Resonating…

IT seems to be the buzzword these days. All of sudden, I see and read this word almost everywhere. Resonance is very much in the mind and lips of politicians, entertainers, publicists and almost everybody else who, for one reason or another, want to catch people’s attention.

From its place of origin in the fields of physics, acoustics, linguistics, medicine and chemistry, the word has leapt into another level and has acquired a special meaning in the world of politics and social life.

In the American political scene, for example, this word is now the object of intense interest. The Republicans are said to be looking for a credible voice with enough charisma that can click with the people, and doing all sorts of things to achieve that end.

It must be a truly absorbing task to discover the right man with the right issues who can engage the people in a meaningful dialogue and a sustained interest with the view of winning them for the party.

It will take a lot of time and a series of processes, derived more from trial-and-error experiments, for the beleaguered politicians to regain toehold in their clout over the people. At the moment, it’s the Democrats with the very popular Obama holding sway.

Politicians’ public images will have to be built up or cleaned or rehabilitated. Views and arguments will have to be floated and refloated to see if they can get traction with the people.

The sentiments of the people will have to be monitored and identified, and their concerns promptly engaged. This is going to be an exciting job, a mark of true leadership and creativity.

Our local scene will be no exception. With elections around the corner, we already are witnesses to some stunts and gimmicks of politicians and celebrities to score pogi points.

Rumors—favorable to one, unfavorable to another—are launched. Pseudo-events are staged to reap media mileage. Public relations machineries go frenzy.

Marriage proposals are suddenly done in noontime shows. Public figures with ambition to run for office will wear a kind of signature attire. They will be willing to sing and dance, to guest in talk shows, to be endorsers of products, etc. I suppose they are all meant to boost their name recall among the masses.

We have to be more aware of these developments as well as figure out what to do with them. We just cannot sit pretty, and allow things to happen guided only some invisible law of human chicaneries.

The nature and inner workings of media and public opinion have to be studied and appreciated. Their developments, the different factors and elements that condition them, have to be monitored and evaluated.

We have to see if there’s at least proper focus and substance, balance and fairness in these efforts to have resonance with the people. We have to see if the dialogue is going on well, or if there are pressures that would distort it.

Ethical standards have to be defined and refined as we go along and gain more experience and wisdom. There’s nothing wrong with playing the resonance game, per se. It has its legitimate place under the sun.

Precisely because we are social beings, we all have need for it. As a priest, for example, I keenly feel the need to be able to keep contact and dialogue with the people. I know this will require of me a lot of effort and resources.

Nothing less than being creative all the time is needed. A sense of timing has to be perfected as much as possible. What to say when and how is a skill ever to be distilled.

The continuing search for novelties, inherent in this business, should be pursued without compromising the eternal truths and absolute morals. And now that the pace of developments is much faster, the grip on the essentials should be made stronger.

All this reminds me of the charism of saints, especially of founders of religious groups. They have been effective in making resonance with the people, even if they hardly used the media.

There’s one thing that need to be made clear. Effective and proper resonance with the people should always begin and end with a clear resonance with God.

Unless this is followed, I think we’ll just end up playing games, with results and effects than can range from the harmless to the horrible.