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February 27th, 2006
02:41 am - the culture of forgetting
A few weeks ago my cousin Cory celebrated her 20th birthday. She was named after my Lolo's cousin-in-law, Cory Aquino, and born on the day of the snap elections. I figured Tita Sylvia couldn't go out to vote on that day and so decided to name her daughter after her chosen candidate. A week later the revolution began and even though Tita Sylvia was in the hospital nursing her newborn daughter she got up and walked, back aching and tummy still swollen, all the way to Edsa.
Her brother-in-law always had fireworks left over from New Year's, which he'd then recycle for the next year. When Edsa happened he decided to put those firecrackers to good use and before you know it the whole neighborhood followed suit and lit the sky on fire.
I have vague memories of Edsa. There's one that i remember so vividly, though. I was sitting on my father's shoulders, and everyone was quiet while listening to this speech. My dad told me that the person speaking was Cory Aquino, and so i tried to get a clear glimpse of her but a gigantic yellow 'Laban' hand got in the way. I couldn't stop looking at that big yellow foam hand, and so I had my dad buy one and played with it all the way home.
These days, whenever I teach my students, i'm occasionally struck with the realization that i'm talking to people who have no recollection of having experienced Edsa. This isn't a good or bad thing, but whenever this occurs to me i always marvel at how a 4-year gap can cause such a difference between generations. And yet, I don't think even we realize anymore how beautiful this revolution was. When all is said and done the Edsa revolution was about thousands of people holding nothing but rosaries and flowers taking on tanks and machine gun-wielding soldiers. Those days weren't like us and Edsa 2; everyone in that rally was terrified that they were going to die, and yet they were ready for it.
But we forget a lot of things. That's probably why they say we're the happiest country in Asia, despite being one of the poorest. After Edsa everyone had a high-- the tyrant was gone, it was time for the country to rise. 20 years later we're pretty much experiencing Edsa 4, except everyone's too tired to call it that. We're still digging the same holes for ourselves, and no matter how much we want to change we're still putting the same people in power. Something horrible will happne, and when something else grabs our attention we totally turn our back on that.
And so tomorrow we'll all head back to work and take our lunch break and maybe watch a movie. Imelda Marcos will enter a store and will be treated like royalty. Aquino and Estrada will side together for the issue of the moment. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will break another promise. Willy Revillame will come back after two weeks and sing the Wowowee song and everyone will clap their hands and sing along. How lucky we are that we so easily forget.
Current Mood: happy edsa weekend, everyone
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Comments:
| From: | (Anonymous) |
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| Date: | February 26th, 2006 06:41 pm (UTC) |
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hay, quark how do we EVEN begin to finally understand the TRUE plotline of this country. One can honestly? on really laugh really. --larry y.
![[User Picture]](http://l-userpic.livejournal.com/20422618/3507357) | | | eternal sunshine of the spotless mind | (Link) |
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naiiyak ako sa sinulat mo, naalala ko tuloy yung mga lines na 'to:
Blessed are the forgetful, for they get the better even of their blunders...
How happy is the blameless Vestal's lot! / The world forgetting, by the world forgot / Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind! / Each pray'r accepted, and each wish resign'd.
*sigh*
| | Re: eternal sunshine of the spotless mind | (Link) |
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true dat :/
![[User Picture]](http://l-userpic.livejournal.com/19636894/2147083) | | From: | ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) intrigero |
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| Date: | February 28th, 2006 05:01 pm (UTC) |
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| | Re: eternal sunshine of the spotless mind | (Link) |
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i cried in that scene in the movie. but you're right, that quote applies so very well to our people :)
| From: | (Anonymous) |
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| Date: | February 26th, 2006 10:13 pm (UTC) |
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hello. i'm no livejournal user but your entry reminds me of that Mark Twain quote: "happiness is good health and a bad memory."
![[User Picture]](http://l-userpic.livejournal.com/17302481/2903175) | | From: | jetskee |
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| Date: | February 27th, 2006 01:55 am (UTC) |
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how come you have EDSA 1 memories and I don't? we're about the same age naman.
i have a really good memory. i can actually even remember being thrown up and down as a baby (it could also be an overactive imagination though). my dad told me once that some nice soldiers let us ride their chopper during edsa, which i froget, but i definitely remember the big yellow hands :)
Forgiveness is divine. Forgetting is inexcusable. LOL
![[User Picture]](http://l-userpic.livejournal.com/40430238/864929) | | | quark henares for president | (Link) |
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fucking hell, quaso, really sorry about everything happening
--mza.
I thnk, Quark, that something terrifically bloody is needed to make this country never forget how lucky it is. in that sense, I agree with you that EDSA I is beautiful - but I also think it magnified the Filipino's "forgetting".
I spent EDSA I cooped up at a relative's compound in New Manila. Hehehe.
That last paragraph has real resonnace to it. Tama ka.
"We're still digging the same holes for ourselves, and no matter how much we want to change we're still putting the same people in power. Something horrible will happne, and when something else grabs our attention we totally turn our back on that...
...How lucky we are that we so easily forget."
Hear, hear, Quark. Timely post. I feel the same.
happy 6 years! holy crap life is so swift
![[User Picture]](http://l-userpic.livejournal.com/76450404/4849775) | | From: | chic_r |
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| Date: | February 27th, 2006 12:14 pm (UTC) |
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How lucky we are that we so easily forget.
yeah i think we are. but in a weird way, may pagka unlucky din kasi we forget things that really matter and things that shouldn't be taken for granted.
Imelda shops in 168. Times have changed.
what's 168? a thrifty store? +blink blink+
saw her in gb4 the other day..
![[User Picture]](http://l-userpic.livejournal.com/44043921/4605910) | | From: | toyd |
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| Date: | February 27th, 2006 10:30 pm (UTC) |
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Sad but true brother.
![[User Picture]](http://l-userpic.livejournal.com/63687466/1173144) | | From: | rickyv |
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| Date: | February 28th, 2006 01:00 am (UTC) |
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you know how Pinoys like settling a problem by teasing, cajoling and forcing enemies to shake hands, so everyone can just be happy? and then they celebrate and forget about the issues that caused the problem in the first place? part of my mind thinks that EDSA 1 was probably like that. and soon after it happened, we just wanted to forget.
this is making me so emo.
| From: | (Anonymous) |
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| Date: | March 2nd, 2006 07:33 pm (UTC) |
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| | nice | (Link) |
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direk quark, you should make a movie about EDSA and how it change or did not change people. lolz
let's make a movie about this :)
i'll produce!!! |
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