The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
Who says dialectics is only studied and found in the hollow hallways of the academe and its resident intellectuals?
Who says dialectics is only cluttered in the corridors of power of any governing body of the elite and the powerful in any field?
Who says dialectics is only idealized in the jungles and war zones of the revolutionaries?
Dialectics, since time immemorial, and to be empathic about it (not only at the moment) is spread out in the noisy and rubbishy streets and in every nook and cranny of society.
Dialectics is most of the time, reinforced in show business.
Only, it is so pretty pronounced these days not only in the competitive aesthetics and commercial realms of celebrities and media entities but also in the socio-political beliefs and partisanship of movie, television, music, and stage people.
Whereas there was the an opposition between Carmen Rosales and Alicia Vergel, especially in their fandom and professional rivalry in the pre-war and Liberation showbiz, there was also a heated contention about the Philippine movie queenship between Nida Blanca and Gloria Romero; Susan Roces and Amalia Fuentes; Nora Aunor and Vilma Santos; Sharon Cuneta and Maricel Soriano and their male counterparts kingship between Nestor de Villa and Luis Gonzales; Romeo Vasquez and Eddie Gutierrez; Tirso Cruz III and Christopher de Leon; Gabby Concepcion and William Martinez, down the generation lines.
Of course, the professional competitiveness was and still is the most qualified, vetted and accepted norm although the personal comparison and contrast notwithstanding the human flaws (and its opposite, virtues) was and still is underscored especially by sensationalism and media consumerism.
Which is very true to the current landscape of the dialectical struggle between political candidates, e.g. BBM and Leni for the presidency of the land—they are mostly compared and contrasted.
Their respective supporters are also taking their clear and uncompromising stances.
Marcos, Jr. has celeb believers if not fanatics to his side as Nora, Toni Gonzaga, Vivian Velez, Elizabeth Oropesa, Liz Alindogan, Dulce, Renz Verano, Richard Reynoso, Divina Valencia, Yvonne, Beverly Salviejo, Mocha Uson, Randy Santiago, Andrew E. Isay Alvarez, Robert Seña etc while Robredo has celebrity endorsers and performers as Sharon, Iza Calzado, Donny Pangilinan, Melissa Mendez, Regine Velasquez, Nikki Valdez, Jolina Magdangal, Piolo Pascual, Ogie Alcasid, Gary Valenciano, KuhLedesma, Angel Aquino, Rita Avila, Pinky Amador etc.
The other presidential aspirants Manny Pacquiao, Ping Lacson, Teody de Guzman and Isko Moreno have also celebrity campaigners.
But affiliations and rooting for favorite candidates are more than meets the eye.
It doesn’t mean to say that the gauge or measurement of the good and the bad (or imagined and faked one) traits and qualities of persons (aspirants and their drum beaters and rooters) and what they stand for is plain black and white.
There are gray matters in between.
It’s quite a complex process of discernment but there are objective realities and parameters to guide our judicious decision to the polls.
There are pink considerations indeed.