Never Again
An essay by inveterate opposition internet denizen M. Buencamino in Business Mirror castigates the middle-classes' cravenness to their upper-class masters (yawn) and questions their continued relevance to national issues. My initial reaction was 'here we go again, they can't enlist any support from the middle for their agenda, so they resort to casting aspersions on its collective character and asking if it is even needed'. Well of course the middle class isn't necessary; the opposition has been courting it assidiously for almost a year now, just for the pure heck of it.
But back to his essay. On reading it again, I thought Buencamino did make at least one good point, only he may not have realized it. Thus, in the spirit of amity and reconciliation, I've decided to focus on that particular point of agreement, so that, using everyone's favorite phrase du jour, we can all move on. Here's the choice excerpt:
"The middle values stability. Their biggest fear is slipping off the ladder and falling back into the masa’s arms. They will not take chances."
Agreed. Stability is such an underrated virtue these days, especially among certain quarters. Glad to know the middle still values it. And rightly so that they are apprehensive of falling back into penury. Really, we already have enough poor people in this country as it is; creating any more would be downright immoral. This distaste for ill-considered adventurism moved by well-justified fear of possible consequences would in saner societies be called prudence; over here, it's yet another underrated virtue.
As for the chances we are asked to take... What exactly would be gained? More uncertainty? Another bad precedent? Another bad president? No, thank you, but we'd rather not have any more political instability and capital flight than is absolutely necessary. We'd rather not have the possibility of another Erap assuming the throne. One more of him and we're done for. Seriously. IMHO, that's what the middle classes had in mind when they marched in EDSA Dos and chanted "Never again!" But, of course, you already knew that.
Having disdainfully dismissed the middle class, Buencamino then goes on to take the poor for granted, before finally devoting the major part of his essay to a pathetic attempt to sow dissension in the ranks, ostensibly by warning the rich that the erstwhile parvenu living by the Pasig can quite easily bite the hands that feed her. Of course, from his tone, he probably couldn't care less if that happened, if only it wasn't the detested midget doing the biting.
I know that what passes for the opposition's brain trust is starved for ideas, fixated as they are on pretermination like pit bulls to a scrawny leg. But really, is this the best they can do?
Other more rational, thoughtful and, yes, moderate reactions to the essay can be had elsewhere on the interweb, if you'd prefer something other than this rather bilious take at it. Two I particularly like are posted by baratillo books cinema @ cubao and Out of my mind.
But back to his essay. On reading it again, I thought Buencamino did make at least one good point, only he may not have realized it. Thus, in the spirit of amity and reconciliation, I've decided to focus on that particular point of agreement, so that, using everyone's favorite phrase du jour, we can all move on. Here's the choice excerpt:
"The middle values stability. Their biggest fear is slipping off the ladder and falling back into the masa’s arms. They will not take chances."
Agreed. Stability is such an underrated virtue these days, especially among certain quarters. Glad to know the middle still values it. And rightly so that they are apprehensive of falling back into penury. Really, we already have enough poor people in this country as it is; creating any more would be downright immoral. This distaste for ill-considered adventurism moved by well-justified fear of possible consequences would in saner societies be called prudence; over here, it's yet another underrated virtue.
As for the chances we are asked to take... What exactly would be gained? More uncertainty? Another bad precedent? Another bad president? No, thank you, but we'd rather not have any more political instability and capital flight than is absolutely necessary. We'd rather not have the possibility of another Erap assuming the throne. One more of him and we're done for. Seriously. IMHO, that's what the middle classes had in mind when they marched in EDSA Dos and chanted "Never again!" But, of course, you already knew that.
Having disdainfully dismissed the middle class, Buencamino then goes on to take the poor for granted, before finally devoting the major part of his essay to a pathetic attempt to sow dissension in the ranks, ostensibly by warning the rich that the erstwhile parvenu living by the Pasig can quite easily bite the hands that feed her. Of course, from his tone, he probably couldn't care less if that happened, if only it wasn't the detested midget doing the biting.
I know that what passes for the opposition's brain trust is starved for ideas, fixated as they are on pretermination like pit bulls to a scrawny leg. But really, is this the best they can do?
Other more rational, thoughtful and, yes, moderate reactions to the essay can be had elsewhere on the interweb, if you'd prefer something other than this rather bilious take at it. Two I particularly like are posted by baratillo books cinema @ cubao and Out of my mind.
posted by Demosthenes at 2:23 AM
<< Home