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Getting down to the naughty gritty/Putak-manok sa imahen (PJI editorial 5 May 2005)

ALLOW us to offer a truckload of thanks and tons of commiseration for one Journal Online reader— griped how she felt bad about a local TV teen-age couple after giggling pubescent male stole a snapshot at nubile female with mobile phone camera showing her taking a shower, rinsing her flower, and yelping at the naughty intrusion.

Reader also volunteered information that the audio-video sequence is being circulated in this neck of the woods. Probably that’s prima facie evidence of whatever sex scandal or show-and-tell value people can wrung off from that revealing footage.

With a view on the current water shortage that bedevils the metropolis, we can only hazard a guess this young couple set an example to audiences on an ingenious way to save water. It’s likely they took a shower together. They probably stumbled on a more innovative water saving scheme: young couple just exchanged bodily fluids.

We’re probably growing old such that the normal 20-20 vision we once had is being whacked out and is blurring into an atrocious 36-24-36.

We’ve probably seen much stack of statistics and an unending parade of fleshy images, we can now afford to eschew plain sight and chew on some meaty insights.

For instance, we’d rather pore over matters that affect the public weal. Res (matter) plus publica (the public) equates to whatever we extol as “republic.” It’s the res + privata (private) we’d often shun. Deprivation or loss of privacy is too closely akin to and spawns such grim realities as grinding poverty, bankruptcy, and penury.

We’re probably suckers for old-fashioned romance wreathed with verses from the likes of Ralph Waldo Emerson, same guy who plied this counsel: "What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."

That’s probably one graceful way of rephrasing that crabby Greek sage Socrates: “Know thyself. The unexamined life is not worth living.”

Yeah, we’re not exactly Pro-Life zealots out to out-talk anyone.

That old goat Socrates probably got it right. The unexamined life ain’t worth living.



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SANTAMBAK na salamat at tone-toneladang pakikidalamhati ang nais naming ipahatid sa isang mambabasa ng Journal Online—sumama daw ang loob sa kabataang pareha sa TV. Nagtatawang kinunan ni lalaki ng nakaw-retrato (mobile phone camera ang gamit) si babae habang naliligo sa banyo, nagbabanlaw ng bulaklak, saka napahiyaw sa kabiglaanan, “Ay! Nahihiya ako.”

Iniulat din ng mambabasa na kumakalat na ang naturang audio-video sequence. Maituturing marahil na katibayang prima facie sa kung anumang sex scandal na mapipiga kung sinu-sino sa katakam-takam na daloy ng mga larawan at anyong kilala ng mahilig magmiron sa telebisyon.

Kung isasaalang-alang ang kakapusan ng tubig ngayong tag-araw, maiisip na nagpakita ng mainam na halimbawa ang pareha kung paano magtitipid sa tubig. Baka sabay na silang naligo. O baka mas mahusay na paraan ang kanilang isinagawa—nagpalitan ng kani-kanilang katas.

Tumatanda na yata kami kaya pati normal na 20-20 vision, natutuklap na’t nauuwi sa makatulo-laway na 36-24-36.

Tala-talaksang statistics at walang patid na prusisyon ng samut-saring korte marahil ang nahimod ng aming paningin. Kaya siguro ipagkikibit-balikat na lang namin ang mga tipak ng laman, higit na magtutuon sa kaalaman.

Halimbawa, mas angkop marahil maitutok ang tanaw sa mga bagay-bagay na nakaugnay sa kapakanan ng publiko. Res (usapin) at publica (sambayanan) ang ugat ng idinadambana nating republika. Kung maaari’y umiiwas na sa res + privata (private). Ang deprivation o kawalan ng privacy ay malalim na nakaugnay sa pag-iral ng matinding dalita, pagkalugi at paghihirap.

Mas umaangkop sa panlasa ang matulaing pagmamahal, kakawing sa tula ng tulad ni Ralph Waldo Emerson. Nabanggit niya: “Wala sa mga makikitang panlabas na anyo ang mga makabuluhang bagay kundi sa mga nakapaloob na diwa.”

Parang inulit lang ang madalas ipangaral ni Socrates: “Kilalanin ng lubusan ang sarili. Walang katuturan ang buhay na hindi lubusang sinuri ng sarili.”

Talagang mas matindi ang ganito sa ipinangalandakang Pro-Life.

Mas mapanuri kaysa mapanira ang damuhong Socrates. Walang kuwenta ang buhay na hindi lubusang sinuri ng sarili.

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