I have watched the video without reading the blog content of the person who posted this. And so I thought, ah, this guy seemed to be the most obvious sitting duck coz he does not have shame to do such easy task of humiliating people, sugar-coating it as "help".
But this video... I cant even finish it. I stopped in the middle where the child seemed to be doing what he doesnt want to do. Not that I blame him for that. I blame everyone in the studio who enjoys that kind of entertainment, laughing every single time the kid says something real. "ano ang dad mo? Ano siya?" I was aghasted anticipating what the child might say and hear the world laugh from it.
This is just... like how I see gladiators try to fight a beast in the middle of an arena. Slave to poverty, trying to survive the things it commanded for him to do, from a monstrous need of others' entertainment. But in movies, fighters seemed tougher, braver and agile. Pretty much, an adult.
Now, how do we try to point out the details leading to this form of demise. The show itself promises hope for the people who needed money. But before joining in the so-called game, contestants must show their talent. Of course we know there is a screening for that, then why is this okay?
The audience pretty much enjoyed it. No one complained. In fact, they found it cute. They laughed every single time the child struggled for answers. Not needing a Psych degree, we all know whats going on inside that childs mind. He was nervous, scared and wondering... Why are they all laughing? Especially on the part where the host emphasized his question.
"Bakit may parlor tatay mo? Ano siya?"
"Kasi po... Para hanapbuhay."
"Ano ang ginagawa niya sa parlor?" "Naggugupit."
After the second question thrown out, the audience laughed as if it was a big joke.
So I cut my writing to this part and watched the video again. The kid was crying when he was dancing like a stripper, stopped, then the host asked him to do it again. The place was roaring with laughter. They were applauding, then Willie asked, "sino nagturo sa yo nyan?" "Si Tita po tsaka si Papa."
So the kid might be thinking, this aint bad. I was just dancing. But we all know its wrong. Its pretty much teaching him words he doesnt understand, and let him say it. We know that, that is never okay.
Norms are dictated by the society. A thing seems right if majority agrees that it actually is.
The last minute of the video got weirder. The kid stood on the stage as the platform lifted while adults were pretending to be excited to touch him. If its Justin Beiber they were trying to imitate, he didnt gyrate like a helpless kid.
It is the entertainment many of us enjoyed. Little acts we ignore, laugh about, and wouldnt care less after. We swam on apathy, drowning to the darkest trench our kids learn to hold their breath to.
