ood evening, class.”
I glanced quickly at the big calendar hanging on the wall to double-check on the date. Is it really NOT November1?
My Alpha Section of third year law students looked so glum and downcast, I swear it felt like All Saints Day—the annual feast day for the dearly departed—inside the classroom.
“Well, the room looks familiar…you people look like my students,” I took a shot at breaking the ice, so to speak, “so what the hell happened to my exuberant class?”
“We lost in the election sir. We campaigned hard for decency and honesty in government and—” Miss Deema Niwala, normally the tireless class motormouth, could barely finish her sentence before biting hard on her pink handkerchief, fighting back tears.
“I just can’t understand why people would reject integrity and vote for corruption in government, sir,” Miss Kata, the class’ resident English major, chimed in. She too had glistening eyelids.
“No, no, no, don’t go there,” I said, keen on not allowing any more resurgences of election trauma in my classroom, “In an election you’re supposed to judge the CANDIDATES, not the VOTERS.”
“We can’t help it, sir,” Miss Laarnee Iwasan stood up, “we looked at the election as more than a contest between political parties. We looked at it as battle for the soul of this nation, a reaffirmation of what we believe in, of what we stand for as a people!”
“Uh-huh. And what do we stand for as a people, Miss Laarnee?”
“Accountability, sir!” Miss Laarnee bellowed, “and unequivocal proof of dedication to the tenets of genuine democracy and justice…”
“Well, that’s fine if you’re aiming for Miss America, or Miss Universe,” I said, “but all we’re looking for is a president. Someone who will carry out what the people want.”
“But that’s exactly the problem, sir,” Miss Deema retook the floor, “the people don’t know what they want. They certainly know what they don’t want—they don’t want corruption—so how come they still voted for what they know is bad for them? What is this? Total national cultural sadism?”
“Hmm…let’s take a close look at that,” I said, “Mr. Buhan, are you present?” I called for my student with the proper pre-Medicine background.
“I’m here, sir.”
“Tell us, Cabo, how many people die of lung cancer every year and what is its most common cause.”
I could hear my students rustling about, whispering, “where is the Prof going with this??”
“Lung cancer killed 130,180 people in the US last year, sir. Worldwide, the fatality number is about 2.1-million a year,” Mr. Cabo Buhan said.
“You did not answer my question. What is its most common cause?” I followed up.
“About 87% is caused by smoking, sir,” Cabo replied.
“Aha. Wow. Really? 87% percent, huh?” I repeated the statistic in order to preload a point I was about to make.
“So you’re saying around 2 million people all over the world literally kill themselves by smoking voluntarily and getting cancer, even though it is universally known and accepted today that smoking causes lung cancer?” I threw back the question at Mr. pre-Med.
“Uh…yes, sir,” Cabo confirmed.
“Alright. Therefore, it is not really unprecedented for millions of people to know that something is NOT GOOD for them and still elect to embrace that thing which is not good for them, am I correct?”
“Yeees, sir,” Cabo answered reluctantly.
“Listen, class, people know that smoking cigarettes is bad. People know that intoxicating alcohol is bad. But people smoke anyway, and drink alcohol anyway. Have you ever tried convincing someone to quit smoking?”
“I have, sir, I ended up smoking myself!” Jack Makataruz, the only Igorot sporting a mohawk said, setting off a mild wave of snickers.
“There you go,” I said, “when people are already set in their ancient ways, it’s going to take more than just an ordinary campaign to alter their behavior.”
“That’s not really fair, sir,” Miss Deema stood up again, “people smoke and drink because they are bombarded 365 days a year by subliminal conditioning that smoking is cool, that drinking is social. It’s all over television, ad billboards, song lyrics, movie scenes, we thrive in a contemporary culture that extols vices as virtues. So against all evidence and facts, cigarettes,and alcohol prosper.”
“Right,” I said, “so everytime someone lights a cigarette, he’s not really doing a rational act, is what you’re saying.”
“No, sir, I’m saying someone who lights a cigarette is intelligent enough not to do it. But he has to make that choice. It’s the choice that should be rational, not the smoking,” Miss Deema said. I can see her swashbuckling cross-examining skills are again starting to warm up.
“But you just said anyone who wants to quit smoking is fighting himself, because society has conditioned him to ignore the dangers of smoking in favor of the approval of society. It is society that tells him smoking is a good choice inspite of its inherent danger.”
“Right, sir.” Miss Deema said.
“RIGHT, SIR?? You’re agreeing with me?”
“Yes, sir, rationality cannot be fought with rationality,” said Miss Deema.
“Uh…I think you lost me there somewhere, hija. Can you run that by me again, I’m not sure you know what I’m trying to drive at,” I said.
“I’m way ahead of you, sir,” Deema said, “you’re trying to draw a parallel between smokers and people who voted for Marcos. I know why people voted for him. For older people, it’s an ingrained habit. For younger people, it’s a programmed response to stimuli that bombards them 24 hours a day, seven days a week and all year round on the internet.”
“Hmm…it’s really the part where you said you cannot fight rationality with rationality that threw me off,” I said.
“Dr. Juan Flavier,” Miss Deema replied.
“I’m sorry, WHO??”
“Dr. Juan Flavier, sir. He’s a former DOH Secretary, probably the best we ever had. He’s a doctor but he never delivered a lecture on the medical ill effects of cigarette smoking.”
“Oh, him! Yes, I remember Secretary Flavier. He never lectured on the medical ill effects of smoking??”
“No, sir, that would be the common expectation, the rational approach. Instead, what he did was popularize the expression ‘YOSI KADIRI!’ attaching a social stigma to smoking that got the attention of the youth. Soon enough, there was a mushrooming of local ordinances banning smoking in public places, with very strong support from the people, especially the youth, because of ‘YOSI KADIRI!”
“Secretary Flavier used social stigmatization to develop natural aversion to smoking among its most die-hard adherents. How unconventional—how irrational—indeed!” I agreed.
“That’s why I don’t accept that Leni lost, sir, but I will not deny that BBM won, either,” Miss Deema bipolarized on me again. I think this girl enjoys confusing her professor.
“I see,” I stroked my chin to appear like I get what she’s saying, “well, it looks to me like you understand why BBM won then. And just like even Secretary Flavier’s solution took time, it did not succeed overnight, I’m sure you know that disabusing Filipino voters of their endearment with mister Marcos is going to take a lot of time…maybe?” I hinted at wanting a closure on the subject.
“Of course, I understand sir. It will really take time. Right now we’re on the Marcos patch,” Miss Deema replied.
“Marcos patch? I don’t understand—" she cut me right in mid-confusion.
“It’s similar to a nicotine patch, sir. It will release small doses of ‘Marcosism’ into our national life from time to time, for the next six years until someday, hopefully, Filipinos would no longer crave for it,” Miss Deema ended. All her classmates burst out in guffaw.
Sometimes I forget why this girl is my favorite law student. This evening, I remembered, as I closed up my brief lecture too, “I will see you again Thursday, class dismissed!”***
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