I remember in the old days when were children, we were told to take afternoon naps after having our lunch. Some of our elders (or older siblings who were stricter than parents) would later check on us from time to time to see if we were really asleep. On some occasions, they would poke us to see any reaction. Seeing none, many would chuckle and proclaim, it’s really difficult to wake someone up when he’s only pretending to sleep. Thus, the old pinoy proverb.
Which reminds me; on some issues today whereby opinions fly back and forth, there are times when those who are clearly on the weaker side would still hang tough despite overwhelming odds. If not for anything else, while it confuses me somewhat, it is still really praiseworthy. I remember a school debate in high school where the losing side, with its weak defense and flimsy reasoning became the laughing stock of the whole audience. I remember looking intently at the members and, despite all the heckling, they all appeared unnerved and cool throughout the ordeal. Once they went down the stage, I happened to ask one of the debating members and all he could mutter was “ I still don’t get it”.
All this reminds me of an old T-shirt caricature drawing of a mouse, seconds from death proudly pointing a naughty finger at the eagle that was hovering above him. The caption read, The last act of defiance.
Surely, there are some perspectives that can withstand even the strongest gale. This ‘sticks and stones may break my bones’ stand against all odds is much like the road less travelled by Frost and it’s clearly why those at a much clearer advantage often pull their hair out in the process at trying to either win them over or totally overrun them to the ground.
In war, that is just the case. Diplomacy is casually thrown out the window and devil may care if the whole world is watching. It doesn’t really matter if we’re talking about the bloody Gaza strip or the trivialities of the miss U supposed scandal. Despite all odds against them, the antagonists won’t admit to wrong. No way, and if we say no way in hell, that’s where many wish they would go, after all the dust has settled. It may sound derogatory nowadays but when we were children, whenever someone among us refused to surrender, we likened them to Japanese soldiers in WWII, no retreat no surrender.
In the end, everything might just be different sides of the same coin I guess. What is another man’s floor is another man’s ceiling. In every day’s debacle and debates, there are those who insist to the high heavens, ‘but there is an absolute truth’! the opposing forces, with feet planted firmly on their version of a hallowed ground, will just simply declare, who said? Better yet, who died and made you king?
