It is funny how the future generations will likely unfold history through memes on social media and not in history books. Politics no longer unfolds quietly through official statements or policies—they emerge from funny memes, hearing highlights, and campaign stunts on social media. We often consume them as moments to blatantly give a take on, argue about, be trendy about being aware of it, and forget it as if it was just another unstable episode in this political climate. But by ingesting this media down the wrong pipe—the drama will just stir itself in a deeper pit.
Content such as heated moments during Senate hearings often stir their way in almost everyone’s feed and these clips spread faster than the full context. We laugh at a video of someone tripping down stairs while being chased by the authorities without even knowing why they are even being chased in the first place. The issues slowly get buried under views that do not even realize that they are being flayed by what is being debated.
What we should really question is not how the issues get buried—but how it is being fed to us. Short-form comedy content deflects critical questions and replaces credibility with relatability. The algorithm prioritizes complex political realities into content designed for engagement rather than understanding.
Being aware about what is happening in our bureaucracy is good, being involved in it just for the plot is not. Our bureaucracy is not some primetime spectacle show. We should not label ourselves as “politically aware” after smirking at a video showing a senator being “sensitive” after being shouted at—that is the algorithm, not the debate surfacing in your feed.
Real talk—you will be labeled as “performative” if you do not even look at the bigger picture in politics. This “show,” Congress rather, holds our country together—and it is breaking apart. Laughing at it and deeming it hilarious is an insult to our democracy, to our Constitution.
But, we cannot blame people for reacting this way when politics often puts on a hilarious show—but one moment we are laughing, and the next we are crying. If you want to live in a country run by a Constitutionally mandated circus, feel free to laugh all you want. But if you really want to escape the algorithm, open your eyes to the Plenary itself, shut the screen blinding you with light hearted moments and face the cruel bloodbath of what is actually happening in our democracy.
Written by Rey Krister S. Tanwangco
Rey Krister S. Tanwangco is a dedicated campus journalist and contributor. Their insightful writing sparks meaningful conversations and keeps the community informed.
