ILIGAN City ― "United we fall, divided we stand." Wait, I got it all jumbled. The correct way to express this is: "United we stand, divided we fall." Or, "Alone, I am weak; together, we are strong."
Yet, there are times when the feeling of "aloneness" or "togetherness" is not absolute. In other words, one is not very lonesome because others feel very alone, or others don't feel the togetherness. Neither is one entirely alone. It's a state of feeling "in-between."
Is there such a thing? Maybe there is, and this might be called "polarization," meaning mixed feelings.
I recall Mike, my nerdy friend, who said that when he passed the PMA exams two years ago—having completed all required exams except for the "neuro exam" which he did not pass—he mentioned, "A part of me was sad, but a part of me was happy too." In other words, mixed feelings.
Now, PMA doesn't mean "pedicure, manicure a lot." It's much more than that, and the training for it is in cold Baguio City. It's a very prestigious yet challenging career, as the Philippine Military Academy often puts one's life on the line. There are tales of woe, but of course, there are tales of happiness.
Take the Hamas-Israeli war; people are so polarized, and so divided on the matter. Many express support for the Israelis, remembering the Holocaust. On the other hand, there's sympathy for the Palestinians, interpreted by some as not minding the actions of Hamas, seen as synonymous with Palestinians, especially those in the Gaza Strip. The situation is still a developing global story.
This state of "polarization" is reflected in Mike's narrative. In a class, someone wrote, "I stand with the Palestinians. Write your name if this is the way you think too." Mike wrote his name, and others did too, while many didn't side with the Palestinians.
Oh, the situation is somewhat similar to the recently concluded BSKE elections. Some say it reflects "the people's will," while others disagree, believing that money can buy everything, including the "people's will."
To put it another way, we are in a state of "democracy," while others believe that we are really in a state of "demo crazy."
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