What makes me lose my temper is watching the news after I have tear-jerked over my favorite teleserye comes dusk.
I would often watch the headlines and shut off the TV when I’ve had enough reason to bring my senses back to the harsh realities of life.
It helps that you watch the news (okay, the headlines) and tell yourself, “Hey wake up. The teleserye will end happily with the larger-than-life set of characters reconciling and living happily ever after just like a fairy tale.”
But these programs fascinate us. We become avid fans and supporters of which. We relate to the characters - their griefs and glories, their love and hatred among and against each other. That’s how it is supposed to be anyway. They mirror, sometimes over magnify the simple realities of human existence. The rule is to be overrealistic. To be severely pathetic.
The major character has to suffer so much, die a couple of times and live again, lose some memory and rekindle them only to find she’s been torn off of loved ones and possessions, of course by no less than the villain of all villains who monologues her evil plans at many points in the episode. There has to be a scene where the pathetic bida gets slapped, and attempts to fight back but pushed away by the envious kontrabida. To top it all, the bida goes to her bed, self-pitious and cries a river.
It’s part of the Filipino culture, maybe, that we connect ourselves with these characters and incidents in their epic triumph over evil lifetime.
We are matiisin in nature. Whatever it is that comes our way, we survive at the end of the day.
What could be more impressive is we find that comic relief amidst everything. Be it disaster or political crisis. I’m reminded of one odd news I heard two days ago which said the president, hours after he was publicly attacked by the Chief Justice (who is being impeached as of press time), still managed to attend the congress’ Christmas party and sing Estudyante Blues - the one song that he sings always.
Stereotypical soap operas may be but they still earn great patronages across all ages and strata in the society. That is another unique characteristic we Filipinos have – to be united for one cause (be it People Power or for Mara to fight Clara back).
On that note, there are still things nice, or even funny about the nation. Thank God.
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