Off The Beaten Path

Jante’s Law

By Roy Gersalia

Having reviewed the philosophy of Vilfredo Pareto and Gaetano Mosca confirmed that the theories I have drawn in the past of some of the attitudes and characteristics of the “Taga-Bulans” and the thoughts that I have come to arrive were justified. Anyway, this is just one of the prevalent attitudes that I will discuss.

Following Goethe’s saying that “he who cannot draw from three thousand years is living from hand to mouth,” I did some research fueled from what I had observed during the past years on one of the prevalent attitudes –consciously or unconsciously- of the people of Bulan that kept the people to its knees and haunting the present generation.

Some may not like this but this is true. As they say, the truth is often detested. Our town is like the (in) famous town of Jante. At least that is my theory. I invite you to come reflect on it.

During the course of my research, I stumbled upon the Norwegian author Aksel Sandemose who created in one of his novels the fictitious Danish town of Jante that lives in its own commandments, thus, the so-called Law of Jante. The Law of Jante explains Sandemose, is “each little souls struggle for coequality and recognition, never without consciousness that all the others are greater than he.” In other words, if a person strives harder to achieve his goal –especially in wealth, profession or career – his town mates will not like it.

In this line, envy, despite being a Christian sin, is a principle part of Jante’s Law, as the result of breaking this social code means that your neighbors will despise you for your individuality, uniqueness and or an excess show of wealth. By this, people stamp out each other’s chances in life (Moller, 1998 thesis on Law of Jante in Swedish society). And that is what I observed for the past years that shaped the lives of some people in Bulan.

Few of the examples are the following: When one is criticizing –with enough grounds- the personalities in the corridors of power, the “spokesperson” (whatever you call this person) will strike back and oftentimes, resorted to character-assassination of the person who criticizes, sways from the real issue at hand and depicting the picture that when one is crossing their line, it is deemed wrong. In other instance, if the “spokesperson” is unavailable, the subject of the criticism will rely to a hired person (usually a broadcaster) to discuss, answer and defend the issues hurled into the subject.

At times even our closest of friends, neighbors and former classmates succumb to the Law of Jante unconsciously. They often asked you where have you bought this or that, asked you where you work, what career are you planning, etc., and if you answer them even in all your honesty, they will despise you at the moment you turn your back. Well, in answer, I said “on that, you can put your mind at rest.” Does it ring a bell?

A fellow writer and friend complained to me once that when he tried to rewrite the history of Bulan and when he presented his drafts to the person who is said to be a historian, he said that the person he turns to said that what he wrote was wrong, but at the end of the day changed some and copied it.

I’m not knocking fun with my town mates. I just wrote what I have observed. Anyway, this is all a theory. Makulog?

Libel?  “I don’t know”

By Roy Gersalia

I was threatened to be sued with libel.

Not only once but twice (as the cliche is often used for humor and sarcasm after movie actress Susan Roces accused with good and profound reason Gloria Macapagal Arroyo of cheating her way to the presidency in the 2004 elections).

I was threatened to be sued at about time when I was already four years working as a journalist. I worked in a newspaper first as a reporter and with some luck and an ‘arrogance’ of a newsman, an Associate Editor. Well none of the supposed libel suits ever happened. I don’t know.

I was about to be sued first in January 2005 when I wrote about a person who was badly beaten for no apparent reason by a supposed to be an anti-crime organization in Bulan, Sorsogon. The article written was straight news, but it caught the ire of the Municipal Administrator for he is a member or an adviser (I don’t know which) of that anti-crime group.

He stormed our newsroom and talk with the publisher and editor that we should write an apology, lest we will be sued with libel. When he was refused, he wrote a letter, an answer to my published story.

The letter didn’t get any reaction from the readers. Then after a few weeks, the issue boiled down and I was forgotten for a while but commended by people who know me and continue to read and trust my articles.

And the supposed libel suit wasn’t filed. For whatever reason, I don’t know.

I was somewhat relieved as newsman do if faced with a similar situation, but I also want them to pursue the case as I want the people to know the truth brought out in an impartial court.

As to where will I get the money to hire a lawyer if the case was pursued, I don’t know. I’m also one of those poorly-salaried journalists.

The victim who was badly beaten have filed a case against them and is now being heard at the Municipal Trial Court. Last I heard, every hearing, the victim was continuously offered an out-of-court settlement. I don’t know what will happen next.

Came another libel threat. This supposed libel suit came from no less than our congressman who happened to be my ninong (godfather) when I was christened at the Catholic Church. (Read: He was my father’s close friend and when he was chosen to be my ninong, he was still a nobody. I don’t know for others, because, often, he was chosen to be their sons or daughters’ godfather because of his widely known generosity and political influence.)

In December 2006 I wrote an article about my ninong which became the paper’s banner story. In that article I have reported that our congressman as early as that time was already forming his own block of local candidates for the 2007 elections under his party KAMPI (Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino), the ruling party led by President Arroyo.

In the story I quoted sources close to my ninong or confidante to his activities. As the story became the talk of the town, and people reacted, which by the way, seemed unfavorable to him politically, our congressman of course, denied the story. And on radio, he belied the news story and for that, “he will file a case against me and my paper”, he said.

I waited, and until now, the libel case wasn’t filed. Again, I don’t know why.

It made me think that the threat of libel to every journalist here is a tactic used often by powerful people who always want good news written about them and to purposely cow the free press. Some of these people shun objective reporting. And again, I don’t know why.

This is the prevailing political atmosphere here. There’s a price to pay in telling the truth.

And if you ask me about libel, my quick and standard reply is: “I don’t know”.