I REMEMBER the old days when we were children, we would all be instructed to take afternoon naps after lunch.
Some of our elders (or worse, older siblings who were actually more strict than our parents) would check on us from time to time to see if we were really asleep.
On some occasions, they would teasingly poke us to see any reaction. If there were none, they would chuckle and proclaim, it’s really impossible to wake someone up when he’s only pretending to sleep. Thus, the old Pinoy proverb.
Similarly, on some issues today where varying opinions fly hotly back and forth, it’s quite noticeable that, in many cases, the more unpopular side still hangs tough like avid fans despite overwhelming odds and evidence.
They refuse to accept the mandate of neither what is legal or a majority.
In fact, the avid turns rabid when they employ whatever extent at power they have just to suppress those who go against them. If not for anything else, it’s both confusing and unbelievable at the same time.
I remember a school debate in high school where the losing side, because of its weak defense and flimsy reasoning became the laughingstock of the audience.
Observing closely each member, I had to admire that despite all the heckling, they all appeared unnerved and cool throughout the ordeal.
As they went down the stage, I even overheard one member who still couldn’t accept their loss mutter, “I still don’t get how we could lose.”
All this reminds also me of an old t-shirt drawing of a mouse, seconds only from death but still proudly flipping at the eagle that was hovering above him. The caption read, “The last act of defiance.”
Surely, some perspectives can withstand even the strongest gale.
In fact, this “sticks and stones may break my bones” mentality is like Custer’s last stand and is also synonymous with that road less travelled by Frost.
I can see why, those on the opposite side pull at their hair in frustration, when trying to either win them over or when totally committed to grinding them to the ground.
The same attitude in times of war and conflict exist. In front of the world, diplomacy is casually thrown out the window and in its stead, a devil-may-care posturing is arrogantly paraded.
Despite all odds against them, the antagonists do not ever admit to being wrong.
Meanwhile, pardon me if it may sound derogatory or not politically correct, but when we were children, whenever someone among us during playtime refused to surrender, we likened them to Japanese soldiers in WWII, no retreat no surrender.
In the end, simplistic or not, everything is just different sides of the same coin.
Who readily admits to being wrong? What is another man’s floor is another man’s ceiling.
Even as in every day’s debacles and debates, there is an absolute truth—any opposing force, with feet planted firmly on their own version of a hallowed ground, will just simply declare: Who died and made you king?
