Publicity of foolishness

 “Nice words and nice appearance doesn't conclude that someone is nice. I believe that the nicer you look, the more deceptive you appear.” 

― Michael Bassey Johnson

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

LET’S vote only for politicians who did not brag about the donations they sent the victims of super typhoon “Odette” or “Rai”; candidates in the May 9, 2022 Philippine election who elected to stay behind the scene, or did not showboat in public to tell the world they were so “concerned” and “affected” that scores of families and neighbors lost their loved ones and

properties to the killer storm that recently steamrolled Central Visayas and Surigao del Norte.

Being concerned and affected is not the exclusive domains or feelings of those who intend to hold a public office.

Publicity of goodness sometimes can be tantamount to publicity of foolishness. 

Even ordinary characters like the hardened criminals and those who belong in the marginalized sectors would also feel the weight and terrible loss brought by the tragedy that befell the residents in the affected regions.        

We need leaders who have the inclination to work silently and anonymously but efficiently and effectively; they who don’t grandstand and don’t parade their good deeds. 

 

-o0o-

 

God knows how to reward those who share their blessings in times of turmoil and calamities; He knows also who are the hypocrites, the scoundrels, the epals, and the Real McCoys.

Most of those who highlight their public service with unnecessary media stunts and excessive public exposure are normally the types of public servants who will hanker for overblown recognition even if they don’t deserve it once they are in office.    

The “Odette” tragedy has exposed many of these hypocrites. They think their presence or their photo ops during the distribution of goods and cash showing them giving directions left and right, was a major plus factor to prop up their public image.

On the other hand, there were low profile politicians or candidates in the coming election who muted their distribution of calamity assistance and didn’t use their acts of “generosity” and “kindness” to promote their virtues in public. 

Once elected, some of them (not all) might be ashamed or afraid to steal the taxpayers money. By their public display of affection and kindness we shall know them.

 

-o0o-

 

Did our government officials act quickly to respond to the crisis brought by the recent typhoon?

Aside from the National Disaster Coordinating Council and its local networks (regional, provincial, city), the following main agencies: Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Department of Health (DoH), Department of Energy, and Department of Transportation should have moved in at least 24 hours after “Odette’s” destruction was revealed and reported in media, when typhoon victims were facing imminent decimation, when lives could have been saved.

Sadly, the cries for lack of food and water, power outage and isolation due to total darkness, impassable or blocked bridges and zero communication signals continued to batter the affected areas almost a week after the nightmarish onslaught of “Odette” occurred.

 

 -o0o-

 

CRUNCH TIME. Holiday shopping may flatten our wallet but it could also trim our belly. 

As we comb the racks, let's stand tall and squeeze our stomach muscles for five seconds (pretend we're bracing ourselves to lift a heavy box). We've just done the equivalent of one sit-up, says physiologist Pete McCall, of the American Council on Exercise.

Normal sleep is eight hours, health experts say. Oversleep can cause severe headache. Doctors suggest a banana and fresh milk for those who have less sleep (especially for those who slept less than six hours).

BRAIN FOOD. We could cut the risk of Alzheimer's disease by a whopping 42 percent. Columbia University researchers found when they analyzed the diets of 2,136 adults over 65 that meal plans with highest intake of lefty greens, tomatoes, and cruciferous veggies like broccoli and cauliflower plus fish, nuts, and vinaigrette-type salad dressing, with only small amounts of full-fat dairy products, cut their odds of Alzheimer's.

The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality has defined 8 major components of "optimal sexuality." 

Based on interviews with 44 individuals who reported having great sex, plus 20 sex therapists, a team of researchers identified 8 key factors--being present, connection, deep sexual and erotic intimacy, extraordinary communication, interpersonal risk taking and exploration, authenticity, vulnerability and transcendence.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two Iloilo dailies.—Ed)

Did God listen?

 “For prayer is nothing else than being on terms of friendship with God.” --Saint Teresa of Avila

 By Alex P. Vidal

 

SOME Filipinos believe that prayers can save us from catastrophes and calamities, before, during and after.

Is it because of the presence of good and evil that catastrophes torment humanity? 

If our prayers were “answered” earlier, there were cases when super storms, earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions detected by weather experts either avoided the Philippines, “terminated” their wraths, or didn’t make a landfall.  

If they were “answered” while the tragedies were unfolding, those who “believed” were saved and spared from death and destruction. 

If they were “answered” after the catastrophes, the victims easily recovered from the trauma, physical and economic losses, and rebuilt their lives sooner than expected.

 

-o0o-

 

When super storm “Odette” recently lashed at Surigao and other areas in Visayas, many people even from regions and provinces not hit by the storm, bombarded the social media with prayers; they asked God, the Divine Providence, to spare their countrymen from death and destruction and to halt the killer typhoon right away.

Did God answer the multitudes of prayers? Maybe yes, maybe not.

Either God wanted to stop “Odette” but did not, or He wanted to stop “Odette” but could not.

This reminds us of Voltaire, who wrote a poem in which he discussed a theodicy, that is the problem of justifying the existence of evil and suffering in the world while believing at the same time in the existence of a good and omnipotent god. 

Voltaire, a French philosopher, argued that the evil in the world cannot be the will of God, because in that case would not be a good and just god, but it cannot be someone else’s responsibility, because in that case it means God is not omnipotent.
From Voltaire’s perspective, to say that evil only seems to people to be bad when instead it is part of a universal good is a distortion of reality because it denies the suffering and it is also an insult to those who have been victims of natural laws. 

-o0o-

 

Scam artists and unscrupulous individuals take advantage of calamities and disasters where there’s a need for the victims to receive immediate help and attention from the Good Samaritans and foundations, civic clubs, other non-profit organizations, to make their own unauthorized and fund-raising campaign.

Because they are up to something sinister and aberrant, these scam artists and thugs in most cases use the social media and other electronic communications to implement their malpractice where they are most effective and creative.

This has happened in the past and this will happen again. In fact, if we open the private messages in our social media accounts, it’s happening and the scammers are back with a vengeance!  

 

-o0o-

 

Some network foundations have been making regular public announcements about their donations to victims of super typhon “Odette” like they’re operating a public alarm system.

“Nakahanda pong tumulong ang aming foundation sa mga nasalanta ng bagyo ‘Odette’ dahil gusto po naming maging masaya rin sila sa pasko (Our foundation is always ready to help those who are victims of typhoon ‘Odette’ because we want them to be happy during Christmas),” volunteers one network foundation. 

It’s not wrong to help, especially during calamities like the recent super storm that devastated Surigao and some Visayas cities and municipalities.

It’s not wrong also to announce it, especially if the intention is to convince other donors to contribute something in the foundation.

The purpose of foundations is to receive donations and extend help financially and otherwise. They are useful especially during calamities, disasters, famine, pandemic and other situations where essential assistance is necessary and urgent like rice, canned goods, noodles, blankets, cloths, slippers, shoes, water.

What’s awkward and superfluous is when the foundations, as the givers, will add the vainglorious phrases that connote a message that it is necessary for them to give to ensure that the receivers will be happy and satisfied during Christmas.

Whether the goods and financial assistance will make the victims of “Odette” happy isn’t the issue. It’s their survival; whether the foundations get acknowledgement isn’t important as well.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two dailies in Iloilo.—Ed)