Here’s hoping ‘Tumindig’ will translate beyond social media
By now, you would’ve probably heard of ‘Tumindig’. What started as an artwork by Tarantadong Kalbo as a show of defiance, featuring an upward fist in a sea of fist bumps, took a life on its own when various artists chimed in with their own variations.
For people who have grown tired of the clownery of the past six years, there was a sense of…giddiness. There is proof that people still have the voice to say, yes, we’re not putting up with this sh*t any longer. We are not sheeple, nor are we a tuta; we desire change.
However, the pessimist in me quickly replaced the feeling of fascination with a nagging sentiment. It felt like there was a missing piece, and I found myself asking:
‘Cool, now what?’
Look, I’m a fan of Tarantadong Kalbo. So much so that I even asked and wrote him a feature one time. And as someone who closely follows current events for a living, I’m well-versed in feel-good movements with a huge potential for good (Community pantries, anyone?)
But I guess I’m praying that Tumindig, with its commendable eye-opening message of defiance, can actually influence something… concrete. Something that goes beyond the Internet and translates into real-world affirmative actions, such as registering to vote.
‘Yes, we get it. You hate how things are. What are you going to do about it?’
As of the latest tally in April 2021, there are more than 13 million unregistered voters in the Philippines. In this 13M, around 8 million are ages 18-19. The rest are mostly composed of either Millennials or Gen-Zs.
13 million missing voters. 13 million who can determine whether our country stays in the sh*tter or not. I was part of this group until I saw a tyrant and realized that we deserve better leaders.
I aspire for Tumindig to be more than just a trend or an excuse to be witty, flex one’s artistic skills, garner likes and shares, or even poke fun at this administration. That the same brilliant energy could convince us to show up when and where it truly matters.
As of writing, the deadline for voter registration is less than two months away. And it doesn’t take a scientist to know that many have yet to do their part. So I pray that by next year when we decide our country’s fate, we will witness the same kind of solidarity that Tumindig brought us today.
The post <b> Here’s hoping ‘Tumindig’ will translate beyond social media </b> appeared first on WE THE PVBLIC.
Source: we the pvblic
No comments