One of My Most Important Realizations as a Writer

It just came to my senses again when I read a friend’s blog. It haunts me at first. But I am more definite now.

Few years back when I was an active student writer, my pen tackles mostly issues concerning the studentry, Philippine politics, and other matters majority of the people would simply not care about, even if they concern them. My ink was designed solely for these topics I considered it a sin not to tackle or made mention any of them in my Culture Clash column and all my articles. I embraced my idealisms wholeheartedly. I felt like I could help change the world through my pen. I never felt so human since then.

Pen is mightier than sword. Through writing, I believe my ink could speak for the condition of my fellow students and the suffering people. My fear that I might not graduate because one of my major subject instructors and our college dean were so mad at me was lesser than my ‘call’ to fight for what I believe is right. Never had I imagined that I’ll be so used talking to the university gods whenever an issue of our paper is released. I learned how to speak up bravely and stand for my idealisms. Even if it meant losing my cum laude bid, losing some friends, and gaining more enemies.

That was my ink. When I stepped into the corporate world, I continue with my writing. But my writing changed direction. My idealisms (unconsciously/suddenly) took a back seat and embraced the demands and requirements of the business world. If before my ink is flaming red with the socio political issues I fearlessly write, now, it’s like a perfume giving good smell equivalent to admirable reputation for companies, products, and services. I become even more dedicated to my craft and profession as a writer.

Then, I thought about my being a student writer back in college. Have I already forgotten it? Have I completely given up on my fight through my ink? Have I years after university? Every time I read a newspaper or watch news, I can’t help but to feel so bad, frustrated, and disappointed. I’m still mad over the selfish politicians and cruel and abusive people existing on this planet. I’m still enraged over those things.

But what I’ve realized is that, no one can change the world over night. You can’t write about feudalism, bureaucrat capitalism, and imperialism when you are living luxuriously in the comfort of your own home, eating more than three times a day, and socialize with people ignorant of the face of poverty. You can’t write about these things when all your clothes, accessories, personal effects, and even your ‘pambahay,’ is Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Lacoste, and Ralph Lauren. You can’t claim that you know the pain of people suffering from abuse and extreme hunger when your stomach is always filled. You can’t get people to believe in you when all you’re writing about is miles apart from how you live your life. I see leaders of famous party list groups very vocal about condemning the Philippine government and the U.S. imperialism, but living a life luxuriously and spending holidays in Uncle Sam’s land.

I don’t want to be like that. If I were to persuade people, encourage them to fight for their idealisms, to care for others, to give a damn about what’s happening in our society, I want them to see my own idealisms and beliefs not only through my writing. I want them to see it with the way I live. Practice what you preach. That rule very much applies to this case as well.

When you are too absorbed by the idea of making everyone buy your idea, you have the tendency to forget the very nature of what you wish to convey. And when that happens, you’re not becoming faithful with the idea of using your pen to the cause that you want to uphold. And you’ll consequently never find fulfillment in that.

I may not be writing what I used to tackle when I was a student writer. But now, being a writer by profession, every time I write something about a company, a product, or a service, I always see to it that I infuse some touch of my being a Filipino and my home land. This, I think, is one simple action I can always do and make people see and believe