This is the very mistake that dragged the “opposition” down. When they see people voicing support for the Marcoses, Duterte, Trump or other perceived “dictator,” they would attack, insult and besmirch such people, accusing them of being “trolls.” They think by insulting or libeling “dictator’s supporters,” they are doing something good. The opposite is true. By besmirching such people, they might actually be lying about and destroying them, something that more appropriately deserves the description of “evil.”
Photo courtesy of ABC Australia
The problem with their method is that not all “dictator’s supporters” are trolls. In fact, a great majority of them are real people. Thus, the “opposition” ends up libeling real people.
Another mistake is to equate the supporters to the dictators themselves. Meaning, if the dictators are suspected of or even known to have killed people, supporters are called murderers themselves. That is false equivalence. One is only a murderer if they do the act.
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The reason why Duterte or Marcos, or even other dictators (such as Syria’s Assad), have become more popular is not trolls or online propaganda. They are popular because there are real people who approve of them, who share their ideas by word of mouth. Old people who believe they experienced easier lives in older days will associate that ease with the leader of the time, as is the case with Marcos. Tell them anything like they have Stockholm Syndrome, Dunning-Kruger effect or similar, they’ll rebuff you and call you the troll. And at times, they may be right in the latter.
The “opposition’s” method of demonizing anyone who supports the “dictators,” as well as lumping other people who disagree with them into this group, earned them the scorn of the people. It also means they are trigger happy; they just attack and attack, doing opposition for its own sake. But if that’s all they do, and you don’t see them really helping people, they are indeed trolls. Seeing them getting attacked by the people they attacked first is just receiving their just desserts.
As much as you want to “rebuke” supporters of dictators, rebuking isn’t a good way to approach them. Perhaps there is a gentler way of rebuke, but calling them trolls certainly isn’t going to work. The effect is that it will embolden them to support their dictator further, because they see attacks on who they support as malicious against society as a whole (contributing to the antifragility of the one they support).
What opposition should do is focus on improving the lives of people, including the lives of “dictators’ supporters.” In doing so, they prove their sincerity if they claim to be “for the people,” and are offering a real alternative. If they leave out the “dictators’ supporters,” then it proves that they do not really care about people and are not the “good guys.” They are politically colored and vindictive, and care about their political dominance more than anything. This is demonstrated by the recent turnaround of communist leader Renato Reyes, who after years of being Anti-VFA suddenly supports it simply because the guy he “opposes” has become anti-VFA.
One other problem with the “opposition” is that they focus on personalities and not ideas, showing their intellectual bankruptcy. They are focused on the “evil personality” of Duterte, but good and evil are not dependent on personality. As if the personalities they support are not “evil” themselves.
Also, people don’t really care who help them. They care about receiving help, whoever it is. They are people with needs and if they perceived that “dictators” provide for their needs, they will hang on (case in point: the number of people who flocked to the funeral of the slain “Jaguar” drug lord). And yet another thing: remember that “dictator’s supporters” don’t see the one they support as a dictator.
The “opposition” has a lot to change if they want to regain their ground in the arena. But it may also mean completely changing the foundation of their stance – which is likely wanting to oust “dictators” and changing the ousted with their own. If they don’t, they might permanently get the image of “enemy” – and deserve it.
I believe, as my cohorts here do, that what Filipinos embrace as their culture is what actually pulls the country down. And those who seem to be anti-dictators, who may also believe themselves to be “heroes,” are the real dictators.
I am one who was besmirched by the YellowTard opposition media people, frequently. It is because , I tell the truth, and support the late : Pres. Marcos, Sr.; Bong Bong Marcos , Jr. and Pres. Digong Duterte.
I am called by many unworthy names…inspite of this , I tried to reason with these YellowTard opposition supporters. I also tried to debate with them. I found out they are : shallow minded; indoctrinated by the YellowTard cult; lesss educated, always believe Ninoy Aquino is a hero and Cory Aquino is a saint.
I don’t care what they believe… However, they must get out of their YellowTard world, and learn more and be exposed to the Real World. Sometimes, reality is not just “black and white” ….sometimes, it is a “shade of gray”…
The Age of Information Technology , gives us, as much knowledge and world exposures, as much as you like…it depends on how much you want to learn !
Current World Dictators
https://planetrulers.com/current-dictators/
Even with that list, one can argue that the determination of who is a dictator is subjective.
The criteria for “Dictatorship” is as subjective as the political beliefs of the people who run that website, from actually giving the criteria of bypassing political institutions to just plain disagreeing with certain world leaders.
India, Bulgaria, Timor-Leste, Romania is free?? And Pakistan, Ukraine, Colombia is partly free? okay
I can say that there’s little “Unity” and “Compromise” when both are used by the so-called Democracy Advocates to say that you should just agree with us or else we’ll continue to obstruct you or my personal favorite, cater to our will and we’ll just call it a “compromise”. So-called “Moderates” will tell you that both sides must compromise and unite, but when one side calls “Compromise” by invalidating the agenda of the sitting President, calling for his resignation, and having the shameless quality of saying that what they want isn’t “Partisan”, you can see the so-called honesty and integrity of these lunatics who aren’t much as a Political Party when they are hungry competitors who wishes the destruction of their political rivals.
Call for “unity”: “sige, let’s all unite… but I call the shots!”
>> supporters are called murderers themselves
Now that’s like saying everyone who’s mourning Kobe’s tragic death is a rapist.
What people esp. opposition folks need to understand is that leaders don’t just come in pure black or white; they’re every shade of gray in between. Like how one Caucasian speaker once illustrated- “I’m not white; this bond paper is What’s white”.
Duterte or Marcos have good points and bad. Notice they’re both strong proponents of nation/infrastructure building. But then the so-called HR abuses. Probably we should move towards becoming less of the blind or overly solid supporter. Give a thumbs up or thumbs down based on fair assessment every now and then.
For example I don’t support Duterte‘a idea of removing Calculus. How will Leni as “VP” understand infinitesimally small changes in parameters wrt time without the concept of derivatives and integration?
But I do support his administration for the fact that passports and driver’s licenses now have 10 and 5 year validities respectively.
A benevolent “dictator” who fumes over stuff that make life difficult for people (when there is an option for easy) is the real hero. Strict parents work well for certain types of kids depending on their mental/cultural level or advancement.
Now a toast to Thanos; what would that End Game movie be without him? Disney/Marvel/Star Wars thanks all the villains that have contributed to churning out Billion Dollar movies one after the other.
Let’s continue supporting the cause: conflict for the sheer fun of making life a lot less boring.
On the same thread ironically we need the opposition and cultural dysfunction (as villains) to keep GRP relevant. Articles on “tips to ward off nCoV infiltration” are not really my cup of tea.
And what if Leni goes away; who will be left to be our favorite punching bag, when PNoy and Mar are practically political dead horses already?
After those bouts with Cory and son at the helm which plunged the country into a dark era of glorified glaring incompetence, Filipinos are now convinced they’re better off with “dictators” who get the job done fast.
The last thing you said is what them Yellows hope to convince people against, but could not. lol