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IMAGES OF TENACITY ON MY TV SCREEN
Kathlyn Q. Barrozo
Class of 1991, University of Santo Tomas
B.S. Medical Technology
Why do we bother to hold on? Why do we find ourselves clinging to some things that affect us in a certain way
or simply become our reason for holding on? Tenacity is its own reason; although sometimes we often find that
it has its reasons.
We always cling to what we believe is right, either by our own standards or others’. It comforts us, nay,
strengthens us further, to know that we are not alone in upholding whatever we wish to uphold. There’s safety
in numbers, as they say. Numbers guarantee that you are likely not the first head to roll when the ax falls. This
easily leads to the Pied Piper phenomena, where the belief of one dominates those of others’, and leads many
to blind stewardship. It would be excellent if the way that everyone follows is just and true. Clinging to
principles in such settings is exemplary. But what happens when the way happens to be more crooked than one
has ever thought possible?
Images on the TV screen sometimes either appall or amaze.
We see people who hold on to what they believe is rightly theirs, what they think the world owes them. Ill-
gotten wealth is readily passed off as having been amassed above board, without falsity or misrepresentation.
Many get misled, often sympathizing with what appears to be mere accusations without proof. But as more
and more details get unraveled, we find out about the great amount of cover-up to mislead, the enormous
efforts to play the public mind. Such images appall with the sheer audacity of the drama that seems to be
played out, and the utter alacrity of the pawns being used.
Then there are those images that amaze, such as that which I saw many months back. It was the news story of
a girl who braved the floods in their village to rescue the national flag. The picture of that dear and courageous
girl firmly holding the nation’s flag aloft as the waters raged was worth a thousand words. It also energized
others who had witnessed the story on television to launch campaigns to help that brave girl. Such images
amaze, inspire and temporarily break the monotone of selfish politicians and greedy government officials.
The world is filled with thousands of images that showcase tenacity—either at its finest or its worst instances.
The really great ones sometimes bring tears to our eyes and a certain pain to the heart. The really horrible ones
invite the gnashing of teeth and the clenching of fists in anger and contempt. Most times, the images seem to
incite negative emotions rather than positive ones. Let’s hope that whatever image of tenacity we project, we
are able to incite the latter.
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
1.
What do you think about politicians who enrich themselves whi le in their positions and then justify their
deeds with sheer lies? Can you cite examples of such people?
2.
Think of examples of people whose display of tenacity has been inspiring. Talk about them in class.
3.
What punishment do you think those who hold on to ill-gotten wealth should get? Why?
4.
What principles in life do you hold on to? Were your parents highly-influential to your choice of principles?
5.
If the beliefs you possessed clashed with those of your loved ones, what would you do?