?" I know people who have done it. And surprisingly the answer was always a vague, "Basta po ang importante ay makipaglaban tayo. Na may magawa tayo."
I was thisclose to raising my hand and asking my questions. Unfortunately the guy just kept talking. He didn't even breathe. And when he was done, he just walked out of the room because he was running late for something. Ano ba naman yun? When you give a speech, you invite questions. Or at least breathe and wait for them to come. You don't just say your piece and walk out of the room.
Di bale. Next time I will ask, even if it means cutting him in the middle of a sentence. Having something to say and not being able to say it is very frustrating. Most Filipinos may be used to it, our culture being defined by words such as pakikisama and backbiting. But little by little I'm starting to rebel against it. In fact, I don't like it at all. Even the part of me that is like that, I've been slowly putting to death. I may not be the most talkative, ma-PR person on the planet, but when I have something to say, I try my best to actually say it.
There is such a thing as dealing with things diplomatically, which I should practice since I'm a VP in my org. Not to mention it will do me good in all other aspects of life. But even diplomacy is just a tactful way of expressing everything that needs to be expressed.
Going back to the activist speaker, he left a sign up sheet for some leftist seminar. He didn't even stay to collect it since he was running late for a meeting. Instead, he asked that any of us take the initiative to leave the sheet at their org's tambayan. Ano ba naman yun.
But the funniest part was how the freshmen reacted to the sign-up sheet. As soon as the speaker left the room, they started passing it around. Nothing more. They didn't sign it, they didn't even have second thoughts. They just passed it around and started laughing when they realized no one was signing it. I was the last person in its direction, and right before it got to me, I could see that it was devoid of any names. I shook my head at the guy next to me as he handed it over, and he just slipped it into his desk --to be discovered years later by future UP generations.
"Ang haba-haba ng sinabi niya, wala naman siyang nakumbinsi," he commented on our way out.
Love it! To think I was worried about such people brainwashing our dear freshies. But still. Lagot sa'kin ang susunod na aktibistang mangampanya sa klaseng pinapasukan ko. Muahahaha!!!
Catherine