Now is no longer the time for poets

Area of Science:

• Political Science
• Media Studies
• Literary Criticism

Background:

• The Philippines elected a new president, namesake of a former Martial Law dictator.
• Contemporary discourse involves post-truth, media influence, and historical revisionism.
• A younger generation and transgender poet reflects on learning about past atrocities through dominant narratives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the implications of a leader associated with Martial Law returning to power.
• To explore the role of media, public perception, and historical narratives in shaping understanding.
• To investigate how to foster empathy and resistance within a potentially dystopian present.

Main Methods:

• A reflective essay analyzing political and media landscapes.
• Incorporation of poetic expression to explore complex themes.
• Examination of concepts like post-truth, populism, and revisionism.

Main Results:

• The analysis highlights the challenges of confronting historical revisionism and post-truth.
• Media's entanglement with participatory publics shapes narratives.
• Poetry offers a means to create spaces for new understandings and resistance.

Conclusions:

• Rethinking historical narratives is crucial in the face of political transformations.
• Empathic opacity and new coalitions are vital for navigating contemporary dystopias.
• Artistic and critical engagement can foster resistance against dominant, potentially harmful, narratives.